Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Right Now

I tried to write a post for today, but it just didn't come out right. I could say a lot about New Year's Eve, and I nearly did, but it isn't of much use.

It started raining a few moments ago. Then Bach came into my head. I have more appreciation for Bach now than I used to; it's amazing how his music lasts for centuries and centuries, but it never gets old.

If you have time, listen to this video; it's less than three minutes, but it's perfect for a day like this:

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my Dickens fanfic

A Nicholas Nickleby fanfiction, written for the fanfiction challenge on Dickensblog. Be warned, it's a bit corny. Not to mention, I didn't bother to look up until I was well into writing it, whether or not Ralph Nickleby had even met his sister-in-law and nephew and niece prior to his brother's death. Imagine my sheepishness when I read that Ralph Nickleby distinctly says (in Chapter 2, I think) that he "has never met them". Note to self: Research is a good thing, but you gotta do it beforehand, next time. :P

Anyhow, read it here (it's really short): http://tulgeyforest.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/nothing-daunted-by-me/

And comment on this post. =) I'd love to hear what you think! [As usual, if there are any typos, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know.]

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Movie Review (with video clips!): The Young Victoria

The Young Victoria

The Young Victoria (2009)
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Cast: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, etc.
Rated: PG. This review talks about how the movie is, content-wise.
My overall rating: 5 out of 5 stars. One thing which would have made it even BETTER would be a cameo appearance of Felix Mendelssohn, one of Victoria's (and my) favourite composers. But that would be too good to be true. ;)

The story: As the young, soon-to-be Queen of England, Victoria faces a difficult life ahead of her. She is surrounded by critics and politicians with their own agenda, such as the calm and collected Lord Melbourne and her mother's friend, the violent Sir John Conroy. Meanwhile, Prince Albert, of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, has plenty of pressure of his own to deal with, and it's with hesitance that he goes to meet Victoria, whom his relations want him to marry. Yet, unexpectedly, they both find in each other an understanding, genuine friend; and, that despite whatever schemers they meet in life, they can always depend on each other.

My thoughts: This movie turned out to be way better than I'd expected, and in about every aspect! I was thinking it'd be a nice, pretty, chick-flick kind of film, but it goes a lot deeper than that. In fact, it's so good, I hardly know where to begin.

Costumes, of course, were lovely; Victoria had so many different gowns, and Prince Albert's outfits were very nice too (especially the blue waistcoat). It makes a big difference that they actually designed some new costumes for this film, instead of digging something out of a closet, and I think their efforts were totally worthwhile in this respect. It was a pity that some of the costumes, like the yellow birthday gown, didn't get enough screen time, but one can't really complain, especially as there are some nice photos online of the dresses. The sets were also really detailed and tasteful, and I love the cinematography! There was a beautiful, rich look about the whole film, without looking too overdone or superficial; it's hard to describe, but I guess I'd call the lighting/cinematography as "natural but artistic". Or something like that. :)

The cast was excellent. Though Bettany as Melbourne did look too young, he nevertheless played the part very well, portraying a Lord Melbourne who is cool and composed no matter what the situation. Blunt was quite convincing as a young Queen Victoria; she is young Victoria, in the sense that I don't think I could see anybody else acting the part. Her facial expressions are perfect for the role, and she conveys the "half-Queen, half-inexperienced young lady" character wonderfully. Friend as Prince Albert was charming from start to finish; he really stole the show in some scenes!





Script was very, very good. There were all sorts of great moments, and some humour, too--like the part at the dinner where Victoria takes a big bite, then Lord Melbourne asks her a question (or something). I think most of us can relate. ;) Balance is the key word for this film: the characters were well-balanced (Victoria not being too timid or too fiery, too inexperienced or too authoritative, but some of each), the mood of the film was well-balanced (you'll laugh, and cry), and the plot/story was well-balanced overall. One of the best things about the film (in my opinion) was the way they wrote the proposal scene--it doesn't come when you expect it to, and when it does happen, it's not over-dramatized or anything, but instead quite realistic.

People have said that Blunt and Friend's Victoria & Albert didn't have much chemistry, but I quite disagree. This is a very romantic film, and now one of my favourites. Like my mom said, you have to understand the personalities and the era. Not only were Victoria and Albert (as here portrayed) naturally both rather quiet people, but they also had to maintain reserve, due to the standards of the era and their being public figures. Besides, I think writing letters and having serious talks with each other, as in this film, very romantic. In fact, I could have done with fewer kissing scenes, lol. This movie also has one of the best ballroom dances I've seen yet. <3







The soundtrack was epic, and deserves a paragraph of its own. There was only one theme that really stood out as being a consistent theme: Schubert's Serenade (aka Swan Song), best rendition/context I've heard and I'm not really a fan of that song. But in this kind of story, a solid theme song isn't a must; the soundtrack instead consists of various themes, most of which are orchestral and set the mood. I got the soundtrack from iTunes, and it's great stuff--some of my favourite tracks are "The King's Birthday" (which quotes Paganini), "Lord Melbourne", and "Constitutional Crisis" (which reminds me of A Tale of Two Cities). "The First Waltz" is also really nice.

All in all, I was sad to see it end; it's the sort of movie that you wish went on longer. You come to really care about the characters: Victoria, learning how to fulfill her role in life, and Albert, eager to be her help and support. It's a great movie on several different levels, and I highly recommend it!

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Today

Because I can't think of a better title. XD

Well, on Saturday we went to see The Young Victoria. It was amazing. Review coming soon, but let me just say right now, that if a theater near you is playing it and you have the opportunity to see it, do so! Highly recommended for fans of costume drama, history, and/or Austen/Bronte-esque romantic films. It was very, very well done.

I had a lovely Christmas with family, and got some wonderful presents--even a Legolas Ken doll, with the bow and arrows and everything!! Opening it was being like seven years old again. ;)

I also started reading Shirley, by Charlotte Bronte, and so far it's an excellent read. She writes third person just as well as first, and in this particular story you get to see another side of her writing; more humor, with elements of Dickens and Austen (Shirley is actually set in the Regency/Napoleonic era). The history she covers in this story is interesting, and one I hadn't read of before; basically, Yorkshire people without jobs vs. mill owners and new machinery. Like Gaskell's North and South, there's two sides to the situation, and it's easy to understand both.

I'm also working on my new "Sleeping Beauty story". I find it works a lot better to outline a book by chapters--that way, I won't have any doubts or worries about where to end the chapter, or what to write in one. =)

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Christmas morning musings

Merry Christmas, everyone!!!!!!!!


Madonna and Child

When I woke up this morning, it took me some moment to remember it was Christmas Day. I'd been dreaming before that...the type of "waking up" dreams that you at first take to be real, because they are very realistic and concern things that have been on your mind. Mom, Dad, Emiko, and I had been watching Persuasion '95 last night, but I went to bed before everybody else (not being a fan of the book or the adaptations). I dreamed she was telling Mom that she liked it (she hadn't seen it before). ;)

It also took me a glance at the paper to recall that today is opening day for "Sherlock Holmes" (yay for quotation marks!). Roger Moore, of the Orlando Sentinel, gave it just 2 1/2 stars with his review (which I read in the paper; the link is only part of the review); he calls it something like "elementary" in the full review. That was a relief. The Young Victoria got 3 1/2 stars in the paper; we're planning to go see it tomorrow!! =)

Yesterday evening we went to Christmas Eve candlelight service at our church; it was lovely! It's an Anglican church, and for their Christmas service, they do the traditional "Nine Lessons and Carols"--we sing a carol, then someone reads a passage from Scripture, and the service alternates between the two--followed by Holy Communion, and then Silent Night with the candles. I read the third lesson; they also have a Nativity procession at the beginning (I was Joseph, hehe); and Emiko and I (on violin & cello) helped accompany the choir when they sang Gesu Bambino. :) I had never been to this kind of Christmas Eve service before, but I love it; it's very fitting and reverent, and the congregation really gets to participate in the singing.

Today we're going to my uncle & aunt's house for dinner and more presents (my family and I already opened ours yesterday, but more on that later). It's sad to think that after today, that's all! No more getting ready for Christmas, or get-togethers with relatives. :( In fact, New Year's Eve is probably the most depressing day of the year; they just play a few minutes' worth of fireworks and dumb music on TV, and then BAM, it's 2010. =P Doesn't seem too long ago since last New Year's Eve, either.

Anyhow, enough of my ramblings. I hope you have a great Christmas Day! =)

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Tagged by Nibs

And Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! =)


Really, I got the idea for this meme/tag from an LJ - it was originally based on the Disney Princesses. However, I thought it would adapt wonderfully to the main Dickens heroines. Here's how it works: each heroine has 8 facts about her life. You tick the boxes next to the ones that describe you, and total up each list to see which one you are most like. :) I never realized how different a lot of these ladies were until I did this. Anyway, here we go:


DICKENSIAN HEROINE MEME

Agnes Wickfield:
[X] - You are very close to your parents
[] - You've been called a "good influence"
[] - You’ve had guys like you only because of your looks
[X] - You can play a musical instrument
[X] - You usually keep a level head under pressure
[X] - You are afraid to share your feelings sometimes
[] -You've been around a drunk person
[X] - You're waiting patiently for "Mr. Right"
TOTAL: 5

Dora Spenlow:
[] - Your family babies you
[] - You are known to be a dreamer
[X] (a Welsh corgi!!) - You have/had/want a pet dog
[] - You've dated someone your parents disliked
[] - You like to paint
[] - You like to sing
[] - You had your first serious relationship at a young age
[] - You can be a bit of a flake
TOTAL: 1

Esther Summerson:
[] - You've been/want to be a teacher or tutor
[] - You have a lot of responsibilities
[] - Someone you hardly knew asked you out
[] - You have/had an unusual relationship with your mother
[X] - You've been very sick (bad flu, cold, pox, or other illness)
[X] - You do/did volunteer work
[] - You don't have a lot of friends, just one or two best friends
[] - You wait before judging others
TOTAL: 2

Amy "Little" Dorrit:
[] - You've known someone in jail
[X] (as long as it wasn't anything bad, of course) - You'd do anything for your family
[X] - You are shy
[X] - You've traveled abroad
[] - You can be a bit of a pushover
[X] (Arthur Clennam for one, lol) - You have/had a crush on someone much older than you
[X] (have been) - You are very talented at your job
[X] -You are a good storyteller
TOTAL: 6

Estella Havisham:
[] - You have been in a stormy relationship
[] - You are an only child
[] - You've rejected someone
[] - You are something of a feminist
[X] - You've deeply regretted a past action
[] - You don’t have a lot of friends
[] - You are very independent
[] - Your parents try to control you
TOTAL: 1

Bella Wilfer:
[] - You often argue with your siblings
[X] - You are never afraid to speak your mind
[] - You can be proud
[] - You wish you had more money than you do
[] (I love both my parents!) You have a soft spot for your father
[X] - You love to dress up
[] - You are compassionate
[X] - You often go to the library/shop for books
TOTAL: 3

Lizzie Hexam:
[] - You have been in a one-sided relationship
[] - You like to take care of others
[X] - You have dark hair
[X] - You adore your sibling(s)
[] - You have weird friends
[X] - You like to sew
[] - You've wished you could run away
[] - You are something of an outcast
TOTAL: 3

Amy Dorrit!!! =) You know, out of all of the above, I like her best, so I'm pretty happy. I tag Lucie and Siminy, if they'd like to do it, and anybody else who wants to!

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I did it!

I just finished outlining (in detail) a new story, which I plan to write and complete in 2010. ^_^ It's not 100% historical fiction or fantasy...I call it "historically inspired". It takes place in the 18th century, in a fictitious country, and is partly a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I'm so excited about it; this story matches my current writing abilities much better than the Victorian story (from which I'm going to take a break). I also recently finished my Dickens fanfiction short story, which I'll be posting online December 30, so stay tuned for that. =)

By the way, thank you to everyone for following and/or commenting on my blog; I really look forward to hearing from you all. :)

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Another doll dress

This is my fourth--and perhaps my last, unfortunately--American Girl doll dress that was made for one of my cousins, this time my youngest cousin, who's getting a "Just Like You" doll for Christmas. =)


I was quite happy to finally be able to use the green fabric...I had about a couple yards of it, but hadn't ever made anything with it.

While I'm at it, here's a fairly recent 11 1/2" doll dress I did--it's supposed to be one of Lucy Snowe's dresses, from Villette by Charlotte Bronte:

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