Category: Frivolity

Fun posts

Cat Talk

Updated on October 2, 2014 by Janet Mullany

Today’s Risky guest

Janet is so incredibly lazy that she asked me to recycle a post I wrote a year or so ago. She is also refusing to feed me even though she’s up at 5 am and doesn’t seem to have anything else to do. She’s been very picky recently about hair balls, even though a cat’s gotta do what a cat’s gotta do, and if sometimes it happens on the bed, well, you can’t argue with nature. She also bought me a cat tower recently. I’ve no idea what she expects me to do with it.

So, the Regency. Not a good time for cats. No reproductive rights, persecuted for our beautiful coats and tuneful intestines. Portrayed, as you can see, as grotesque gluttons or sneaky criminals:

Nathaniel_Hone,_Catherine_Maria_''Kitty''_Fisher

I’m HELPING the fish. What do you think I’m doing?

Well fed French cat, probably fattened up to make some sort of pate.

Guess what I just did down here.

Excuse me, I must go eat.

Where was I? Oh yes, the Regency. A time of persecution and–

OMG what is that on the ceiling?

Never mind. Hey, I bet you can’t get your leg up by your ear and do this.

Dream on, dog.

Any other cats out there who wish to comment?

Report from the Front

Updated on September 12, 2014 by Myretta

Things have been interesting and hectic around here in the past couple of weeks, so I hope you don’t mind if I take this opportunity to just give you a short summary of changes in the Robens household.

The big thing is that I finished my manuscript, did a first round of edits (see picture) and sent it to my agent. Woo Hoo! That was way too long in getting done, but I’m pretty happy with it and looking forward to the next round of changes.

While I’m waiting to get notes from Louise, I have another big (and only peripherally related to writing) project. I am moving the Republic of Pemberley web site to a new server and new platform. If you are familiar with this web site, you might have an idea of what a huge undertaking this is. I’m admittedly daunted, but it must be done. We are no longer the 10,000,000 page views a month site that required a dedicated server. We are down to about 3,000,000 that we hope, in conjunction with a more streamlined platform, will live happily on a smaller, less expensive, server.

And I have added to the family. In July, after several years of pining for a dog (as three cats are apparently not sufficient), I adopted Gunnar, a three-year-old rescue Corgi. He’s adorable, well-behaved, smart, and friendly. As you can see by the picture, he also thinks he’s a cat so fits right in with the rest of the family.

This is what’s going on in my life and why I have no research post for you today. Now I’m off to buff up my computer move project schedule. What are your plans for the weekend?

Posted in Anything but writing, Frivolity, Jane Austen | Leave a reply

Reader, I Married Him

Updated on August 11, 2014 by Amanda McCabe/Laurel McKee

“Mr. Collins to be sure was neither sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be imaginary. But still he would be her husband. Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want. This preservative she had now obtained; and at the age of twenty-seven, without having ever been handsome, she felt all the good luck of it.”

on Charlotte Lucas’s marrying Mr. Collins
Pride & Prejudice, Volume 1, Chapter 22

Last week, at 6:30 on a Friday evening, I married my sweetheart (and future romance novel inspiration), Kyle! It was nothing like Charlotte Lucas’s pragmatic arrangement, really nothing like a small church Regency wedding at all (except that it was small! We married in the garden of a hotel in Taos, New Mexico, with 10 people there including us, and a lovely dinner with cake and champagne after). There were no grand spectacles, a la Marie Antoinette’s great crush or the Cambridges’ regalness, but it was beautiful and romantic, and exactly what we wanted. It was a day I never thought would come for me–walking down the aisle toward a man I am madly, romance novel-style in love with, my best friend and partner in a crime. And now we’ve stared a new life together, which I find to be amazing (and scary as heck, natch).

My dress was a pale pink silk and soft white organza, with a pleated bodice and pearl-beaded satin belt, strapless with a pleated bodice, and I told the salon I wanted a “fairytale” look for the hairstyle and makeup, which I think they did so well with long curls and soft lipstick. The vows were tailored just toward us, how we met, how we share a love of music and theater and creativity, and my best friend and her husband read a lovely poem that perfectly depicts “us.” (see it at the end of this post!). The rain held off until just after we finished the photos and went in to dinner, so all went off perfectly. 🙂

Next year we’d like to renew our views in England, maybe Bath in Regency attire at the Pump Room, or Tudor garb at Hever Castle. Or maybe I’ll be crazy, get a Kate lookalike gown and parade around Westminster Abbey!!! With him, the adventure is endless.

What was your wedding like? What would you have done differently/the same? Where would you have a wedding now? And whos had your very favorite wedding ever (in books, in history, or in real life!). We have wedding fever here today….in fact, I will give away a signed copy of my book “Betrayed By His Kiss” (not out til October!) to one commenter on the subject of weddings….

“I Like You” by Sandol Stoddard Warburg

I like you and I know why.
I like you because you are a good person to like.
I like you because when I tell you something special, you know it’s special
And you remember it a long, long time.
You say, “Remember when you told me something special?”
And both of us remember

When I think something is important
you think it’s important too
We have good ideas
When I say something funny, you laugh
I think I’m funny and you think I’m funny too

I like you because you know where I’m ticklish
And you don’t tickle me there except just a little tiny bit sometimes
But if you do, then I know where to tickle you too

You know how to be silly
That’s why I like you
Boy are you ever silly
I never met anybody sillier than me till I met you
I like you because you know when it’s time to stop being silly
Maybe day after tomorrow
Maybe never
Too late, it’s a quarter past silly!

That’s because you really like me
You really like me, don’t you?
And I really like you back
And you like me back and I like you back
And that’s the way we keep on going every day

If you go away, then I go away too
or if I stay home, you send me a postcard
You don’t just say “Well see you around sometime, bye”
I like you a lot because of that
If I go away, I send you a postcard too
And I like you because if we go away together
And if we are in Grand Central Station
And if I get lost
Then you are the one that is yelling for me

I like you because I don’t know why but
Everything that happens is nicer with you
I can’t remember when I didn’t like you
It must have been lonesome then
I like you because because because
I forget why I like you but I do

So many reasons
On the 4th of July I like you because it’s the 4th of July
On the fifth of July, I like you too
If you and I had some drums and some horns and some horses
If we had some hats and some flags and some fire engines
We could be a HOLIDAY
We could be a CELEBRATION
We could be a WHOLE PARADE

See what I mean?
Even if it was the 999th of July
Even if it was August
Even if it was way down at the bottom of November
Even if it was no place particular in January
I would go on choosing you
And you would go on choosing me
Over and over again

That’s how it would happen every time
I don’t know why
I guess I don’t know why I really like you
Why do I like you
I guess I just like you
I guess I just like you because I like you.

Posted in Frivolity, Giveaways, Weddings | 9 Replies

Emma Approved

Updated on June 28, 2014 by Myretta

Are you watching Emma Approved? The people who brought you the wildly popular Lizzie Bennet Diaries and the ill-conceived Welcome to Sanditon have taken on Jane Austen’s Emma and are 56 web episodes into a modernization of the story. Although I don’t feel Emma Approved has the appeal of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, it’s doing a pretty good job of moving the story into the 21st Century. There’s a good cast. Alex Knightley is pretty fanciable. Maddie Bates is hilarious. Harriet Smith is an excellent combination of shy and aspirational (and I’m waiting for Robert Martin to come back).

The sticking point for me is Emma Woodhouse. I know she’s a character of whom Jane Austen said, “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” If I recall my first reading of the book, I thought she was right. I didn’t like Emma very much. But she grew on me, through the course of the book and through each subsequent reading. I’ll admit that she’s not Jane Austen’s most likable heroine. I’m guessing that’s Lizzy Bennet (raise your hands). Apart of Lady Susan, whom we really can’t identify as a heroine, she might very well the least likable. (Although my vote here goes to Marianne Dashwood.)

But Emma Approved Emma is not really growing on me. Perhaps its because she’s too perky. Perhaps it’s because she hasn’t been brought low yet. Perhaps its the actress. I really want to like her. I like what’s being done with this adaptation. I keep watching in the hope that she’ll pull it out yet (and because I think Alex Knightley is adorable). So… what about you? Are you watching? Does it work for you? Do you have reservations? Have you seen the preceding Web series (I refuse to call them “webisodes.)

Posted in Frivolity, Jane Austen, TV and Film | 2 Replies

Procrastination

Updated on June 13, 2014 by Myretta

Admit it. We all procrastinate. But I’m not here to tell you how to avoid it, I’m here to give you some great procrastination tools. Now, granted, I have some go to procrastination tools: house cleaning, desk organizing, cooking, errand-running.

But today, I am providing some of my favorite online tools other than email, which goes without saying.

Bao Bao – National Zoo

Today we have a plethora of panda cams available to us. My current favorite is The National Zoo Panda Cam. Bao Bao was born on August 23 of last year and just keeps getting to be more fun to watch. I was similarly obsessed with her older brother, Tai Shan. Also fun, although the cameras are not as good, are the twins at Zoo Atlanta. No new cubs at The San Diego Zoo, but an excellent Panda Cam. If you’re not into pandas (although frankly I can’t understand that), they also have Tiger, Koala, Polar Bear, Ape, Elephant and Condor cams.

A less time-consuming and more domestic animal-centric page is Cute Overload. Always good for quick animal fix. I don’t get the lizards and bugs on this page, but I guess cuteness is in the eye of the beholder.

If your online procrastination tends toward the interactive, there’s always Facebook (I know I don’t need to link to this) and Twitter (nor this). If you like your interaction more focused, I refer you to my own pemberley.com where you can discuss Jane Austen ad nauseum (really!) or A Forum of Ice and Fire for you Game of Thrones fans. (Caveat: I’ve never participated in this, so I cannot say how friendly it is).

Looking for something where you don’t have to interact with other people? How about Mahjong Solitaire. I sometimes click to this when I’m on hold. Jigsaw puzzles? I like The Jig Zone where you can choose the number of pieces for each puzzle.

I also spend quite a lot of time looking at recipes. The Food Network is always good for this, as is My Recipes.