Life Lately

I snapped this photo in New York back in November, and I think it tells you everything about life right now in the United States.  It's just weird, man.  That's all I can say.  Nothing is making a darn bit of sense, and there's a chance that we've elected a president that's literally insane.  So yeah, that's pretty much life lately...

As for my little corner of the world, things are fabulous.  I've spent the last hour trying to hash out just how much I loved BroadwayCon in blog form for BroadwayWorld.  I don't think I'll be spoiling anything when I say, I LOVED it.  But it seems that I only have one blog post in me per day, so that's why I'm taking the easy way out and going with a Life Lately post here.

Watching: I've been watching a lot of Girls on HBO.  I never really thought a show that's basically a hipster version of Sex & the City would be for me, but it's hilarious.  Of course, now that I like it, it's ending in a month.  So I'm super sad about that.

Reading: Since I told you all about the books I read last night, you know what I've been reading.  Currently at this particular hour of the day, I'm reading "The FairyTale Girl." Another by Susan Branch and the prequel to "A Fine Romance" that I read last week.

Creating: Still plugging away at Project Life and that's it.  I haven't made a card in weeks.  I really should get on that.

Dreading: Don't judge me, but I still haven't taken my Christmas stuff down, and I really need to be doing that this weekend.  Ugh.

Planning: England for next summer - I know Brexit is awful and I really do feel for the Brits, but it's actually affordable for us Americans to escape to Britain for a bit now.  Finally!

Secretly British

For the last few months, I've been following the tweets of "Very British Problems." It's full of terrifying things that happen on a daily basis to Brits and it's fairly hilarious!  This one is my favorite because I've totally done this before!  Anyway, I know in Britain that they also have a television show that goes along with the account, full of British people talking about their problems.  But I didn't know that it would come to American Netflix.  

You can probably guess what I've been doing the last 2 nights.  I love it!  It's way too funny and it's the perfect accompaniment to crafting.  I enjoy it immensely more than I probably should.  However, I also get just a little creeped out.  They tend to pick on us Americans quite a bit.  That's not why I'm creeped out though - we totally deserve it.  I totally side with the Brits rather than my fellow Americans in every single instance.  No, I get creeped out because I've become even more certain that I'm actually British and everyone around me has just hidden that fact for the last 33 years.  

Here's a list of the things that they've described as "Very British" that I do on a daily basis.

~ Never reclining your seat on an airplane because it's just rude to the person behind you.  I absolutely refuse to do this.

~ Getting physically ill thinking about having to haggle the price of something. - Just give me a price.  Even if it's ridiculous, I'll probably buy it from you since I've wasted your time asking for the price already.

~ Going James Bond on vacation trying to avoid people that want to be your new best friends and want to talk your ears off. - Please leave me alone.  I'm awkward enough at home, let alone while on the beach.

~ Saying the words "I'm sorry" incessantly, even if you've done absolutely nothing wrong. - I often apologize when someone bumps me with their shopping cart or if someone is in my way.

~ Explaining your gifts to people just so they know you've actually put thought into it and then apologizing if they don't seem to like it.

~ The complete inability to take a compliment with grace.  - I have no idea what to say when someone compliments me.  I flush, and mumble a thank you or wave it off with a "Oh, it's nothing really."

And this is just 3 episodes in.  I've got 5 more to watch.  I can't imagine how many more similarities I'll find.  Do you think the UK would grant me citizenship on these traits alone?

Love!

I'm sort of kind of in love.  I wouldn't say obsessed, but I'm most definitely a HUGE fan. This new fascination takes up way too much of my time.  I have it up on my computer all day long and if I'm not in front of my computer, it's up on my phone.  I quote it.  I reference it.  I even blog about it, apparently.

Twitter.  Why are you so addictive?

I'm usually slow on the uptake.  I take a long time to come around to things.  Facebook was out for years before I begrudgingly joined.  I was forced into Pinterest.  And Twitter was just another on the long list of un-needed social networks that I was convinced would die a quick death.  Also, who wants to follow what everyone is doing every second of every day?

I do, apparently.

On paper, it does sound ridiculous, doesn't it?  140 characters to tell people how you're feeling at this particular moment.  Anyone can join and you don't have to give someone access to your account - the entire world can see it if they want to.  Dangerous, to say the least.  And there are some seriously crazy people on Twitter that exploit this fact to no end.

But there are some super clever people too.  They are the reason I love it so much.

I'm one of those very picky Twitter-ers (still haven't gotten the lingo down).  I only follow very specific people or organizations.  I have to know the people - more specifically, I have to want to know the people I'm following. In other words, half of Hollywood and Geekdom - in my fantasy life, we're all besties!

I also don't tweet - like at all.  My last witty retort was a glowing review of Amy Poehler's book -  last month.  And yet I still have followers.  Why?  I'm super curious about this.  I'm a nobody.  I don't even RT things - I favorite things.  I feel it's the lowest fault of all the things you can do on Twitter.  If you favorite something that's also been favorited by like 3000 other people - there's no drawing attention to yourself.  (I said I loved Twitter, I didn't say I trusted it...)  No one cares that I had a great doughnut in Austin or read a great book, not even my friends half the time, so then why would someone follow me?  Or most importantly, how did they know to follow me?  I'm a little in the dark about the whole process...

But that doesn't stop me from doing the same each day.  What's most ridiculous, if you look at at my profile, is the range of people I follow.  There's no rhyme or reason to it.  (Ok there's a little rhyme or reason, like the cast of an entire show) but mostly it's a hodge podge of crazy characters that I know entirely too much about.  For instance, I follow:

BBC News: I receive 99.9% of my news from the BBC.  It's the only news station I follow.  I was way more in the know about the Scottish Referendum and the Parliamentary Election than I was for the 2012 Presidential Election.

Travel Sites: I'm especially fond of Airfare Watchdog and Budget Traveller.  Great information that totally fuels my Wanderlust.

Travel specific Sites: Just as I know a little too much British news, I also know a little too much of what's going on in Austin Texas, and London England.  I don't follow a single Maryland travel site, but I know exactly what's happening at all hours of the day in Austin and London.

Supernatural Cast: The cast is HUGE and I follow all of them - even the writers, producers and other Fangirls.  It's so weird but I swear to god, every single one of them is clever, witty and all out hilarious.

Food: Lots of Chefs & Food Writers including Bourdain, Bayless, CharmCityCook (Fun fact: I saw her at a food event last month and only recognized her because of her Twitter profile picture!), Ripert, Blais, Reichl, Collicchio, as well as restaurants (some in Maryland, some not so much...)

Randomness: Jenny Colgan (the writer of my favorite set of Brit books), Doctor Who Online, The Geekiary, Etsy, GISHWHES, Random Acts, the National Theatre (in England!), Ellen Degeneres, Michael's (as in the craft store), and about 100 other various actors, charities, and writers. 

Like I said, it's a mixed bag.  But you know what?  At least one of them makes me smile or laugh out loud every morning, which is what I'm assuming Mr. Twitter (I'm guessing this isn't the CEO's real name...) had in mind when he came up with this ridiculous idea in the first place.  Thank goodness for that, because honestly, I'm not sure what I'd do all day without it (which isn't as sad as it sounds, I promise : )

Living in the Future

I may have already preached my love for living in the future.  But there are some days, that you just have to get way too excited that it's 2015 instead of 1945.  Today's love for technology stems from Tunnel Bear (a product I also may have shared my love for before.) But it needs to be said again.  Tunnel Bear should be the product of the year, maybe the decade! It's a VPN that allows you to make your computer look like it's in another country.  

There are many reasons, many good, enlightened and possibly earth changing reasons someone may want to do this.  I'm sure coders use it all the time to test their creations.  Me? I use it to watch Broadchurch & Sherlock.  I'm not even going to lie...

Not only is it a great product, but it's super easy to use.  You download the player, choose the country you want to VPN into and a few seconds later you're browsing the BBC and iTV. Seriously!  It's that easy. There's a free version and paid version but even the paid version is pretty darn cheap and so worth the cost.

And now, thanks to it, I don't have to avoid every spoiler out of Britain for the next 2 months until Broadchurch series 2 comes here to the states.  Also, since my stupid cable company deleted BBC America, Tunnel Bear just jumped up to the tippy top of my list of technological loves.  

I just adore the future!

Friday Five

1. Paragon China on Etsy: I've been craving this pattern ever since my dad brought the tea set back from England in this beautiful pattern.  It's always been my dream to have it as my wedding china.  Unfortunately, Paragon china went out of business years ago so the only way to find the set is in pieces on Ebay, and apparently now Etsy; which makes me very, very happy!  

2. Children in Need special sneak peak:  You're just going to have to get used to seeing the 50th anniversary be mentioned every few days at least until November 23rd.  



3. These gorgeous minimalist posters that show the differences between Paris and New York.  They are absolutely perfect!  Now if she'd just create some London ones I'd be pretty darn happy!

4. Smitten by Britain: My new favorite website.  I spent hours on it the other day.  Who knew there were others out there as crazy as I am about all things England and Britain?

5. Usually I'm grumpy about the whole Christmas time coming before Thanksgiving but this year, I'm totally up for it.  I already have my Christmas tree up at work and I've made some pretty good head way on the shopping.  And you all might think it crazy, but I was actually listening to Christmas music last weekend.  Bring it on Santa!  I'm ready this year!

London Love

The one and only time, before this time of course, that I'd visited London was 4 days 8 years ago.  I loved it then and I must say I absolutely still love it now.  I went into this trip slightly worried.  I knew I loved the city then, but what if it wasn't everything I remembered it being? What if the people were nasty or the streets were dirty or the Tube workers went on strike again for the entirety of the trip and I'd have no transportation?  But none of that happened. Every person I spoke to was kind and considerate.  The Tube and most of the city is clean and well-kept.  And the Tube rattled along smoothly and effortlessly without even a little blip.  It was, to put it another way, everything I wanted it to be!  Which as you know, just ignited the spark of living there a little more.  

What We Did: We mostly stuck to the touristy spots that everyone has to do when you're in London - Tower of London, London Eye, Portobello Road (even cooler and more packed than I remember!), Harrod's (less packed this time around seeing as it was Boxing Day the last time I was there and everyone and their brother was going for after Christmas sales), Abbey Road, Baker Street (okay, not everyone does this but what can I say?  I had to see Sherlock's house at least once), Paddington Station (to visit the bear from darkest Peru of course), St. Dunstan's in the East (a church that was bombed during the Blitz and now acts as a public garden), and Buckingham Palace.

What We Ate (as you know, it's ALL about the food!): Fish and Chips at The Globe, Gourmandise (sort of a chocolate croissant with cream inside) at Paul Patisserie, Huevos Rancheros at Recipease by Jamie Oliver, Some kind of pasta delicious thing at Strada and Tea everywhere (I think I had tea with every meal and it was always the perfect cup!). Suffice it to say, my pants are feeling a bit snug even with all the walking.

Surprises Along the Way: Abbey Road has all sorts of graffiti on their front gates - which is mostly Beatles lyrics and is pretty awesome; so awesome we just had to partake.  (Also, someone's going to get hit by a bus one of these days trying to recreate the cover of that album...I'm just saying.) 
~I am SO SO SO much less directionally challenged in foreign countries than I am in places I've lived my entire life. I knew all the Tube Stops we needed.  I was able to follow the Tube map and use the ticket machine like a pro; so much so that another American asked me for help.  I have to admit I was feeling pretty cocky after that!
~Recipease by Jamie Oliver was a total fluke and turned into my most favorite meal of the week.  In my next imaginary trip over there, (or of course when I finally get a job there) I will most definitely be taking one of their cooking classes.

Verdict: I am more convinced than ever that this thriving, bustling, international, alive city is the perfect place for me.  I felt at home there.  Aside from all the people I love (and who love me back, not just the ones that don't know I exist : ) and Iced Tea it has pretty much everything else I would need to live happily ever after.

Warning: Geek Out!

I read a lot of British newspapers and watch a lot of British television, so if you don't know anything about what I'm about to say, I'm not surprised since no normal person really cares.  But it was announced last week that Matt Smith (aka the 11th Doctor) would be regenerating at Christmas of this year.  As a fan of Doctor Who, it's always fun to guess who the next doctor will be though I'm sure that fans of 11 are heartbroken over his decision to leave. 

I must say that I've never really been a fan.  All of his episodes are too dark and (to be honest) a little too confusing for me to wrap my non-time-traveler-y brain around.  However, in the past few days, as I've seen more and more online, I must admit that I will  be missing him as well. I catch myself quoting him a bit which is just slightly freaky...not to mention useless since no one I really care about knows what the heck I'm quoting.

But the best part of this new regeneration is all the speculation of who's next.  Who will be the 12th doctor?  I've seen arguments on whether or not they can bring back 10 (which I'd be all for however, I'm just not thinking it's going to happen) or turn one of the companions into 12.  They've even gone philosophical in their debates, trying to decide if the doctor can be a woman or should he continue to be white.  I'm not sure what the best answer would be, though I know he's (or she's I suppose) going to have some very large trainers and a bow tie to fill coming after David Tennant and Matt Smith.  But just for fun, and since every other Who fan is throwing their 2 cents in, my choices are below:

If it's going to be a girl - Miranda Hart (mostly because I find her hilarious!)

 

Rupert Grint (then he'd finally be ginger)

 



Happy Birthday Shakespeare!

I've only just recently jumped onto the Shakespeare bandwagon.  I, of course, read his works in high school but like most high school students I really didn't "get" it or the appeal.  They were just assignments I needed to finish.  But the more I read now, the more I realize just how very talented and influential this man really was. 

This is by far my favorite of anything he's ever written.  It's the most repeated and cliche but it's also the most beautiful.  It's been recited thousands of times and each time some actor brings something different to it, yet it's always heartbreaking.  Good old Will deserves a lifetime of thanks if this masterpiece was his only contribution to literature.  Thank goodness it isn't and we have so much more to be thankful to him for.

Happy birthday Will and Thanks for an entire library's worth of thought and enjoyment!

Trip Planning

I love planning trips.  I happen to think it's about the best activity ever and can spend hours on a computer researching it all.  But do I spend the time on practical things like car rentals, flights, maps or money conversion?  Of course not!  I spend my time finding all kinds of nifty little activities that I'm looking forward to completing. For instance:

I've almost gone as far as to choose the actual book I'll be exchanging.  I haven't a clue where on the continent these little gems are located but it doesn't stop me from being excited.

Or walking the path here by the sea side.  I know it's in Dorset of course, but I'm sure Dorset is a big place...

Or buying a number of books here.  In my head all of the bookstores in Hay on Wye are in a 500 square foot area and I can walk through them all filling boxes with books such as Paddington or a good copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  But just like Dorset, I'm sure it's a bit bigger than that...
As you can see, I have a bit of a picture of this trip in my head.  If all goes well, it will be perfect!  Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to schedule my Abbey Road photo op...

British-ese

I read an article today in The Guardian (seeing as it's a Brit paper, though, it may be biased) bemoaning the American English-ization of headlines and copy in British papers and magazines.  This topic also came up in the book (that shall not be named) that I attempted to read a few weeks ago.  Each side has its own distinct viewpoints.  The Guardian argues that they, as Brits, should keep the native British-ese and not be forced into an American way of thinking.  The American "writer", who moved to England voluntarily, argued that every British-ism was just plain wrong and unnecessary (like everything else she discovered about England...)

As an admitted Anglophile, I think that I fall somewhere in the middle.  I've lived in America for almost 30 (there's that horrid number again...) years now and I'm fairly attached to the American English language.  I've always been an English-y person in that reading and writing in school was so much easier and more enjoyable than any subject containing numbers.  And I tend to get a bit defensive of our national language.  I have been known to correct people's grammar and abhor when others choose to ignore all matters of punctuation and syntax - yes I'm one of those people.  But on the other hand, as a future (hopefully!) Brit I feel I should accept and adapt to the different communication style of those across the pond.  If for no other reason, than not to embarrass myself.

However, when it comes right down to it, there are a few rules and regulations that will always trip me up.  I know that reading and writing these words and phrases, day in and day out, would become second nature but in my American head, they just sound and look wrong.  Not that they are, but they're quite hard to process.

1. I am and will continue to be more than OK with the words: "cuppa", "bloke", "mate", "lift", "posh" and "Tube".  These words are exactly what they sound like.  I'd even go so far as to say American English would be a bit more civilized here in the States if we referred to our "peeps" as our "mates" or every morning we enjoyed a "cuppa" instead of a "pot of joe."

2. Have vs. Has: I have corrected more newspaper articles around these 2 words than I care to admit.  Here in the US we use "has" when we are referring to a major corporation because the corporation is singular - "NBC News has the story at 11."  However, since that corporation contains many people (and I'm taking a stab in the dark at this explanation) the Brits use "have" instead - "The BBC have the story at 10." I hate to say it but it just sounds wrong!

3. re/er, ae/e, s/z, oe/e, and our/or: "An explanation of candour can be found on the centre page of the encyclopaedia before the word civilisation, while foetus can be found 3 books later."  All quite everyday for those in Europe, but you'd be surprised at how accustomed to certain letters your fingers become on a keyboard.  Case in point: Try typing the above sentence...between auto-correct and your fingers using their muscle memory, it takes quite a bit of effort!

4. Dialectic Additions (Totally made this name up, but it sounds good, doesn't it?): I'm in no means an expert on the British language, however these dialectic additions seem to be regional throughout the GBE.  If you're in certain parts of Scotland, "ye" is added to the end of words, from what I can tell, just for the heck of it: "You can see that book over there, can'ye."  Whilst in other parts of England, "in'it" is used at the ends of sentences: "The sky's quite blue, in'it?"  I'm sure there are others too but these 2 always stick out to me.

5. Series vs. Season: A series finale of a television show here in the states is the last ever episode while in England, it's the last episode of the season.  If you're a fan of BBC shows, that little distinction is quite important.

6. NHS, MP, DI, DS, MIT, DC, OBE, GCSE: Something we and the Brits have in common - love of a good acronym.  Fabulous shorthand...if in fact you know what they mean.  If not, it's just alphabet soup!

There are others of course: flat vs. sparkling, football vs. soccer, poorly(by far my favorite!) vs. sick, drugs bust vs. drug bust, row vs. argument, drink driving vs. drunk driving, and I'm sure there are tons others I haven't even discovered yet.  Personally I think that this little language barrier makes England a bit more undiscovered and gives them their own identity. If I were them, I'd want to keep my little language quirks as well.  However, I'll definitely need my own little dictionary if I'm ever going to acclimate myself over there.  If not, I'll just sound like a babbling idiot...

Not My Cuppa

I am currently reading a book from a few years ago by a woman that moved to London to marry her husband.  She was a writer for the NY Times and continued writing for them from London, mostly about her newly adopted home.  At first glance this book was going to be perfect.  It had everything I look for: mostly a Union Jack and a cuppa tea on the cover.  Now I don't want to spoil anything and seeing as I'm not past the second chapter, this may not be an entirely un-biased opinion but I'm heartily offended on behalf of my future (I hope!) kinsmen.

For someone who claims to love her husband, her British children and her new home, she certainly hates everything that makes them British.  The entire first chapter is nothing but sweeping generalizations of the entire male population of Great Britain, backed up by a few stories and facts here and there.  The author  brought up claims of abuse in boarding schools (this book was written a few years ago), which have been spreading like wildfire over the last few months, which is a completely valid and terrible epidemic that they are now working out.  But then she follows up that valid point, with making the assumption that every upper-class male student, in every boarding school on the continent, had been abused, which will of course make them all abusers.  The second chapter attempts to explain the parliamentary government of Great Britain that has existed for hundreds of years by ridiculing each and every move the lawmakers make, while not only attacking the system but the members of the system as well.

I know I tend to have an idealized view of England in my head and things are much different when you're immersed in them. I also know that everyone is entitled to their own opinions but the way she approached the whole book is just odd...to me anyway.  Each chapter seems to be a litany of reasons why the way they Brits do something is wrong compared to Americans. Her major problem is stating that these things are wrong rather than different.  If she had grown up in Britain, she'd be quite used to them. It's like moving to Spain and complaining that everyone is constantly speaking Spanish:  ridiculous, close-minded and self-centric.

Friday Five

1. "Carry On" by Fun: This song woke me up 3 days this week (my radio station of choice is nothing if not consistent).  Each time I heard only the chorus and loved it.  I knew I had to get to iTunes to download it immediately.  It was no real surprise that the artist was Fun.  It's pretty much a given that I'll fall in love with anything new they release.  Since I downloaded, I think I've played it about 20 times.  Fantastic!

2. What Ellen had to say about the Boy Scouts this week.  She's just one of those people that you can't help but love.  She's always honest and speaks from the heart.  She's never too preachy or over the top.  She delivered just about the most perfect message to those at the top of the Boy Scouts and I only wish they'd take it into consideration, if for no other reason than to show their members what it is to accept people for who they are.

3. VisitBritain.com:  Aside from having a truly awesome twitter feed full of pictures and ideas, they also have a fairly helpful website.  It's no surprise really that I love a website promoting visiting Britain, but this one is a one stop shop for all things British Travel.  Not to mention they hold contests, which may explain why you'll be reading a fairly extensive post on London Shopping tomorrow.

4.  Ravens madness.  Yes I said it before but I'll say it again, the Ravens are SuperBowl Champions!!!  And the entire city of Baltimore has contracted purple fever.  It was truly awesome to see the thousands of fans that attended the parade on Tuesday as well as the multiple players and coaches that have been making the talk-show rounds this week.  It's about time that our guys get the recognition they deserve. 

5. Book Arts. (Ok, this is a weird one so hear me out)  I read an article on a new center opening in London (where else?) called the London Centre for Book Arts.  Apparently Book Arts is a thing, how did I not know this?!  It's gone a bit by the wayside in the last few years due to the rise of eReaders but there are still some art schools and centers offering lectures and instruction.  You focus on typography, book binding, paper, graphics, etc.  I looked for a center here that offered something close to the amazing one in London, but Maryland only has a small art center in Silver Spring that holds occasional lectures.  On the upside the London centre conducts many different lectures and seminars and I'll be there in October so I'll finally get the goods.

Here's Hoping So

 

I found this quote on Pinterest earlier and I have to say I absolutely love it.  As a self-confessed book worm, Wilde seems to understand us readers who so often have their noses buried in books.  So logically speaking, if good old Oscar is correct in his assumptions I have quite a nice life coming my way. 

 

I'm hooked on travel books. Will I travel the world eating my way from beautiful place to beautiful place? 

 

I'm a bit of a sci-fi, Harry Potter-y, Tolkien-ish, Gaiman-esque geek. Will I find magic and the fantastic in the everyday? 

 

 I devour books about boarding houses in Edinburgh and royalty in the UK.  Will I finally make the jump I've been dreaming of and become an even bigger Anglophile than I already am?

 

The story of the Bard of Stratford inspires me with his ability to pen those amazing works in such a short period of time.  Will I land a job while living in England at the famed RSC teaching kids to love what I love about Shakespeare?

 

I hoard children's books from places all over.  Will I have family I'm hoping to to share this collection and love of reading with?

 

I can't pass up a "pink" book by writers like Mary Kay Andrews, or Jane Green.  Will I bump into the man of my dreams in the middle of the street and will I be just the girl he's looking for too?  Will we marry in a small ceremony in the park and honeymoon in Paris?

 

I collect plays from drama bookstores I've adored in NYC and dream about the perfect casting and staging of each show.  Will I get a chance to see these productions live with amazing actors in beautiful settings?

 

I browse cookbooks and can almost taste the food I'm seeing.  Will I become a superstar chef like my dad or a food writer/chef like Julia?

 

All I can say is here's hoping Oscar was correct.  This would be quite a life.

Mrs. Queen Takes the Train

I saw this book at Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago and pretty much fell in love immediately.  Mostly for the sheer reason that the cover has a Union Jack, the Queen's seal and a lorrie.  But after reading it, I'm even more in love with it.  The storyline sounded straightforward.  The Queen gets annoyed with her position so she decides to go on walk-about around London. What I hadn't expected was that the Queen in the story was actually Queen Elizabeth herself.  The story weaved in real aspects from the monarch's life and times which was even more perfect than a fake Queen.

I think most people have this image of Queen Elizabeth as a stoic, almost rude octogenarian that's nothing more than a figurehead for Great Britain.  But after reading the story, you see a completely different side of her.  It's fiction I know and none of this may be true, but you get the sense she's a real person with real feelings and a real personality.  AND you actually like her and like her sense of humor.  You feel for her and for her predicaments, which is what I think Kuhn was trying to do.

Long story short, it's brilliantly written and such a unique idea. If you're a fan of England and all things Royal or just want a happy, feel-good story, I whole-heartedly suggest you pick it up!