Good Things

Today I did:

Homework
Dishes
Laundry.

Plus, I got a sweet audition because of Bailee.

I feel pretty awesome.

Austen Mania!

I have never been an over the top Jane Austen fan. I've never read one of her books, but I've seen the 6 hour long Pride and Prejudice, the awful Kiera Knightly version, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma, which is one of my favorite movies ever. I'm a fan, but wouldn't consider myself a "Jane-ite." What has happened to me lately?

It all started with Lost in Austen. This mini-series captivated me. Modern girl gets stuck in Pride and Prejudice. Sounds silly. It's not. After watching it instantly on Netflix, (the best thing in the world) I was hooked. I watched a behind the scenes, and searched for anything I could find on it. And Elliott Cowan is a SERIOUSLY hot Mr. Darcy. I watched the ending about 12 times. Take three hours and watch it. It's so dreamy.

Then I picked up this little book, along with two others, at Borders last week. I hadn't read a novel in a long time, and I was so excited to have a fresh, brand new book in my hands. (I even got it for free, thanks to a gift card from my aunt and uncle!) Well, I remember why I haven't read a book for so long. School. When I open a book, I get captivated and fall under a spell. I don't want to do anything else but bask in the world the book has created. Everything else goes out the window- homework, dishes, laundry, etc. It's bad. This is a fun, easy read that I highly recommend. But again, it's modern girl goes to fictional Austen-based theme park, I guess you would say. I must really have a hankering for the past these days.

After finishing Austenland, last night, Alex and I watched Sense and Sensibility.

I hadn't seen it since I was young, and frankly thought it was a little slow, but I was in this Austen-y mood, and Alex had never seen it. What a gorgeous movie! I appreciated it so much more now that I'm not 10. If you haven't watched it lately, do it. It is so beautiful. It's a shame that all movies can't be just like this one. I don't know why it's not more popular than Pride and Prejudice, frankly. I absolutely loved it, and Alex did, too, enough to say that we should own it!

I don't know what has gotten into me, but I'm not sure if this mood will ever lift. The only thing I can say is that I am so grateful to have my own perfect man. Alex is everything I could ever want. It is so nice to read these books and watch these movies, and not want for anything in my own relationship. If Edward from Twilight (the books, not the movie, and there IS a big difference) and Mr. Darcy have done nothing else for the world, I hope they make girls want to be treated well. You don't have to settle, my friends. And you don't have to rush. Just enjoy the journey, and your Colonel Brandon will come, and he'll be everything you've been praying for. (Try not to fall for the Willoughby's of the world. I have. It doesn't end pretty.)

The V Word

Monday, little Belly Bear had to face her biggest fear- the vet. She was shaking so hard I thought she was going to fall out of my arms. She's ok, it was just for her yearly check-up and vaccinations. The nurse at the front desk was not very nice, which made me feel badly for my little one. Belly's usually ok with the vet if I hold her when they do whatever they do, but this time she was NOT having it. She squirmed all over the place, paws tangling in my hair, trying to escape over my shoulder and down my back. It was a little funny. But they took her to the back to finish, and when they came back in the room, my little baby had a muzzle on! It was the tiniest muzzle. Apparently the only volume she has on her is from her hair. I felt so badly for her. She's never had to wear a muzzle in her life. The vet said she was fine, just needed to be socialized more.

Um, EXCUSE ME?! Socialized more?!

I tried not to be offended for myself or Annabelle. I told him that she loves other animals and loves people, just hates the vet. I mean, what animal really likes going to the vet? I was upset that he would assume that she was this badly behaved all the time. I am a really good pet parent, and I have trained my dog well! She is a great dog, and everyone that meets her, loves her.

I didn't really trust the vet after that.

p.s. On a gross note, she's been licking herself a LOT since then. Is that normal? It's like every other minute. It's like she's getting a little OCD.

Ranting.

Here is a rant from a paper. I'm deleting the last paragraph. I just had to get it out. It's been building up all weekend. Please note that I'm extremely fatigued and it's 2 am. Words don't come as easily at 2 am.

I couldn’t read Angels in America. After two “f” words on the second page, I was done. I really don’t think we should be required to read something with that kind of language in a class at BYU. I am grateful we were given permission to not read it, but personally, I don’t think it should have been considered for the curriculum at all. Our standards shouldn’t have to be lowered just so we can “branch out.” Especially at BYU, because we are supposed to have standards here, whether or not it's cool.
I don’t know why something has to be controversial or shocking in order to be considered ‘good art.’ In one of my classes, someone said, “Watching good people doing good things is boring.” Why? Why is that boring? I don’t think it is. I guess it depends on what one considers the purpose of art to be. I think that art should be uplifting. We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about issues, but the films and plays that are out there are mostly done by inactive (or ex) members who have a bone to pick with some aspect about the Church and want to exploit it for gain.
On a personal note, doing theater for the Church has been the greatest theater experience I’ve ever had. When someone says that Savior of the World is manipulating, what theatrical experience isn’t? People use key changes for a reason. Isn’t the purpose of art to evoke some sort of emotion? Any theatrical experience is meant to evoke some emotion, so isn’t every theatrical experience manipulative? Les Miserables uses every trick in the book to evoke emotion, but the message behind it- “to love another person is to see the face of God”- is still true. Do you go to Les Mis and think, “Gosh, that key change was really powerful. I’m being manipulated.” The message behind SOTW is true. And there are many people on stage at once, bearing testimony in a unique way that what they are saying is true. If I cry as Mary or Mary Magdalene, it is pure testimony. I’m not trying to manipulate anyone- I’m trying to bear my testimony. Don’t deny my testimony by saying it’s fake and manipulated. Some stories shouldn’t be shared in a classroom setting.
Achieving ‘transcendence’ in theater is hard. I think it’s challenging because it’s a public display of a private thing. It’s only going to be right to the artist. We still try, though, because this is the type of theater that means the most.