Ring Out The Bells...

Today is a very auspicious day for me and this blog.  Some of you may have already figured it out, but if you haven't--this is the first anniversary of Classic Ramblings!

I remember when I first started Ramblings, I was really excited for my first anniversary, planning out posts for it and thinking about how much I'd know about the blogging world by the time I'd been doing this for a year.  But really, I honestly didn't think I'd make it.  I figured that it would be a summer project, and then my interest would fade away as it generally does when starting new projects.

Well, that certainly didn't happen.

At first, it seemed that I was going exactly that direction.  I started out by posting every day, being absolutely over-the-moon thrilled when I got a comment, and pestering...erm, introducing myself to all those Bigger Blogs.

Then something happened.  Looking back, I'm honestly not sure what it was, or whether it was a combination of things, but I began to love blogging.  It wasn't just an experiment anymore--it was a journal of sorts, and a way for me to get to know other people who loved the same things I did.

And so now, starting on my second year of blogging, I'd like to say thank-you to every follower or commenter--you really do make my day sometimes.  Thanks especially to the early ones; I can't imagine what it was that you saw in my first several posts (seriously, just...don't read them), but your kind words were enough to make me want to do better.

I also have a thank-you to extend to the people who inspired me to blog in the first place--I cannot express the impact you've had on me, Amy and Melody.

And of course, this wouldn't be complete without some mention of the friendships I've formed over the past year.  They've become incredibly precious to me, and I consider it a great privilege to get to personally know some other Janeites over the internet--I'm so excited to continue my journeys with them over the next year!

Do I have any Big Plans for Classic Ramblings now that it's a year old?  Well, the short answer is no.  In the beginning, I aspired to be an Enormous and Influential blog, but that's another thing that's changed: I'm content just blogging in my little corner of the world, writing about anything that pops into my little head and totally disregarding the fact that this was supposed to be a Jane Austen/classic books blog. :P

All that said, I'm going to share some stats to end this post, because they're fun and I'm awful at endings...

Posts: 131 (this one included)
Followers: 40
Total Pageviews: 15,412

Events Hosted: A Short-Cut To Mushrooms (with Eowyn)
Three Most Popular Posts: Defending Enjolras (530 pageviews), Guest Post! (241 pageviews), Celebrated Musicals Week: The Songs of Les Misérables (176 pageviews)
Most Popular Search Keyword: "enjonine fanfiction"

Also, I'm going to blatantly copy dear Miss Woodhouse here and ask a question: how do you remember finding my blog?
And now that's over with...THANK YOUUUU again to everyone who's reading this, and I hope this next year will be an amazing one!

-Miss Jane Bennet

Are All Jane Austen's Works Created Equal?

Recently, a friend asked me whether I could rank the heroines, heroes, and novels of Austen.  After giving it some thought, I decided that the question merited a post of its own, so here are my approximate rankings of the aforementioned characters and books (from favorite to least-favorite).
Note that I'm only "counting" her six finished novels, to simplify things.  Also, I consider both Marianne and Elinor to be heroines and Colonel Brandon and Edward Ferrars to be heroes. 

Novels 

1. Emma

Emma was the first Austen novel that I read, and therefore automatically earns the top spot. ;P  But seriously, the fact that it was my introduction to the Regency world plays a large part in my liking of it, because otherwise I'd never be able to choose a favorite.  That's obviously not the only reason for it being #1, however; I personally think it's one of her best works and after seven readings I can still get extremely invested in it.

2. Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice, of course, goes near the top.  It's so vivacious and witty, as well as being the book that completed my conversion to Janeite-ness.  I'll admit, part of the reason that it isn't my favorite is because everyone likes it and that can get a little annoying, but it completely merits its popularity.

3. Northanger Abbey

Ahhhh...this book is just such FUN.  It's a novel for any occasion, being by turns funny, deep, romantic, and perilous (yes, perilous.  General Tilney is scary. :P).  Despite being, well, exaggeratedly normal, it has a real-life feel and the characters are always enjoyable.

4. Sense and Sensibility

How to describe Sense and Sensibility?  It was the second book I read of Jane's, and it's definitely the most emotional. (Seriously, did Charlotte Brontë even read S&S?? :P)  I'll admit that sometimes it just gets a bit too much for me, what with all the misery everyone (every sympathetic person, anyway) goes through and the general dark tone, which is why it's not higher up on my list.  But I still enjoy it, and the Marianne/Colonel Brandon romance is actually one of my favorites.

5. Mansfield Park

Mansfield Park, I find, has grown on me with each successive reading.  The first time I read it, I came as near to hating an Austen novel as is possible for a Janeite book-lover.  I found it dull, the characters annoying, and the plot too convoluted.  But now, I really, really like it (keep in mind, I still love the ones at the bottom of my list.  Just...not as much.).

6. Persuasion 

Persuasion...this book has actually been lowered in my estimation in subsequent rereadings.  It used to be higher than Mansfield Park.  I do enjoy it; the romance is sweet, and Anne Elliot is an estimable heroine, but most of the other characters are just so...so...self-absorbed!  That's the point JA was trying to make, maybe, but I don't especially enjoy reading about such things. :P

Heroines

1. Elinor Dashwood

Elinor Dashwood is not up here because I would most enjoy her society, nor because I particularly
identify with her, but rather because she's a role model for me.  When I first read S&S, I really just thought she was a machine, but on subsequent read-throughs, I've really admired her self-control and love. 

2. Elizabeth Bennet

Ahhhh, Lizzy!  Who wouldn't love her?  I mean, she's witty, she's courageous, she's friendly, popular, sensible, responsible...the list goes on.  Of course, she has flaws as well, but she's willing to recognize them.  Eliza Bennet is always an enjoyable character to read about.

3. Anne Elliot
I generally get Anne on personality quizzes, which I suppose makes sense--she's quiet, loyal,
bookish, easily persuadable, and introverted.  This, combined with the fact that she's another role model of mine, puts her high up on my list.  Sometimes, though, she can be over-perfect, which is why she's not higher. ;)

4. Catherine Morland

Catherine is the other heroine I generally get on quizzes, which I certainly don't mind--Catherine is sweet, trusting, innocent, and tries to do what's right.  Unfortunately, I also identify with her in the matter of making everything in life novel-ish, but Catherine is altogether a worthy heroine.

5. Marianne Dashwood

Marianne is such an interesting character--"born to an extraordinary fate," and all that--that I can't
help but be intrigued by her.  I wouldn't say I particularly like her as much as some of the other heroines, and sometimes she can be extremely frustrating, but her reactions are just so interesting and she's so complex that I never tire of reading about her.

6. Fanny Price

I am DEFINITELY not of the group who would call Fanny a doormat.  Indeed, she's quite courageous, especially considering her circumstances and natural temperament.  But I'm not going to rant about that now.  Fanny, as with everything else in MP, improved upon re-reading and I think she's one of those heroines that you either "get" or you don't (in the paraphrased words of Melody).

7. Emma Woodhouse

I suppose that putting Emma at the bottom of my list sort of lives Jane Austen's description of her as
"a heroine whom no one but myself will much like".  Then again, I'm not everyone. :P
Anyways.  Emma is quite possibly the most lifelike heroine, but she can be so annoying that I don't like her quite as much as Fanny.  (Though I DO like all JA's heroines.)

Heroes 

1. Henry Tilney

THIS GUY IS AMAZING.  So few people actually like him, which I think is a huge shame.  I mean, he stands up to his father!  He was willing to talk about muslin and novels!  He provides witty quotes!  He's tactful!  He loves his sister!  He raises puppies!
...Need I go on?  I could, you know.  For hours.

2. George Knightley

Of course, Mr Knightley goes near the top of my list.  I mean, he's seriously SUCH a gentleman. 
He's so honorable and polite and he's willing to sacrifice Emma's love for him if it means her betterment.  I really, really admire him.

3. Fitzwilliam Darcy

Ah, Mr Darcy.  The epitome of a hero, the one that everyone likes.  Well, I do too!  I'll admit that part of the reason I don't like him as much as Knightley ("Never seen him before in her life and she calls him KNIGHTLEY!") or Tilney is because he's too mainstream (*adjusts hipster glasses*), but also, he truly is Proud and Prickly and I think he'd scare me if I ever actually met him.  Even if I met him after Lizzy married him.

4. Colonel Brandon

D'awwww, Colonel Brandon.  I always feel so sorry for the guy throughout S&S--I mean, he's
had a lot of grief in his life, and then he has to go and fall in love with a girl who not only disapproves of second attachments, also considers him Ancient and ends up nearly dying.  But he always acts gently and honorably, and I really love that about him.

5. Edmund Bertram

Do I like Edmund Bertram?...Well.  I guesssss I do.  I mean, aside from the whole marrying-the-cousin thing, he's actually a pretty nice guy.  But for all the popular opinion that Fanny is a doormat, I think the REAL doormat here is Edmund.  He falls in love with a girl because she plays a harp next to a window, and then goes about completely oblivious to everything but her until there are five pages left in the novel, at which he abruptly switches to Fanny.  Why?  Because...he needs solace for his tormented heart? :P
But after all that ranting, I really do like him through most of MP. 

6. Captain Wentworth

Meh. :P  That's the best way to describe him, I think.  I really don't like the way he acted--I mean,
he's almost worse than Edward Ferrars (ALMOST).  He gets offended because a girl is persuaded by the closest thing she has to a mother to refusing him and then refuses contact for years.  Then, when he's forced to come back, he makes sure to rub it in and courts another girl so vigorously that he considers himself nearly engaged, and dreads it.
...Howevah, I do like his letter.  And he DOES have some good points.

7. Edward Ferrars

Yeeeks, and now we come to Edward Ferrars, who irritates and angers me every time I open S&S.  Seriously.  He's cowardly, very oblivious (though really, I suppose I shouldn't criticize him for being blind to the world sometimes...), persists in speaking with Elinor even after she knows about the engagement, and then ends up with a happy ending simply because the girl he fell in love with has no finer feelings.
I will admit, though, that he can be honorable and the part where he refuses to break off the engagement partly redeems him for me.

What do you think of my rankings?  Which are your favorite of the books and hero/heroines?

On Fad Novels

I've been reading a lot of modern literature lately--actually, mostly pop culture books.  It started with The Book Thief and Divergent and then I got a lot of, "Well, if you're reading modern stuff you might as well read The Hunger Games," and it just went from there.

In any case, I've decided to just review them all at one go, since I don't really like/dislike most of the books enough to do full posts on all of them.

The Book Thief

I loved, loved, loved this book.  It made me cry harder than practically any other book (the obvious exception being Les Misérables :P), but it made me think and it wasn't all sad.  The characters were well-developed, the story well-told, and it made me think.  The only problem I had was the language; I could have done without that. :P  Definitely one of the best modern novels I've ever read. 

Divergent

Ehhhh, these were okay. :P  Now I know that this is an extremely popular series, but...I just couldn't get into it.  Most of the characters were flat and unlikeable (except for Four; he was awesome), the dystopian world was kind of unbelievable, and the romance was meh.  I did enjoy it all right, but I don't plan on reading the rest of the series.

The Uglies series

Uglies, Pretties, Specials, Extras.  These books were pretty cool.  Admittedly they weren't extremely well-written, but they were engaging.  The premise was unique and well-followed-through, and the characters were, for the most part, relate-able and likeable. 

The Hunger Games

I liked these books better than Divergent--the characters were more developed, the plot and world made sense, and they actually didn't disturb me as much for whatever reason.  But it was very violent and dark, and from what I hear they only get darker as the series goes on.  I've read the first and second books and do plan to read the third one, but I'm definitely not a fan.

What are your thoughts on fad novels?  Do you like any of these books?

A Marvel Interview

*ahem*  I'd like to introduce all of you to Eva, the proprietor of Ramblings of a Janeite.  Not only is she my Frozen sister and Bestie Dearest, she's also responsible for my beautiful new header and background.  Thank you very much, m'dear! (She has a multitude of other Talents and Virtues, as well, but they're too numerous to list here.)
One of her passions happens to be Marvel--more specifically, Steve Rogers' hair the Avengers.  She graciously granted me an interview on the subject, so without further ado, here she is!

~How did you get interested in Marvel/the Avengers?  

Well, when I first started blogging seriously, I noticed that several of my blogging friends had watched Captain America: The First Avenger, and had really enjoyed it.  Around that time, my brother got a free Captain America/Thor comic book, which cemented his opinion that Captain America was his favorite superhero.  It started to rub off on me, so when I saw that CA: TFA was available on Netflix, I asked my Dad if my siblings and I could watch it.  He said no, and I forgot about the whole thing.  Several months later, he and my mom did end up watching it, and they said my three older siblings and I could watch it (but not the little kids, because of Red Skull).  I watched it and instantly fell in love with Steve Rogers and, by extension, the Marvelverse.

~How many of the movies have you seen?  

Only one, sadly.  Captain America: The First Avenger (about seven times and, no, I'm not tired of it).  My dad doesn't like any of the other superheroes, so I haven't watched any other of the movies (when I grow up...).  I am very much looking forward to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, even though I have to wait for its release on DVD.  However, even though I haven't seen any other Marvel movies, I've watched clips on Youtube, seen a gajillion pins on Pinterest, read synopsises on Wikipedia, and listened to friends who have seen the Avengers' films.  So I still feel qualified to answer these questions :)

 ~Who is your favorite Avenger?  

STEVEROGERSSTEVEROGERSSTEVEROGERSTHEEND.  Okay, I'll elaborate a leetle bit more: I don't love Steve Rogers because of his amazing good looks (although, really, those never hurt when you're a superhero ;)), or his muscles, or the fact that he can kill bad guys with the best of them (is that an oxymoron?).  I mean, I loved Steve before his augmentation.  A lot (the grenade scene, anyone?).  It's what he is on the inside that I love.  An old-fashioned gentleman, with a strong moral compass, a compassionate heart, and a huge amount of patriotism.  The fact that he's willing to live and die for what he believes in speaks volumes about the kind of person he is.  I love that he's not flashy like Iron Man, or other-earthly like Thor, or insane when he becomes mad like The Hulk (the other augmented member of the Avengers team).  And he's adorkably awesome.  Shout-out to Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff: The archer who wouldn't give in, even when he was under Loki's control, and the girl from Russia who wants to wipe the red out of her ledger.  I love them both.  Almost as much as Steve, which is saying a lot.

~Least favorite?  

Tony Stark.  I loathe him with unadulterated loathing. *crickets* Okay, maybe it's not that bad, but I still think he's an arrogant playboy with serious attitude problems.  I understand the whole thing about him going on the one way trip to get rid of the atomic bomb (or whatever is was), and I'm not playing that down, but the bad still outweighs the good, in my opinion.  I know he's hilarious, handsome (okay, that's debatable, but most everyone thinks he is, so...), a billionaire, a genius, and a bunch of other stuff, but he's still my least favorite.  He fights with Steve!  He mocks Coulson!  He's rude to everyone!  The list could go on and on...

 ~Which one do you think is most like you?  

I think it would be, um...Bruce Banner/The Hulk.  Because I'm normally pretty mild-mannered and non-demonstrative when it comes to showing my emotions, but I get angry easily (something I am trying to work on) and then I yell and do Other Unpleasant Things (wow...this is getting personal).  Oh, and I'm very tech-minded (SCIENCE BROS FOREVER!).  At least I don't lose control and turn into a giant green rage monster...

~Which Avenger movie--barring The Winter Soldier--would you be most excited to watch?  BARRING THE WINTER SOLDIER????  Come on. Fine.  The Avengers.  Because neither Clint nor Natasha have a movie all to themselves, and I'm not really interested in watching any of the separate movies for Thor, Iron Man, or The Hulk.  And if I watched The Avengers, I'd get a good overview of everyone, and be able to see Coulson and all the tragic parts (THE TRADING CARDS) and all the Clintasha moments.  So that's what I choose.

~Which Avenger (except Cap, Eva!) would you most like to assist?  

Hmmmm...seeing as the only other two I really like are Clint and Natasha and Natasha and I would not get along well (at least I don't think we would), I'll go with Clint (wow - the thought of that is 'epic-ing' me out).  I could make sure he never ran out of arrows and that he stayed far away from Loki and his 'glow stick of destiny'.  But our relationship would always be platonic because if Natasha ever thought there was anything going on between us, she'd probably assassinate me.  Not to say she isn't nice, but just...yeah.  It would be better to keep everything simple ;)

~Which of their costumes is your favorite?

Asgardian capes are awesome.  Just saying.

~What Avengers do you ship, if any?  

*rubs hands together gleefully*  I do indeed.  My current OTP (One True Pairing) is...CLINTASHA (Clint/Natasha).  They are such an amazing ship.  For starters, they're not actually a canon ship, but they are so close to being canon it's insane.  I've probably watched every Clintasha scene in The Avengers (courtesy of Youtube), plus some gorgeous fan-videos, so I feel well-versed in their relationship.  There is so much sub-text in their scenes (BUDAPEST, anyone?), and the chemistry between them is some of the best I've seen in an onscreen couple (and they look perfect together...not a must, but it helps).  Of course, all that delightful romantic stuff just makes Clint-being-brainwashed-and-trying-to-kill-everyone even harder to stomach.  So. Much. Harder.

~Which villain do you think is the best (i.e. most believable)?  

There are only three Marvel villains I know enough about to have them contending for the answer to this question - Loki, Red Skull, and The Winter Soldier.  Red Skull is evil, plain and simple.  There is no redeeming quality about him, no human side to him, no vulnerable spot.  Which, in my opinion, makes him Not Much Of A Believable Villain.  Whereas Loki (the ultimate sympathetic villain), and The Winter Soldier (who people are calling 'the new Loki') are evil, human, flawed, believable, worthy-of-fangirl-tears, and handsome...wait.  How did that get in there?  Anyway...I haven't seen any of 'their' movies, and I honestly can't decide.  Really.  Don't ask me.  I'm biased toward The Winter Soldier (for obvious reasons), but Loki is the epitome of The Villain, so...no idea.

~Besides Bucky, who are your favorite sidekicks/love interests of the different Avengers?  

Aw, don't take Bucky out of the picture!  Welll...fine.  But let me just say that Bucky is the most awesome side character ever to grace the screen of any movie, and I love him dearly.  Almost as much as Steve.  So, besides Bucky, I would say Peggy Carter and Phil Coulson.  Peggy is an amazing heroine.  She has strength/fighting abilities but she tempers that with a more feminine side and she does it well.  She was always there for Steve - during his augmentation, getting Howard to help him get to the Hydra base, comforting him after Bucky died, or setting a date/time/place for the date that never happened while his plane was hurtling toward icy water.  And from what I've heard of CA: TWS, she's still there for him, even in modern times.  As for Phil Coulson...in my opinion, he's one of the best characters Marvel ever created.  He's had an obsession with Captain America ever since he was a little kid (and has several vintage playing cards of Cap to prove it), so when he actually got to meet Cap, he was pretty much speechless (except for what could be termed the most awkward moment in Marvel history - "I watched you while you were sleeping").  But besides his admiration for Steve, which I think is pretty cool, he's a great person in his own right.  He has high ideals and he isn't afraid to speak out about them (I'm mainly thinking of his little talk with Loki during The Tragic Scene).  I sometimes wonder if that came of how he made Steve his role-model.  He's hugely courageous, funny, and the all around good guy.  I'm team #IBelieveInPhilCoulson.  Just so you know.

 

Thanks bunches for doing this interview, Eva!  

-Miss Jane Bennet

Time For Elevenses, Mr. Gruber!

 Serena of poetree nominated me for the Liebster Award!  Thank you, Serena! :)

The purpose of the Liebster Award is to recognize blogs with fewer than 200 followers. There are some rules:

~Thank and link back the person who nominated you 
~List eleven facts about yourself 
~Answer the eleven questions asked by the blogger who nominated you 
~Nominate 9 bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers (you can't nominate the blogger who nominated you)
~Ask them eleven questions
~Let them know of their nomination!

 My Eleven Facts:

~I love to do hair.  Especially Disney Princess hairstyles.
~In case you hadn't guessed already, Captain America is my favorite Avenger.  Actually, he's my favorite superhero EVAH.  Period, end of story.
~In that vein, Flynn Ryder is my favorite Disney hero (well, unless you count Tom Hiddleston).
~My favorite song from POTO is "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again".
~I love the books of E. Nesbit and Edgar Eager.
~For years, my favorite book--or rather, book series--was Betsy-Tacy.  You may be hearing more about that later this month.
~I HATE pickles.  And I don't especially like popcorn either...
~I've only read four books of Dickens'.  A Tale of Two Cities, Little Dorrit, The Pickwick Papers, and A Christmas Carol.
~My two favorite books of Marguerite Henry's are Black Gold and Born To Trot.
~ I am terrified of spiders.
~WWI is my favorite time period of American history.

My Answers:

• How long have you been blogging for?

 Ummm...*counts on fingers*  Approximately ten months and a half. ;)  And I've loved it for that long, too. =)

• Why do you blog?

 That's a question that would have been answered very differently when I first started blogging, and will doubtless be answered differently in the future.  But right now, I blog mostly because I enjoy it.  I love putting my thoughts down, I love that it challenges me to write better and find new ways to interest people, and perhaps most of all, I love the amazing people I've been introduced to through my blog.

• What do you find challenging about blogging?

Well, right now I'm still figuring things out, really: how much information to give out, what kind of post am I best at, when it's a good idea to follow/comment, and so on and so forth.  Probably the most challenging thing at the moment, though, is to try to make my writing engaging and interesting; sometimes I get either too enthusiastic or too dull, and I want my readers to enjoy my posts, so...

• Dark, milk, or white chocolate?

Ummm...well, I don't especially like milk chocolate generally, but I love milk hot chocolate for some reason.  I don't much like dark chocolate, either, so I suppose that just leaves me with white chocolate.  I don't actually like that too much either, though, so I think I'll just choose milk.  My favorite kind of chocolate, though, is mint.  In case you were wondering. :)

• Tea or coffee?

 TEA.  I love tea.  There are so many different kinds (including chocolate tea, for those who like it strong), it's so Regency-ish, and I love fancy teacups and teapots (though I also enjoy some of the patterns on coffee mugs, so that goes both ways).  Also, coffee does not do my health any favors. :P

• What is your favorite tree species?

Tree species??  Um, I like apple and cherry trees.  The blossoms are so pretty. 

 

• Who is your favorite poet? (Or singer/songwriter. They're poets.)

 Hm.  I like Hilaire Belloc; he's fun.  Who can resist a title like "Matilda: Who Told Lies and Was Burned To Death"? :D  I suppose that when serena asked this question, she did not intend for me to write a ten-page essay on Why I Like Michael Ball, so I'll just leave it at that. :P

• What do you enjoy doing on a sunny day?

 Pitching tents, playing tennis, sitting outside in a sunbeam reading, going barefoot, climbing trees...that sort of thing. ;)

• And on a rainy day?

 Staring bleakly out a window, muttering about being bored with my life (points if you get that reference.  I actually haven't seen the movie or read the book, but I've certainly seen the trailer many, many times.  But only because it plays before Sherlock. :P), reading curled up next to a fire, drinking hot chocolate, watching a nice, feel-good movie like Les Mis (KIDDING, peoples), and I also enjoy splish-splash-sploshing.  Because it's fun to act like a little kid once in awhile. ;)

• What's your favorite book genre?

 Jane Austen. :P  But seriously, I have so many favorites...I even like the occasional romance (like I said, JA)!  I love historical novels especially, though, and childrens' classics. :)

• Do you know how to play any musical instruments? If so, which one(s)? If not, are there any you'd like to play?

I play violin, as most of you know.  I'd like to learn viola someday, and I sometimes plink out tunes on the piano.  Also, I sing/hum/whistle incessantly.  That's about it. 

 My Nominees:
GreenMedallion of Green Medallion
Monica of Spilled Ink
Maddie Rose of The Madd Rose
Kate of Her Own Thoughts And Reflections
Anna of A Cowgirl and a Dream
Evie Scott of A Period Drama Fangirl
Kiri Liz of Lianne Taimenlore
Sydney Summers of Ramblings from a Les Misérables Fanatic
Sierra Bailey of A Burst of Many Colors

My Questions:
~What movie genre is your favorite?
~Do you like musicals?  If so, list a few favorites.
~Favorite modern author?
~Do you prefer reading a paperback or hardback book?
~Favorite time period in history?
~Least favorite food?
~Do you have any historical role models?  If so, who and why?
~Fictional character who's most like you?
~Do you ever take personality quizzes?  If so, list a few of your favorites.
~Favorite book when you were little?
~Thoughts on Kindles?

-Miss Jane Bennet

Happy April!

Hello hello hello, everybody!  Good grief, I've been away for quite a long time, but now my blogger's block is gone, so here I am and hopefully nobody's too angry at me.
Anyways!  Thank you to everyone for your very helpful suggestions.  I will be using many of them in the weeks to come, and the person whose ideas I used will be credited.  To start, I'm modifying one of AnElvenPrincess's thoughts a bit and letting you all know what I've been up to lately, because those posts always interest me.

~Reading~

Make that tea. ;)

I've been reading a variety of books lately, from French-translated-into-German-which-I'm-translating-into-English books (more on that in a bit) to old favorites such as Johnny Tremain to beta-reads to one not-so-good (putting it mildly) book, the title of which I won't disclose. :P  The main thing I've been "reading" lately is The Little Prince--or rather, Der Kleine Prinz.  Yes, this is the aforementioned German book.  It was recommended to me by a friend recently, so I decided to attempt a translation.  Right now it looks more like the Google Translate version of "Let It Go" than anything else (no, I haven't been using Google Translate--okay, maybe a little :P), but hopefully it ends up being somewhat intelligible.

~Watching~

Mostly Sherlock, actually.  After a Very Long Hiatus from it because of the creepiness of "The Great Game," I'm watching it again and next up is "The Reichenbach Fall".  Yes, I am prepared to cry.  We got Frozen recently on DVD, so I've seen that twice more since I reviewed it. (I HAVE NO OBJECTIONS.  Speaking of Frozen, I now ship Hans/Elsa, or Elsan.  My Frozen sister--note the capital F :P--and I have been coming up with theories about this for quite awhile now.) Also, I've been watching some Scooby-Doo episodes because they're fun and rewatching Star Wars.  Have I mentioned yet that I love SW?  Because I do.

~Writing~

Actually, not much.  My NaNo novel has pretty much stalled, and my writing inspiration has gone wherever my blogging ideas did--only it hasn't come back. *le sigh*  Also, I've been pinning lots of writing things.  Because, um, it inspires me. :P  I have, however, been writing emails by the dozen and may or may not have some unfinished posts in my Drafts folder. ;)  I'm also working on two Secret Projects with other bloggers, which shall be revealed in time.

~Learning~

How to embroider (I got to do something Tangled-themed a few days ago, which was fun ;)), all about Napoleonic France, water color painting, how to get Skype to work when it's being Evil and Uncooperative, why one should never stay up too late for many nights in a row, and the delights of having a best friend.

~Laughing~

At overly romantic swoons, Calvin and Hobbes cartoons, silly improvisation while acting, parodies of "Let It Go," the delightful hilarity of P. G. Wodehouse, the Amusing Antics of one Sherlock Holmes, adorable babies, and Very Loud Singing.

~Fangirling~

This is one of the main reasons I haven't been posting lately, actually.  It's all the fault of Certain People who start irresistible chats about a Certain Movie That Came Out Today (*frowns threateningly*).  Actually, I don't mind one whit.  I've been having more fun waiting for Captain America: The Winter Soldier than really makes sense. :D  Also, I've been rediscovering Les Mis; I haven't been "into" it much lately and I'd forgotten how much I love it. :)  VIVE LA ENJOLRAS! :D

~Listening~

 As I mentioned before, I've been listening to Les Mis.  Besides that, I've also been re-introducing myself to Cinderella (2013), playing Wicked/Frozen/both (some of the W/F crossover fanvids are really amazing, btw) almost non-stop, and acquainting myself with the music of Captain America: The First Avenger and its sequel.

So basically, life has just been its normal (at least for me ;P) self for the past month or so.  That's not to say it hasn't been delightful.  I certainly haven't been doing much in the way of Great Works, but I've grown closer to God, family and friends, had some pretty awesome experiences, and just enjoyed life.  It's been kind of nice, having a short break from blogging, but don't worry, I'm not quitting--coming back makes me realize that I have missed it quite a lot (no, it means don't get shot. :P).  So here's some virtual chocolate (fine, yes, you can have mint chocolate, Pascal) for all my AMAZING followers, commenters, and even Shady Blog Stalkers.  I'm so glad you consider my posts worth your time. :)

-Miss Jane Bennet