Once a year; usually around summer or Christmas break. I think we’ve been slacking, though, because a lot of my little siblings don’t remember seeing it before. This must be remedied.
23. Scarf
My elusive circle scarves that took forever to come in the mail!
24. Favourite Part of Christmas Eve
Watching Fellowship of the Ring. : D
25. Morning
I actually wasn’t awake until it was nearly noon. But this was prior to opening gifts and playing white elephant. 2pm is morning…ish? Right? : P
One… Two… Three…In just three seconds I fell in love.
Characters:♥♪♥ / ♥♪♥♪♥
I give two separate ratings for characters, because we have the 70′s group and the present day group. The 70′s group irritated me a lot. In Ha was too cowardly to make a move for the girl. The girl was too much of a wallflower to speak up and say she liked him. The only one brave enough and smart enough about relationships was, ironically, the goofy guy who didn’t end up with anyone! Not even a wife he didn’t love! The main characters were adorable when they shyly ran into each other and made awkward advances. They were very cute, and I liked them together until they made excuses involving everyone around them and stopped trying to be together. I was really rooting for In Ha at the begining, too. How could you not? He’s so very endearing and awkward, and you want him to be with her, but he has plenty of opportunity to speak up, and he doesn’t until it’s pretty much too late. Huff.
And he only got worse as he aged.
I don’t understand why everyone in this drama (is it a Korean thing?) seemed to imagine it was selfless to marry someone you don’t love to spare the feelings of someone else, and then live through a half-hearted marriage with your spouse. That’s not being thoughtful of others. That’s just excusing your own cowardice, and for that I can understand Hye Jung’s bitterness. She wasn’t right in all she did… but not all wrong, either.
The present-day characters, however, were superb. The youngsters, I mean. (Played by the same Jang Guen Suk and Yoona as the couple in the 70′s.) Yoona as Ha Na is so bubbly, and lively, and as someone later says, a warm person. Very likeable, and fun to watch.
Seo Joon starts out a little rough around the edges, but it’s not long before I was totally head-over-heels for his character. (And so was Ha Na.) Fantastic chemistry between the two! The best I’ve seen, actually! Possibly second to the Creating Destiny couple. ^.^
I love, too, how the doctor friend felt like a representation of the audience. He saw everything that was going on, and felt for his friends, but was like, “What am I supposed to do? What are they supposed to do!?” And he was ten thousand times more likable than his Dong Wook character. In fact, I’d pick him any day. No question. Okay, if Seo Joon was in the picture, a little question. : P
Hilarity:♥♪♥
The laughs mostly happened between Episodes 5-10, which were my favourites by far, between Seo Joon and Ha Na; when they first meet, as they’re bantering, starting to fall for each other, and shyly coming to terms with it all. Through those episodes, I laughed and giggled a lot. I kind of wish it was just about them, and none of the depressing first love business got in the way. But I suppose that’s why it’s a 20+ hour drama, and not a five hour Korean romcom. (Do those exist? If not, they definitely should.)
Tear Drama: ♥♪♥♪♥
It’s the little things that get me in this one. Or rather, the big things that materialize in the little scenes. A painting revealed, a passing glance, a phrase with hidden meaning. The music just makes it all worse. The main theme starts and I cry. I cried a lot. Especially through episodes 12-17. Yes, that’s a big stretch of crying.
Sleep Deprivation: ♥♪♥♪♥
I watched chunks and chunks together because I had to get through it. This thing just… it messes with your feelings, man. Like… TOO MUCH FEEL!! A lot. After a while, it gets a bit too depressing with the continual: They’ll be together… they won’t… they will… they won’t… going on. Be prepared for a lot of that through the end.
Eye Candy:♥♪♥♪♥
Actors aside, let’s talk colour. This drama was gorgeous. The lighting and colours used for every scene were so superb that I forgot to judge the actors’ hotness for once! I don’t know much about cinematography, but whoever was in charge of it on this production, give them a raise! And give them more dramas to make beautiful! Every scene was a visual treat. The 70′s bits had a pretty, soft, yellow aura, and though the modern scenes more crisp, they still had a lovely, vibrancy.
Now we can talk faces.
YoonHee/HaNa played by Yoona was very pretty! I can actually see why all the guys were in love with her. I didn’t care much for her 70′s character, but that had more to do with her minimal lines and wallflower attitude.
And Jang Guen Suk… he just has that something about him that’s lovable. Even when he’s playing the jerk. Which he does superbly.
Ending:♥♪♥
IN WHICH THERE ARE SPOILERS!!
I can’t figure out why I’m not jumping up and down over the ending. I finally got a wedding! I mean, an actual proposal and a wedding dress, anyway. I think after so much back and forth of sadness, I was ready for a good stretch of only happy times, with smooches, and walks in the park, and babies, and I was simply underwhelmed. I really have no serious complaints! It just didn’t wow me. I felt like after all the tears they wrung from me in the later episodes, they should have made up for it in disgustingly happy fluff. They didn’t. That’s all! I mean, it’s a solid, happy ending! I just wanted more.
Challenge #4: Tell us about one of your first stories/characters!
When I was about six or seven years old, I wrote a horrendously cheesy story in play format about a princess, a woodsman-type stranger, and a very cliche villain. I don’t remember a whole lot about the details except that the stranger-turned-knight proposed at a very inopportune moment, right after a too-short battle. I kept the story in a yellow folder and made the mistake of reading it aloud to a much older friend. By her reaction (mostly disinterested silenced due to embarrassment) I came to know it was not as wonderful as first supposed by me. I threw it away and swore never to write another story again.
My self-inflicted promise was going quite well until a certain someone popped into my life.
The rest, as they say, is a collection of experiences from the past congealing into an emergence of events which one might choose to call historical in his or her own vanity.
I don’t think that even made sense.
Featured Snippet
“Father told me that when men go to war, they see things they wish they hadn’t. Things they wish they could forget and can’t, because war is ugly and death is always a possibility.” She looked at him finally. Her expression was tired but soft. “I wanted to show you something that was beautiful and good, so that when you’ve seen death and killing, you’ll remember that there are still wonderful things despite all of that. Do you mind?”
Yes. That’s right. American Girl fan fiction. This was a surprisingly touching scene within a slew of pure cheese. *sigh* I do wish I could find a Felicity/Ben piece that involves his return from the War of Independence in order to fulfill his apprenticeship with Mr. Merriman, as promised. So far the very few I’ve found worth reading are not of the highest literary quality and lack the emotional depth I would expect from a nearly grown woman and a young man who lived through a war.
If I don’t find a good one before I’m done writing my H2O story, guess what field I intend to dabble in next? Because really, the characters I grew up with deserve a grown-up happily-ever-after.
This is one of my favourite images of all time ever from possibly the best story I have ever read. It’s moved me to tears more than a few times and tonight I sobbed… sobbed… pathetically while reading a visually poignant battle scene enhanced by a goodbye letter. Oh no… thinking about it is making me choke up and get the sniffles. *turns away to dab eyes*
I’m positively in love with Major Alan Warren. He is everything I want in a man and I’m pretty sure he possesses everything on my list of qualifications.
-Doesn’t miss church unless prevented by war or illness
-Keeps watch outside maiden’s door when iniquitous characters are about
-Never heard of Justin Beiber, but knows all six stanzas of Amazing Grace
-Speaks with conviction
-Impressive uniform
-Occasionally cheeky
-Horseback most frequent means of transportation
-Writes with quill
-Apologizes with sincerity
-Is deliciously unaware of how wonderful he is
-Battles epically in the rain
-Devilish smirk
-Broods when appropriate
-18th/19th century vocabulary
-The linen shirt <3
1. a person very dear to another; one dearly loved.
2. an affectionate or familiar term of address.
3. a person or thing in great favor; a favorite: She was the darling of café society.
–adjective
4. very dear; dearly loved: my darling child.
5. favorite; cherished.
6. Informal . charming; cute; lovable: What a darling baby!
(From the online dictionary at dictionary.com)
Origin:
bef. 900; ME derling, OE dēorling. See dear, -ling
Darling is class. Darling is a tall man in a fine suit pressing his cheek against his lady love’s. Darling is long gloves matched with a dazzling gown. Darling is a fairy tale prince stooping over a sleeping maiden about to wake her with a kiss.
Darling is old fashioned charm, elegance; loving glances on an ivy-choked veranda; Victorian skirts sweeping across a petal-strewn bridge at the fall of dusk. Darling is a diamond necklace dangling on a slender throat.
But darling is said best with an accent or sung.
Between friends it works only with a Brooklyn or Southern drawl.
Unless you’d rather sound like an evil queen. Daaaaarling…
In any case, I approve this one. *stamp of approval*
For Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d answer the question every eligible guy is asking themselves: Am I compatible with Beth?
Wow, Valentine’s Day is OVER!?! Oh well.
Okay, I’m a silly. But tell me if this sounds like you…
Girl: What you do mean, you don’t like Love Actually!??! What kind of person doesn’t see the greatness of that film? Boy: I just don’t like it. Girl: Well what about Titanic? Boy: Eeeh, it’s okay. Girl:The Notebook? Tell me you at least teared up during The Notebook!! Boy: …. Girl: This relationship is over.
You know this could happen. It probably has happened. I’ll bet many boys/boy-men/man-boys have fallen victim to those ever treacherous “deal breakers.” And by deal, I mean, “You complain about this movie/song/actor and you can kiss my hand as it waves goodbye.” (Which is the literal equivalent of getting smacked awkwardly in the face.)
Since the above example is a foolproof way to determine whether or not a person’s a keeper, I shall use it for use upon myself to be used by menfolk.
“Well that sounds really shallow and stupid. Let’s try it!” ~Azula
How To Know We’re Compatible
1. You’re into costumes.
If a man can’t make a fool of himself for the sake of his woman at least occasionally… he’s no man at all.
Must you be an Irish tenor whose voice makes melting gourmet chocolate and crafting butter sculptures seem commonplace? No. But you do have to sing along very loudly to songs on the radio you know the words to. Or even ones you don’t know the words to. I will expect it of you.
This man is not afraid to sing from the heart.
4. You allow your image to be preserved.
My camera and your face must be friends. If your face is not friends with my camera, I will become petulant and say horrible things I don’t mean like, “What are you a vampire?” or “I suppose you’re too in love with your face to share it with ME” and “Fine. I’ll put a picture of myself in my compact heart shaped silvery rose mirror case and when people ask, ‘Oh, who are you going out with?’ I’ll say, ‘Apparently, myself! Want to see a picture?’” It wouldn’t work out.
Acceptable Exception: You work for the CIA or any other identity sensitive corporation.
5. You make me laugh.
You know what makes me laugh? Shawn’s girl voice. We might be compatible if you have a hilarious girl voice. Some guys can’t pull off the imitation girl voice without sounding like jerks, but if you can… call me. In your girl voice.
Another thing that makes me laugh is the Llamas With Hats videos. I laugh until the tears stream down my eyes. Do I have a morbid sense of humor? Yes, sometimes. But I really am a kindhearted soul.
6. You’d rather shoo than shoot.
I’m no pacifist, and I’m perfectly okay with hunting–if it’s for eating. But it really bothers me when a guy shoots a small, helpless creature for the poor excuse that, “It was bothering someone” or “I needed the target practice.” I don’t like spiders, and yeah, I usually kill them if they invade my room because I don’t like the thought of them biting me in my sleep–which they do. Self preservation is good. But I admit, I kind of like it when a guy decides to scoop a spider into a jar or on a piece of paper and take it outside. (Sans the shaking it in my face.) And when I hear of some male person who shot a bat or a bee or a bird or a squirrel… I get very upset. I think it speaks volumes on his character. And the girls who encourage the killing of “pests” in the wild get me just as riled. Unless it’s a real threat, grow a spine and save your bullets for a real emergency. Otherwise you look like a wimp and no one will love you. I mean… Iiii won’t love you. Imeanwhat?
7. You like to lift heavy things.
I’m 98lbs, 5’3 and my arms are short. If you like to lift heavy things or reach for drinking glasses up high in cupboards, I would like us to work something out. We can start with a picnic… where you carry the basket.
8. You will agree that these movies/shows are boss.
Pride and Prejudice
Lord of the Rings
Gladiator
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Star Wars IV, V, VI
At least the first and seventh Harry Potter films. The rest are a gray area.
Firefly
Psych
Criminal Minds
The Office
9. You will never expect me to watch these films.
Avatar
-Fern Gully
-Pocahontas
-The New World Since they’re all practically the same movie.
I had this dream where I owned two bunnies. Their names were Mrs. Pretty and Lumpy (short for Fatty Lumpkins). But it has always been a dream of mine to have a kitty or two. This dream must be realized. I need bunnies. And I need kitties.
11. You tolerate crushes.
I must be allowed always to drool over Mr. Darcy, Richard Armitage, Ioan Gruffud…etc. And watch Reid do his thing on Criminal Minds without reprimand. After all, they’ve been keeping me company all this time while you are dragging your feet.
0:15 is pure magic. Hehehe. Silly ellipses!
<3 I love him.
12. You have a passion for something.
Just…. something. Preferably not tattoos and hog riding, but you know, a passion for truth, justice, and pizza is good. (Teen Titans reference anyone? Anyone?)
You could combine numbers 3 and 12 by singing with a passion.
Christian Bale is an actor who sings (not a singer who acts) and here he is, singing for a strike. That is passion.
Because really, the characters I grew up with deserve a grown-up happily-ever-after.
