You need people of Intelligence on this sort of Janeite...Tag...Thing

...since I am feeling particularly uncreative today, and dear Evie tagged me quite some time ago, here is an almost unheard-of event. Catherine is doing a tag.

Sorry about the weird highlighting; it does that when I paste stuff. :\
~~Thank and link back to the person who tagged you.

Check! Thank you, Miss--er, Mrs. Brandon. Be sure to check out her lovely blog. 

~~Tell how you were introduced to Jane Austen and share one fun fact about your Janeite life (this fun fact can be anywhere from "I stayed up all night reading Emma," to "I visited Chawton and met Anna Chancellor.").

~~Answer the tagger's questions.

Skipping the last two steps because I am lazy...

Fun fact: I have stayed up all night several times sewing Regency gowns, usually while watching some JA adaptation.

I was introduced to Jane by...wait for it...wait for it...

The 2005 Fake P&P. 

Not by watching it of course; Mum got it through Netflix for whatever reason and was watching it with Dad. I was curious about it and was told that the book was on her Kindle. So I read it.

...and this was pretty much my reaction.

~~How many JA books do you own?

I own a 'master copy' (leatherbound, Barnes and Noble--Christmas gift) of seven of her novels (the big six +Lady Susan), which I adore, and I have at least one paperback copy of all her six big novels (I have an extra Persuasion if anyone wants one). I have an additional copy of Persuasion (I've got enough to stock a small bookclub, apparently) and P&P in hardback. I pick them up at Goodwill whenever I can. Mery gave me The Novels of Jane Austen in One Sitting, and I have a teeny decorative version of P&P on a necklace. 

I'm not obsessed at all.

~What Austen character do you think you're most like?

I've taken different tests and come up with everything from Elinor to Elizabeth to Mary Bennet. In social situations I feel like Darcy--a bit snobby and even more awkward. It didn't say 'heroine,' just character!

~Have you read the Juvenilia?

Quite a bit. Not all, though. I love her plays!

~Favorite movie/TV adaptation of an Austen novel?

P&P '95 Forever Club

I'm a member. 

I also love S&S '95, Emma '09 and NA '07 (though we skip a few bits in that one).

What is your favourite Jane Austen minor couple?

Erm...Jane and Bingley.Would you rather spend a weekend with Mr Wickham or Mr Willoughby ?

Spend a weekend with? I assume in company. Erm, Willoughby. He seems to be the more entertaining one. 

You've been invited to a ball; what is your first reaction? 
EEEEEEK! and second, "I seriously need my dress trimmed out afresh."

If you could choose a Jane Austen home to live in what would you choose? Netherfield? Pemberley?

Certainly Pemberley. 
Brandon or Ferrars?

Brandon--he's so patient and honest, without being overbearing. I love Edward, but shame on him for deceiving Elinor, however accidental it might have been.Knightley or Captain Wentworth?

How dare you? Knightley, indeed! Mr. Knightley is wonderful and all others 'cept Percy pale before him.
Well, that was fun! Feel free to consider yourselves tagged, or go on with your day. Hopefully there will be something longer tomorrow. :)

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31...er, 30...er, 30ish Day Challenge?

 http://whatcatiedid.blogspot.com/2014/10/31er-30er-30ish-day-challenge.html

How's that for an exciting start? Since I believe, apparently, in arriving fashionably late to events, I found no reason to make an exception for the 31 Days challenge.
Apprehension and uncertainty had nothing to do with it, I assure you.

So, without further fuss,

Welcome to...

30ish Days of Fandom Randomness! 

(clever title, no? I came up with it myself)

...in which I shall attempt to post something every day for the rest of the month. The topic is my 'fandoms' which is short for 'fanatic domain,' (thank you Pinterest) or a domain of fans.

People who inhabit fandoms are generally called fans; if one wishes to be gender-specific, fanboys or fangirls. The latter are most common and most prominent.  I thought we might start with a few definitions to smooth the way for those of who who may be unfamiliar with the topic.

fangirl--noun, 1. a female fan 2. one who fangirls
fangirl--verb, 1. to feel excitement concerning a fandom 2. see 'whale noises' or 'pterodactyl screaming'  3. a seizure--symptoms: impossibly high-pitched whining noises and temporary paralysis of the upper body (with the exception of the hands, which often flap about wildly), combined with difficulty breathing.
Example: "I am fangirling so hard about the Dauphin rescue scene."
or 
"SQUUUEEEEEE PERCY!"

past tense: fangirled-- 1.to have been fangirling under the circumstances described above 2. a feeling of exhaustion caused by fangirling
Example: "I am all fangirled out after that Tinkerbell movie. OH HIDDLES!" 

To fanboy is also generally accepted as a verb but is less commonly used, due to the scarcity of the species.

Feels: noun, emotions, usually overpowering. Always used in plural form.
"Oooooh the FEELS!"

Ship, shipping: verb, to desire two characters to become romantically attached to each other.
Example:  (in reference to a conversation between two characters that implies possible attraction) "I ship it!" 
"I am shipping Sherlolly so hard right now." 

Ship: noun, a (real or imagined) couple. Often associated with nautical terminology. 
Example: "My ship has sunk. Curse you, Moffat!" 
"MY SHIP SAILED! SQUEEE!" 
OTP: a shipping acronym for "One true pairing," meaning the shipper's ideal or favorite couple. The 'one' can be misleading, as most fans have several OTPs 
Shipping names: one of the most confusing habits of the fandoms is the tendency to type seemingly unintelligible gibberish. "Knighthouse? What's that about?" 
This is an example of a shipping name, which is developed by smashing together the names of the two parties of a ship for quicker reference. Simple, no?
Canon: in accordance with the original inspiration or material. 
"I really like the Canon references in "A Study in Pink."  
Squee: exclamation. Short for "I am squealing loudly like a stuck pig at the moment because I am excited." 
There are many more terms, of course, but that should prove sufficient for now.
Over the next few weeks we will explore several different aspects of being in a fandom, a few of my fandoms, and fandom-produced stuff. Some possible topics:
Obscure Fandom Day, Old Fandom Day, Random Fandom Day, The Starving Fandom, Frightening Fangirls, How to keep Your Conscience Safe while Fangirling, Fanfiction: Yes or No? Liking with a Disclaimer, Can INTJs fangirl? When is it okay to Fangirl? Is there Life after Fangirling? (no),  and that tricky game, Faking Fandoms

I hope you'll come along for the adventure as we delve deep into this fascinating world.
"Do you wanna come with me? 'cause if you do, you're going to see all sorts of things. And it won't be quiet, it won't be safe, and it won't be calm. But I tell you what it will be. The trip of a lifetime."


Leave a comment and tell me what you want me to write first (bonus points to you if you guess the quote. Not that points are worth anything)!

Disclaimer: I do not own any photos that I did not take. If it looks like I didn't take them, then they're not mine.

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Random Pictures from Events I Have not Posted About, Part I--the sorta-kinda ball

....meaning, of course, that we were told that we could dress up for this dance, but not to worry about coming in costume.

Ha. 

Haha.

Hahaha.

We read it something like this:

OMGSH.

A BALL! YAAAAAAY!

What are we going to wear?

Mother! My muslin needs new trim! And my ridicule is absolutely ridiculous!

I need new ribbon for shoe-roses...and ostrich feathers...

HOBBY LOBBY, HERE WE COME!

At least the boys' costumes are okay...

DAD'S WAISTCOAT IS TWO INCHES TOO SHORT!

WHERE IS BRENNAN'S QUIZZING-GLASS?

...while some people might respond to this reaction by wondering why we stress over something so simple and informal...

...we are too busy sewing each other into gowns to notice. Actually, we love having an event for which we must dress up, so we make the most out of it. If we have to make a mountain out of a molehill...well, we'll do it. Can't really tell the difference in LA, anyway. Don't have many mountains. It's not stress! It's fun. 

Actually, curling Lu's entire head in paper is stressful. But that's not our fault.  

Without further ado...

 Left to right: Em,  Jess, Bren, Lu, et moi, confident in our poshness.

 Brennan and Dad...

 Myself dancing the Ship's Cook (an wonderful dance from a wonderful miniseries) with Kristoff Grayson

 Shoe-tying--one of my chief occupations of the evening. Apparently, I was the only one whose stays didn't prohibit her movements. Ergo, guess who gets to secure the footwear? Me, that's 'oo!

 My parents, also posh

 Lu and Em in full aristocratic snobbery.

Fun fact: Emery sewed the red ribbons on her gown crossed in back (they came undone) and crossed in front in memory of the victims of the Reign of Terror. The ribbons symbolized the captives' bonds, and her red choker stood for...yeah. *gulp* that. We based it off a fashion plate from the 1790s. She said she hoped someone would ask about them so she could explain in all the gory detail.
Luckily for her, someone did. O.O

 Gabe. Need more be said?

 Gabbi and her mother. Aren't her sleeves nice and poufy? ;) 

 The Dark Side of ECD

 Lu and Gab. I was responisble for Gabbi's tunic-drape-thingy (I am so eloquent!). It's a curtain panel than was cut for use in a pelisse, but the pelisse was completed without it. It was the perfect shape already--all I did was hem and stitch the shoulder and add a sash. I would have preferred the sash to be higher, but I thought it still turned out well. 

 Scottish!

Shoe ribbons in disarray!


And I leave you with this photograph, which perfectly portrays our stately grandeur and dignity.

It's About Time

...that I posted again. Excuses aside, here are some pictures from the Jane Austen Ball in Walker (could such things really be? Never thought I'd say that!).
Gabbi and I making the exact same face. Funny, no?

 It is, however, a good picture of the back of our gowns.

A rather blurry image of me
Gabbi dancing. The Virginia Reel, I imagine.

A very sassy Lu and yours truly in the middle of a two-hand turn...

A shot of everyone either 

a) trying to learn the Scottish

b) trying to practice the Scottish for the fun of it

c) trying to decide whether or not to do the Scottish

d) trying to stay out of everyone's way

Oh, the decisions to be made...

Myself, my very handsome brother and my pretty sister preparing for the Comical Fellow 

Jess in full Mrs. Bennet-whispering mode (sorry, Jess, but I couldn't resist!)

 and Grayson looking...dashing (?) in his coat.

 Our Mom-we're-50-minutes-late-and-need-to-get-inside-NOW picture. :)