Hello from the first Talk Like a Brit Thursday of 2013! And there was ICE SKATING!!!
 I guess by now you've already read about our amazing New Year's adventures, and you've probably figured out that that whole "2012 words" challenge of mine isn't exactly happening. I meant to do it, I really did, but I was too busy working on other things. Lame, I know. But it's 2013 now! Time to look ahead, not behind. It's like the Bible verse I've chosen as my theme verse for the year:
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." --Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)
2012 was absolutely incredible, and it's difficult to believe that any year could ever top it, but I hope that 2013 will be EVEN BETTER! Besides, this year is our epic road trip, so that's gonna be SUPERMEGAAWESOMEFUN!!!!!!
Oops, five minutes to finish this post...well, some things never change. Umm, I was going to talk about other stuff, but then tumblr. And this. I'm just going to leave this here for you to enjoy. I know I have. A lot...

Oh, P.S. , last night I had a dream in which David Tennant gave me a telescope and Billie Piper gave me a sweater for my cat. The End.

Love,
A.B.

Hello from the last Thursday of 2012! Honestly, I've disappointed myself. I had planned to have my 2012 Words About 2012 challenge response ready to post for my last Thursday blog of the year, but it isn't finished...well, it isn't started, really. Blame Downton Abbey. I'm obsessed and I've been spending a lot of my time watching it lately. Anyway, the 2012 Words will be finished and posted by the official deadline I set: New Year's Eve. But in the meantime, I figured I'd be clever and sum up the year kind of like this:

This was my year in two photos. Harlaxton and filmmaking. The end.

Hello from 4 days until Santa comes!!! It's almost Christmas, you guys! And tonight it snowed a little! I'm very excited, as you can tell. Also, I saw The Hobbit today with my dad. He wasn't aware that it was the first in a series of 3 movies, so needless to say, he was a little confused at the end.  Also, the movie was really long, but that's okay because Martin Freeman was the most perfectest, adorablest little hobbit I've ever seen!!!! I just wanted to hug him the entire time.  Awwwwwwwwww! Also, it made me want to go to New Zealand. Gosh, Middle Earth is really pretty! And every time I saw Gandalf, I wanted to shout, "Rachael knows him!" Just so you know. ;) Yeah...that's all I'm going to say about The Hobbit, because most of you haven't seen it yet. And also, this.
Anyway, the end of the world is tomorrow, so that's fun. :) I actually overheard two Wal-Mart employees debating the issue of the apocalypse and biblical prophecy...sort of. So that was interesting. I also saw a guy at Wal-Mart who looked a little bit like Liam.
Okay, on to Christmastime blogging! :)
Today's topic: Christmas songs. I think I'll share just a few of my favorite classic Christmas songs, as well as some uncommon ones. I know it's been kind of nonstop Christmas song mania if you've been listening to the right radio stations, and sometimes it can get a little repetitive, but here are just a few of the ones that never get old (at least not to me):
In the Childhood Memories category, I have two favorites.
Christmastime is Here from A Charlie Brown Christmas. I love the Charlie Brown holiday specials. They're such an iconic part of my childhood. I still love to watch them when they come on. It's tradition.

Another favorite: Alvin and the Chipmunks' Christmas Song. I used to have a Chipmunks cassette tape and this song would play no telling how many times on long car trips, along with the Mother Goose tape. I have this foggy memory of my dad singing something about a goat...

Next category: Timeless Classics
Silent Night is one I've always loved. It's a beautiful song, plus I have some, er, interesting memories of my friend Chelsey and me singing it very loudly and very off-key on the way to see Christmas lights. Good times. Here's a really pretty version:

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is probably my all-time favorite, though. I love the...I don't know...the drama and nostalgia of it. And you guys should let me know what you think, because Jill and I were having this debate: Do you think the lyrics suggest running away from your problems?

Other honorable mentions in this category include We Wish You a Merry Christmas and O Christmas Tree. They both just scream "Christmas is upon us! Yay!"
Next category: Favorite Pop Christmas Song!
All I Want for Christmas is You. Hands down. No contest. Best ever.

And now it's hipster time: I'm going to recommend some Christmas songs you may not be too familiar with. At least, I've never heard them on the radio or anything. 
The Christmas Song--Owl City
It's Owl City. What more do I have to say?...Adorable...

Merry Christmas Everybody--He's My Brother She's My Sister
This is one of those songs I got for free on Noisetrade or something, and it's snazzy! Needless to say, this is not the official video. lol.

I feel like there was one--or maybe two--more, but I forget now. So here are two more on-the-radio classic Christmas cover type songs of awesomeness.
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day--Casting Crowns
Yes! One of the vocal team at my church did this song Sunday, and it was epic. Very timely, if you think about it.

And one more: Sleigh Ride--fun. Just because it's fun. I heard this on the radio tonight and was very, very happy. I like them a lot.

And that's the end of my Christmas playlist! Next time I see you all, we'll either be preparing for an idyllic Christmas holiday or battling zombies. Either way, it'll be an adventure!
Love, 
A.B.

Hello from finals week! You know, that time of year when it's a great idea to watch an entire tv series in 5 days. Yep, the highlight of my week has been watching Firefly, and tonight we wrapped it all up by watching the post-series movie Serenity. And now there's no more, because the show got cancelled after 14 episodes (well, 11 actually, but the DVD included 3 unaired episodes). :(  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted...and at least there are still the commentaries to watch!
But in all seriousness, I have been working really hard on tons of papers. I don't want you to think I've just been slacking off (especially since you read this blog, Momma). This week in total, I've turned in about six assignments, and I still have one to do before tomorrow at 3. Then I am SOOOOOO done with this semester, and I can finally use this gif!
In other news, the short film I've been working on all semester FINALLY premiered on Wednesday, and I never, ever, ever have to see it again! Like, ever.......And....it actually wasn't sooo baaaad.....

Hello from the first Thursday of December! I think all of my blogs this month are going to be Christmas/holiday-related. Like today, I'm going to talk about reindeer! What if we were reindeer, guys? I don't know what made me think of this, but I decided to assign us reindeer identities...just because. Let me know what you think.

Dasher--Me...I'm always dashing up the hill to class lol
Dancer--Shelby...ironic, right?...Asbury
Prancer--Sanaa...sounds sassy
Vixen--Rachael...foxy lady
Comet--Munchkin...the name Comet just screams little and cute
Cupid--Amber...obviously
Donner--Amy...most likely to nom on people
Blitzen--Jill...probably sounds like the most ninja reindeer
Rudolph--Sara...because her nose is always red...from sunburn

Oops. Well. I guess I'm going to continue in the tradition of short or nonexistent blogs this week. And so, goodbye for now. Have fun being reindeer. I'm going back to watching Bride and Prejudice.

Love,
Dasher

Hello from a blog post devoted to Sara's utter dislike of ABC's hit show Once Upon a Time. Today I'm going to talk about why Once Upon a Time is an awesome show that Sara should actually really like. I'm all for personal preferences, don't get me wrong. But  Sara's arguments for disliking the show are rather illogical and just a wee bit sad.
For those of you who don't know, Once Upon a Time is, well...this:

Basically, the residents of Storybrooke, Maine are all fairy tale characters, but they don't remember who they really are because of the evil queen's curse. And stuff's complicated. This is going to be a really difficult blog to write without spoilers, but I'll try it.
First, let me address some of Sara's criticisms of the show (after only watching half of season 1).
#1 "It's not funny enough." 
Okay, I'll admit, it isn't exactly a comedy. But there are a lot of small moments of humor, and while they don't really stand alone as hilarious, there are parts that are really funny once you get to know the characters. Like Henry calling David/Charming "Gramps," or the fact that there was an eighth dwarf called Stealthy, or...just so much of it is in the delivery of the lines and the characters' reactions more so than gags or jokes. Here's a video with just a few funny moments from the show. I couldn't find a really great one that summed them all up, but enjoy.

#2 "It is very dark."
I don't think I know how to refute this. I just disagree. Perhaps I could direct you to some actually dark shows/movies? Sara, don't you like Pan's Labyrinth? That's a very dark fairy tale. Like, very dark. Once Upon a Time is better described as suspenseful, exciting, fantastical, and intense, but not dark. Not really. Actually, despite dealing with sadness and peril sometimes, the overall mood of the show is upbeat, I think. Everyone's not happy all the time, but it's not a depressing show. The tone is hopeful, which keeps it from being dark.
#3 "They take away the happy endings, and I want them back! There's too much suspense and misery and sadness and DEATH and separation!"
If everything were happy and hunky-dory, there would be no CONFLICT! No PLOT! Furthermore, they don't take away the happy endings; they merely prolong their fulfillment, since it's only the second season. Do you actually watch the show and think, "There's no way Snow White and Prince Charming will end up together!"...No. They'll always find each other. It's just going to take a while. Have a little patience, dearie.
And yes, some characters do get killed off, and sometimes that's really sad. But that happens in a lot of your favorite shows. And I think it makes it a better show when the writers aren't afraid to kill off an important character. It's like no one is safe. It amps up the tension and drama.
#4 "They also change the story lines."
Yep. This brings me to another point about why Once Upon a Time is fun to watch. It adapts fairy tales, but it also incorporates the Disney retellings of the fairy tales. ABC is owned by Disney, so they can do that. And noticing the Disney vs. original fairy tales details is always fun. But, Sara, you're right. They do change things up a bit. Sometimes. Because, let's face it: if we knew how everything was going to turn out it wouldn't be quite so exciting. So, there are twists. Sometimes one person can carry multiple fairy tale roles, like Mr. Gold does. And sometimes there are sparks between characters from different fairy tales, like a possible love triangle between Aurora, Prince Philip, and Mulan. But I think that makes the story less predictable and more interesting. Also, if you've actually read the fairy tales written by the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen, they are very different from the Disney versions.  And they're WAY darker than Once Upon a Time.
#5 "They make the characters so ambiguous. You don't can't know who you're supposed to trust."
Okay, I'm thinking that your definition of "annoying" and my definition of "interesting" are lining up more and more. I love morally ambiguous characters! They're way more realistic, complex, and interesting to unravel. It's captivating to find out what makes them the way they are, and Once Upon a Time is great with backstory. Plus, you know, people in general are pretty morally ambiguous. We all do good and bad things, and in life you don't always know whom you can trust. While I can understand your frustration at that in real life, fiction is another story. Think of all the shows/movies/books you like that have morally ambiguous characters. Sherlock. Captain Jack Sparrow. Aladdin. Spike from Angel. Snape. Even the Doctor is morally ambiguous! Granted, you usually know who the good guys and bad guys are, but what makes Once Upon a Time so interesting is the fact that a villain can become good, and that characters can flip flop back and forth between doing good things and bad things. That's why morally ambiguous characters have more depth. They make mistakes. They do bad things, and sometimes they're not sorry. But sometimes they are and they try to redeem themselves. And then PLOT TWIST! They do something evil again and so on. It's cool.
Going along with my rant about morally ambiguous characters and how interesting they are, I'd just like to point out how even the obvious "good guy" characters are still complex. Because the show deals both with present-day Storybrooke and flashbacks of Fairytale Land, there is a lot of delving into character backstories. Also, the characters are just generally very likable. I can think of very few characters I haven't liked, and even with those, it's usually because I love to hate them. Even the villains are likable (some of them very likable). It's one of those shows that's very community-centered. There are main characters, but it seems like all of the characters are pretty important, and they mesh well together, despite being from different fairy tales.
So what are some other reasons to love Once Upon a Time?
The Casting
The cast is basically great. There are some really well known actors, and there are some that seem to come out of nowhere, but on the whole I'd say they're all pretty good. Even the guest roles are filled by impressive actors. I mean, I think I already mentioned how FLAWLESS Bailee Madison was as the younger version of Snow White!  (CAUTION: SPOILERS BELOW!)

The Costumes
No, this isn't a huge driving factor for me to watch the show, but the costuming is still excellent. The fairy tale outfits are amazing, and even the Storybrooke clothes are stylish and cute. Regina, particularly, has a nice wardrobe.

The Writing!
As the end of season one approached, we all knew that a very important thing was going to happen. And I wondered how the show would continue once the very important thing happened. And then the very important thing happened, but that brought on a whole new world of problems and possibilities for the show, and the writers just keep coming up with plot twists and mysteries to keep us guessing!
Plus, they keep expanding the fairy tale worlds. Like, now we have Wonderland, and Neverland, and Frankenstein has made an appearance. Mulan is there. And Lancelot. It's not just your traditional fairy tales anymore. While this makes me skeptical sometimes (coughFrankensteincough), mostly it's awesome! I can't wait to see what other worlds will be brought in later.
LOVE STORIES AND CHILDREN! What more could Sara want?!?!?!?
Okay, there aren't that many children (Henry, Grace, Hansel, Gretel, Baelfire). But Henry is one of the most important characters. Possibly the most important when you think about it. And he's a pretty cool kid.
And there's true love!!! Classic love stories like Snow White + Prince Charming, Beauty and the Beast...And new love stories and couples to speculate about. Like who will Emma end up with?
Okay, so I could talk about Once Upon a Time forever...or I could do my homework. But the overall point of this post is: SARA WHY YOU NO LIKE?!! 
No, but really, guys. This is a great show. If you haven't, watch it!
Love,
Anna Beth

Hello from Thanksgiving! I hope you're all having a wonderful day filled with family, food, and football (or dog shows, or whatever). As for my family, we decided to skip out on the whole cooking thing and get takeout from Hibachi Grill. SO. MUCH. CHINESE FOOD. It was beautiful! Anyway, whatever you're eating, I hope it was made with love...and/or fried rice!  ;)

Now, on to the Disney topic of the day: castles!  Obviously, a lot of Disney movies feature castles, so I set out to find real-life castles that resemble Disney castles. Let me tell you, it was a lot harder than I thought! These matches aren't that close, because, I mean, there aren't duplicate castles. But I tried. Let me know what you think.

Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
Meet Neuschwanstein Castle, the multi-castle look-alike. Built in the late 1860s, this castle is widely considered a symbol of the era of Romanticism (according to Wikipedia). It was also the inspiration for both Cinderella's Castle in Disney World and Sleeping Beauty's Castle in Disneyland. Let me know which you think it resembles more.

Next, I'd like to point out just how similar some of these Disney castles are. While they're not identical, the castles from Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, and Tangled bear close resemblance to one another. The Beast's castle is more different, but still kind of close. I also found a couple of real-life castles that have similar features.

Then there are the more unique castles: Jasmine's palace from Aladdin and Prince Eric's castle from The Little Mermaid. I found sort-of look-alikes for both of these. And as for King Triton's undersea castle...ummm, there's nothing that looks like that...not on land anyway.

So there you have it. Have a great Thanksgiving, and let me know in the comments which of the Disney castles you'd most like to live in!

Love,
Anna Beth

P.S. I'm pretty thankful for all of you! :) <3

Hello from kind of an awful week. SO MUCH TO DO!!! Kinda makes me feel 
like...
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 But I'm going to Georgia this weekend, so that's awesome! http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_malzct7l7C1qa9jn1o2_r1_500.gif

AND Rachael promised Jill and me cake if we finish our homework before 2 am.
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So I'd better get to work on that now. Only writing 5 pages or so.http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdd0wxXItp1qao8b5.gif

Oh, and Rachael, you're the best!
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http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mapnybqBHQ1ry2chdo2_250.gif

Love,
Anna Beth

Now...
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Hello from the Question Tuesday favorite. As a prize, I get to answer the questions this week. So let's get started.

Jill:
Which do you dislike more, hypocrisy or deceit?
Hmm, that’s a tough one. Hypocrisy is pretty annoying. Not that deceit is good either, but at least there is some slight way of appreciating it in a twisted way. Like, you have to be pretty stealthy to deceive someone. And there can be deception for an admirable purpose in the end. Like tricking your friend into thinking you forgot her birthday because you were secretly throwing her a surprise party. But there’s really no upside to hypocrisy.

What would you do if Benedict Cumberbatch played Mr. Darcy in a P&P adaptation?
Die of happiness. Never stop smiling. Ever.

Also, what if he played Darcy and Keira Knightley still played Elizabeth?
That would be too weird. Yes, she’s my favorite actress, and seeing her alongside Benedict Cumberbatch would be lovely, in theory. But I wouldn’t prefer to see her playing Elizabeth without Matthew Macfadyen as Darcy. It’s just wrong, somehow.

What has been a question answered by Sara on Question Tuesday that you really wish you could answer?
What are your favorite words of any language?

What is your answer to that question?
indubitably, loquacious, deduce, opine, magnanimous, chuffed, hornswaggled, preposterous, ciao, biblioteca, wo ai ni. Asante sana, squash banana!

What is your favorite moment of spontaneous singing that you can remember?
There are so many! Victoria and Keyana singing “Hooked on a Feeling” and “Roxanne” while we were filming our King Lear video senior year of high school, my dad singing “Oh! Don’t get me started!”, or anything that happens when my mom and I feel particularly musical. Also, “I’m a lyrical genius.” You just had to be there.

Is this the Krusty Krab?
No, this is Goodburger, home of the Goodburger. May I take your order?

What's your favorite gift you've ever received?
Have I mentioned how much I love my camera?

What would you do if Sherlock was cancelled before they explained the ending of the last season?
Hmm...Well, after I kidnapped Moffat, I would probably take him to the top of a tall building and...wait, he’d know how to outwit me no matter what my evil plan was. Drat!

Pancakes or Waffles?
Both! But if I had to pick, probably waffles.

What would your strategy for the zombie apocalypse be?
dying

If the stars weren't actually big balls of gas burning millions of miles away, what would you want them to be? (without making references to stardust)
Fireflies, or the great kings of the past watching over us.
...You didn’t say anything about making references to The Lion King. ;)

If you could rename the earth, what would you name it?
Hmm...Shiny? Nah. Raxicoricofallapatorius? No, that’s been taken. Oh! I know: Pale Blue Dot. If you Google that and go to Images, there are really cool pictures of how tiny the earth is in space.

What is your favorite planet and why?
Pluto. I don’t care what science says, poor little Pluto IS a planet! My favorite accepted planet is Neptune. I’m not sure why. But it’s pretty, and blue, and I made a styrofoam model of it for a project in elementary school. Mars intrigues me, too, though. And of course I’m a pretty big fan of Earth.

Is that Mr. Clean, right behind you?
Actually, it’s Britney Spears at 55. But close enough.

What aspect of the road trip are you most excited about?
Well, VidCon, of course. And the beach, because I’ve never been to a beach with you guys. And writing every day about our adventures and making my road trip journal/scrapbook. And rafting will be fun. And making a video at Salton Sea. And the Grand Canyon. And meeting random people along the way. And taking SO MANY PICTURES!

Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
I’d rather never be able to make new ones. If I had to start fresh with no memories, that would be terrible. I wouldn’t know who anyone was or why I was here, or anything. At least if I can’t make new memories, I can just live in the moment and still have the past memories to think about.

How often do you think your gut feeling is correct?
Pretty often, actually. I think. Maybe. Oh, I don’t know, you guys...

Would you rather know when you are going to die or how how you are going to die?
Definitely when. I would never have to worry about, “Oh no, is this going to kill me?” because if it wasn’t my death day, I would know the answer was no. Then again, what if I did something potentially deadly, thinking “oh well, it’s not my death day,” and then I was in a coma until it became my death day? That would be terrible! But at least knowing when would probably give me a certain timeframe to sort things out. I’d know just how quickly the clock was ticking and be able to work with what time I had.

What is one thing you wish more people knew about you?
I haven’t read Harry Potter. If everyone inherently knew this, it would save me that embarrassing conversation each time I make a new friend. lol. Or I could just read the books...I’ll get around to it.

How would you think people perceive you when you first meet?
They probably think I’m either awkward or nice or both. I just hope they don’t see the nice but nothing else, you know? I don’t want to come off as one of those people who’s super nice, but otherwise pretty boring.

What is your ideal time of day and why?
I’m partial to late morning/early afternoon. No idea why. But especially in the summer, when I’m doing nothing then rather than being in class. Otherwise, 7pm is also nice. As is 11:11. And 1:11, when you get ¾ of a wish.

Why is procrastination so easy/enticing?
Because no one wants to do junk that they don’t want to do. And hey, maybe if we ignore it long enough, it’ll go away! Even when it’s something good, or something we kind of want to do, if it has a deadline, or if it’s an obligation, time wasters such as tumblr and youtube seem a lot more appealing.Then again, if you’re enjoying “wasting time,” is it really wasted?

You know that creepy mural in the basement of the DUC? Is that just going to be gone forever now (or do you think it will somehow rise from the grave)? And what are your feelings on the issue?
Aw, man. I forgot about that. Since they’re probably ripping up DUC down to it’s very soul, I’m guessing that it will be gone. Perhaps they’ll opt for some more tasteful art. If it does rise from the grave, I hope the creepy mural people will at least be painted as zombies.

Sara:
What should I ask you about for Question Thursday?
Well, it seems you’ve figured that out already. See the following questions....
But when in doubt, your butt.

Why do you want me to talk about politics so much?
I find politics interesting. Also, since Election Day was Tuesday, I thought it would be appropriate.

Why can't politicians just be nice?
Because they’re politicians. Don’t you know that “politician” and “nice” are antonyms?
Nah, they’re not all bad, I’m sure. They just say whatever they think will get them elected. :/

When are you going to watch my movie?
Ummmmm...........

If I finish the script by the end of November, will you guys start working on filming it? I REALLY want our web series to be a thing!!!!
Maybe! But you have to write it first! =)

What makes a good question?
Something thought-provoking, most importantly. I like hypotheticals, would-you-rathers, and what’s-your-favorites. Also, mentioning Benedict Cumberbatch, London, or fictional characters/stories gets you extra points.

What do you think of our D-group book so far?
It’s alright. I especially like the parts where we get to draw pictures. lol. No, but really, the idea of the “thought closet” is interesting, and it’s eye-opening about the things we tell ourselves. But I’m still a little unsure about where to draw the line between negative self-talk and harsh reality. I hope we cover that more in future chapters, because I don’t want this author to be all “quit lying to yourself,” when some of the not-so-awesome things I say to myself are just true. I’d rather learn to change the true bad things than talk myself up with good things.

What's your favorite class this semester?
Film Adaptation, because my teacher is adorable and the discussions in that class are always interesting. We’ve actually watched a lot of good movies in that class, too. Especially The Fly. And we’ve read a lot of good source texts, like the play The Night of the Iguana.
But I also really like my Creative Nonfiction Writing class. At first the teacher horrified me, but less so now. It’s only once a week, but it’s nearly 3 hours, so that’s why it’s not my absolute favorite. But the people in there are incredibly interesting, so that makes it worth it.

What class are you most looking forward to next semester?
Probably my Creative Writing Capstone, because it’s a class where I just get to work on the writing I want to work on, supposedly. But my Mythology class should be really interesting, too! I’m really excited about my schedule next semester. Then again, that’s what I said about this semester. My classes are all interesting, but they’re a lot of work, which is annoying.

What's your favorite thing about your major and minor? Least favorite?
Major: Film! Favorite-->I get to watch, write about, and even make films in my classes. Least favorite-->I’m producing/directing a short film this semester, and it’s very stressful. Also, sometimes I fall asleep during the movies I have to watch.
Minor: Creative Writing! Favorite-->I get to write stuff. And I meet a bunch of weird/interesting people in my classes. Least favorite-->People actually have to read my writing and then discuss it.

Would you rather marry Benedict Cumberbatch and both of you live here for the rest of your lives or marry an American and both of you live in London for the rest of your lives?
Here, as in America, or as in Bowling Green? Because you were vague, I’m going to choose here as in America. So yes, I’d live here in the States if I could marry Benedict Cumberbatch. It’s a big country. I’m sure we’d find a lovely place in California or someplace and be very happy together. We could always go vacationing in Europe for months at a time.
If, however, you meant Bowling Green, I don’t know. What would we even do here? I may choose the American in London in that case. Not that Bowling Green is a terrible black hole, but I see no future here in terms of career or entertainment or general liveliness. lol. It depends on the American I’d have to marry, though. How about Alex Carpenter?

What are you best at drawing?
Hmmm...Not animals. And not people. Nothing realistic. I’m pretty okay at drawing cartoon characters if I’m staring at a picture of them. But not that great. Oh! I know! Flowers. And ocean scenes with sailboats. I doodle those all the time, and I think they’re pretty neat.

Which is better: adult cats or puppy dogs?
NO! Terrible question! Cats are always perfect, but tiny, happy, jumpy puppies are SO CUTE! BOTH!!! Grr, Sara. I don’t know. My ultimate loyalty is to cats, but it’s been so long since I got to hang out with a puppy. If I had to choose one to play with right this moment, I’d go with a puppy. But in the long run, cats win.

If you had to write a ten page research paper for your geography class, what topic would you write about?
I’m not sure if this counts as a geography topic, but what about the effect of geography on education? Like, where you live has an impact on the education you get. That’s a thing, right? You could even find test scores from different regions of the state or of the country and come up with some nifty thesis about it.

What YouTuber would you most like to meet at VidCon?
Alex Carpenter! But also, Kristina Horner, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Whitney Milam, Charlie McDonnell, John and Hank Green, Alex Day, and the cast of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. And a ton of others, obviously.

Favorite Taylor Swift song?
Enchanted. It’s so cute and very truthful, because it’s about that awesome, sparkly, tingly, nervous-yet-excited feeling you get after meeting someone for the first time and really clicking with them and wanting to be with them. Plus, she wrote it about Adam Young, and he did a cover of it for her on Valentines Day, which made me love it about 1000 times more than I already did!

When are you going to read Twilight?
When Jill reads East of Eden. Hopefully before the end of the year. Maybe I’ll have time over Thanksgiving break. I’ll do a blog about the experience when I do read it, or maybe I’ll post it in the Etc. section. Either way, I’m sure it will be filled with snarky comments. I just hope I don’t actually like the book.

Are these questions more to your liking?
Yes, much better. The addition of Taylor Swift, Benedict Cumberbatch, and VidCon greatly improved your question-asking. If only you had included some about movies.

Hmm, it's really hard to pick a favorite. But I think we've all known this day was coming. It's Jill. Because let's face it, if you put Mr. Darcy and Benedict Cumberbatch in the same sentence, that's the equivalent of playing the Helen Keller card in Apples to Apples. #Winning

Hello from November! I have lots of exciting things to say, so here we go...

1. It's Darcy Day!!!!!!!!!! For those of you who watch The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube, you've probably already seen this morning's episode. And if you haven't, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!??!?!
If you don't watch the web series at all, you definitely should. It's a modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Hank Green is behind it, so naturally it's brilliant. The acting is really good, too. Ashley Clements (who plays Lizzie) is seriously SO good! I just keep watching her facial expressions; she's really compelling to watch. And I loved her reaction at the end of today's episode, after she said the thing about the things. You know.
And the guy who plays DARCY!!! *Spoilers ahead, but not really spoilers...but spoilers*
My analysis of Darcy's first appearance: He's so formal! He's really rigid and stiff and not modern, in my opinion. It's like they lifted him straight out of the book, gave him suspenders, and took away his British accent. It was just weird to see him like that, because all of the other characters are modern updates of the original characters. Like they changed Lydia a lot, and Charlotte. But Darcy is still very...Darcy. And that's good, but I wanted him to be a little more unexpected.
As to his appearance: He's cute. Not exactly how I pictured him. I kinda wanted him to wear hipster glasses, honestly. lol. But I definitely think he's cute enough. And I started following the actor who plays him on Twitter. His tweets are really funny, and I think he's pretty adorable. Example: "I feel too much like a monkey when I eat a banana, don't you guys? It's embarrassing." This is our Darcy, ladies and gentlemen.
As for the episode itself, I really liked how similar it was to the book/other adaptations. It was slightly modernized, but still really faithful to the book, so I think it was a good move on the part of the writers. I could almost say Lizzie's lines along with her because it was so similar, but I think that's what a lot of the audience wanted. Also, you know how they adapted the whole Collins/Charlotte proposal thing? I love that they did it as a business proposal, and I'm glad Darcy didn't propose marriage to Lizzie, either. But it made me really happy that they didn't tone it down too much. You guys, he literally said, "I'm in love with you."  !!!!!!!!!   Thank you, writers!  It wasn't, "Would you like to go to dinner with me?" It wasn't, "I really like you." IT. WAS. I. AM. IN. LOVE. WITH. YOU. So, Hank Green, Bernie Su, other writers, thank you for making a modern adaptation of a classic love story and making it just as meaningful as the original. Thank you for allowing something to be modern and still have characters that say real things like "I'm in love with you." Thank you for believing in romance even today.
Okay, that's my big, happy rant about LBD. Watch it if you haven't!

2. It's November 1st! We all know what that means, right??? NO SHAVE NOVEMBER! I don't have to shave my legs ever again! Yaaaay!!!!

...No, that's not it. It's NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month, in which everyone should attempt to write a novel in a month. Come on, do it! It'll be fun! I know you all have cool ideas, so write them down, why don't you? It doesn't have to be good; I mean, you're trying to do this in a month. You can revise it later, though. Just write SOMETHING!  Here, have a pep talk. Kristina Horner will tell you that you have no excuses not to do it. :)
I have an idea that I'm really excited about writing (thanks to Jill and Sara who really, really helped me figure it out), and even though this is my busiest semester ever, I'm going to try to write a little bit every day. That won't necessarily happen, but I did say try. 

3. I won Question Tuesday! I've been Sara's favorite question asker 12 times, and that means I get to answer the questions next week. So PLEASE leave questions for me in the comments. You can ask me anything at all, from the personal to the hypothetical. Come on, be inquisitive. I'll even pick a favorite, so ask some good ones! I'd prefer it if you ask them in the comments of today's blog, but if you asked some on Sara's blog from Tuesday, I'll answer those, too.

4. This weekend is Jill's camping birthday extravaganza! I'm super excited because I've never been properly camping before. The only time I've slept outside in a tent was in my yard, so I don't think that counts.

5. Back in time now: last night was Halloween, and it was fun. I dressed up as a hobbit and went to WalMart like that. :) And my mommy sent yummy treats for us! Thanks, Momma. :D

6. It's the day after Halloween. That means it's officially Thanksgiving season!...Esta' Dia de los Muertos en Mexico tambien, verdad? I miss Mrs. Martin's skull pops...hmm...I should go visit. As if I don't have enough candy. ;)

7. Oh, and I'm sure you've heard by now, but Disney bought Lucasfilm, and there are going to be three more Star Wars movies. What do we think of this, fellow nerds? Keep in mind, Disney owns The Avengers, and that was pretty great. Plus, it's Disney. They're basically awesome a lot of the time. Still, three more Star Wars? I'm a little skeptical. Yes, it was originally supposed to be 9 movies...or 12...? But it's been a while. So let me know what you guys think.

8. Election Day is coming up! America decides...and I start official filming on my short film for class. Wish me luck. But more importantly, get out there and VOTE!

I guess I ought to end it here. I have to leave for class in about ten minutes and I'm still in my pajamas. Oops. I've done nothing useful today...Oh well.

Love,
Anna Beth