I'm random, thanks for asking.

1) Pick one of your favorite movies: what is the title?
Pride and Prejudice (2005)

2) When and where and with whom did you first see it?
Dec. 20, 2006. At home, by myself.

3) What about the movie makes it one of your favorites?
I knew nothing about it. An LJ friend had been talking about it a lot, and so I bought it one day as I was browsing at the bookstore. I think I had it for a couple of weeks before watching it, probably waiting until winter break. I was confused, and had no idea what was going on or why. The first proposal (to me) came out of left field. Then I was really glued. The second proposal...that whole scene...the forehead touch...GAH!! Watching it and falling so hard in love with it got me into reading Austen and other books of the era.

4) If you've watched this movie since the pandemic quarantine started, how did it make you feel?
I watch it usually once or twice a year. It always makes me happy. I watched it again this evening, and picked up on a few small details I never noticed before.

5) If this movie was remade, who would you cast for the five main characters and why?
Pride and Prejudice has been remade many times already. I love this version, and don't need another. Yes, I also like 1995 with Colin Firth, but the 2005 version holds a special place in my heart.

1) What family traditions did your family have, while you were growing up?
The first thing I thought of was Saturday morning breakfasts. I would help my dad cook, and got to choose whether we had sausage links or bacon, pancakes or waffles. There was also playing Bingo on Thanksgiving, and the rice pudding game on Christmas. Whoever got the almond in their pudding won a prize. I hated rice pudding, but always tried to get the prize.

2) What new traditions have you established since becoming an adult?
Watching Pride and Prejudice on December 20th.

3) What tradition is most important to you in your current life?
Being with family for Christmas.

4) What traditions do you have for the current season (spring or fall, depending on where you live)?
Trying to leave the AC off for as long as possible. I have used it 2 days now. Sigh.

5) What traditions would you like to establish in the future?
I dunno, I'd like to have a family of my own to create traditions with.

Comment on this post and I will choose six interests from your profile. You will then explain what they mean/why you are interested in them. Post this along with your answers in your own journal so that others can play along.



Arizona
Hmm, trying to remember if there was more reason to listing this than the fact that I live here. No, I think the fact that I moved here is why I added it to my interests way back when. I lived in California all my life before coming here 8 years ago for a job. A friend I'd known since 8th grade was already a teacher here, and helped me get a job at her school. Just checked my archive, and yesterday marked 8 years since I arrived.

Jane Austen
Jane, oh Jane. How do I love thee, Ms. Austen? Let me count the ways: Pride and Prejudice, Darcy, all your books, your leading men, your scoundrels, your smart female characters, the way you parts of Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park make me wish I could reach into the pages and shake Fanny Dashwood, Mrs. Ferrars, and Aunt Norris...that's just a start to the list. Watching P&P (2005) at holbytla's insistence was my gateway into period literature and movies.

Lord of the Rings
This is another fandom I was quite late in entering. Somehow I made it until 2003 before discovering the books existed. ROTK was in theaters when one of my coworkers and my friend ewanspotter said I needed to watch the movies. I had no idea what they were talking about. Later on, I vaguely remembered seeing a poster for TTT. Coworker loaned me FOTR, extended edition I think; I watched it and wondered what the heck I had just seen. A day or 2 later I found myself at Blockbuster (and I rarely rent movies) getting TTT. I watched that on a dark and dreary day, and got more into it. By the end of the same week, I was at the theater immediately after work to see ROTK. By then, I was hooked. I saw ROTK 4 times total in theaters and read the books in 6 weeks. My coworker friend was more than happy to feed my addiction, watching the movies over and over, sharing her books and introducing me to the wonderful world of dvd bonus features. Haunting ewanspotter on here led me me to start my own LJ so I could fangirl to my heart's desire.

Phantom of the Opera
In 8th grade, we sang a medley of Phantom songs for chorus. I loved them. My chorus teacher read us what I think was an abridged version of Leroux's story. We also watched a made for TV miniseries that I would love to find again. I think it's this one. A year or so later, I got to see the show on stage in San Francisco. Our seats were terrible but I didn't care. What I remember most about that show was how sad the Phantom sounded, and how you could hear his wail travel around the theater as he mourned for Christine. I read the book that year as well, and loved the descriptions of the opera house and the world below it that the Phantom had build for himself. I didn't have much more to do with Phantom until the 2004 movie came out, which I saw twice. I'm not a huge theater-goer, and so for me to see a movie twice (and in 3 days even) at the theater is a big deal.

The movie soundtrack used to live in my car, and is quite good for singing along to, loudly. :D

Road Trips
I've never minded car rides. Well, unless I'm stuck in the backseat and get carsick. Even then, I love going places. Before I could drive, I liked going on random rides with my dad, taking back roads and seeing the sights. I love driving. I love going places, new or old. I love truck stops and convenience stores. I'll drive alone or with someone. Each December, I make the ~13-hour drive to my hometown for Christmas. In 2001, I did an epic, cross-country trip with my dad. Every once in a while, I get an itch and just have to go somewhere for the day. My camera is usually close by so I can document the journey.

Teaching
I am a teacher, so I probably should be interested in teaching. :) You get used to/better at it, but really, no 2 days are alike. Each day is a challenge. Classes can eat you alive, and that's happened to me. I start again in a few weeks, EEK. I could write a novel on this topic, but will spare y'all.

I'm listening to a live session with Lana del Rey. I already thought her voice was hauntingly beautiful, and I'm glad the SNL set seemed to be a bad night. She sounds woderful now. Geoff Lloyd interviewed her, and she's much perkier than her songs led me to believe. Not annoyng perky, but she sounds like a genuinely nice person.

One of my longtime internet friends posted asked me on FB today if I've seen P&P 2005. She said "It is not only the most awful version of this great book, but also one of the worst movies ever made." I just laughed. She's not on LJ, and so hasn't seen my myriad of posts on books & movies, but I gush about Brit lit occasionally on FB. I replied with how that movie started me on the genre, and how since I'd not read ANY Austen (or anything else similar) that the inconsistencies didn't bother me. In fact, it made me love it more.

After yesterday's impromptu double Pride and Prejudice event, I realized we could have similar days with the following stories:
Sense and Sensibility
Emma
Persuasion
At this moment, a triple Jane Eyre-a-thon, but potentially we could watch five different versions.

Yes, I can see your looks of either gasping disbelief or utter admiration. :D

Later on I will write about my evaluation meeting. Or maybe tomorrow. Right now, it's time to curl up on the couch and finally watch P&P again.

Goldfish and a coffee ice cream shake don't really count as lunch/dinner. Must hunt down movie snacks.

I love Josh Groban, especially when he sings in other languages.

I still miss LOST. The videos with Jacob and MIB a few posts down still crack me up. When bored, I look up other videos on YouTube. Man, maybe I should start going to Comic Cons.

My brain still thinks about work, and wonders why the boss didn't give us the AIMS results. Eh, must think about other, more exciting things, such as CHICAGO!

Or...since I just sat here about 30 seconds with a blank stare, maybe I don't need to think at all. Eating would be good though.

I tried to watch P&P on my laptop laying in bed last night, but only got up to the Netherfield ball before deciding I was too tired. Will continue tonight.

And by work, I mean watching movies.

Yesrterday was Lochlan's and Karen's Inaugural Movie Day. Loch is Michelle's 2-month old son, who we are training to be a perfect gentleman a la Darcy or Mr. Thornton. Karen is a friend/coworker who was finally able to come watch with us. We started with Moulin Rouge, at Reena's request, which I've decided is a rather odd movie that would be quite depressing if not for the songs and goofiness. Karen left, and next was Pride and Prejudice, at Michelle's request. I'll never turn that movie down. Reena suggested North and South. I didn't know if she was serious, but sure enough, after taking Michelle and Loch home, we watched all 4 hours of it. Ended up finishing near 2 a.m. Even if it's one you've seen many times before, movies are just better with friends and commentary and mutual gasping when Mr. Thornton takes off his tie.  Oh, and discussing corsets and how unnaturally perky they made women's boobs. 

Today was a haircut and housework.  Tomorrow it's Anthem outlets with Susan.  I love vacation, and wish it were still 2 weeks. 

I see that I've posted on the 1st, 3rd and 5th this month. I wonder if I can remember to post on each of the odd-numbered days.

I wonder how laurasia_mystik is doing after her 2 (yes, she had 2) weddings. Hopefully she's on her honeymoon now.

Procrastinating: avoiding school work on Saturday and Sunday meant I cleaned up the apt some, decluttered my desk, and took a few bags to Goodwill. It also meant that I had to finish laundry today and do some school work. I finally graded a writing assignment (Hello, why do I not use point breakdowns more often? They make the job SO MUCH EASIER!), worked on plans for the week, and figured out a math test. Once again, I can't just use the premade tests that come with the program. They need to be tweaked in order to accurately test what I taught. Hello, too many word problems!

Talking about school is incredibly boring. I wonder how many of you read my school-related entries.

Oh yeah, the point I meant to make with all this! Since I had to do school work today, I had to turn down the FOUR offers of other, more fun things to do. They came at me within about 15 minutes of each other - 2 online messages and 2 phone calls. Well, I was in the process of deciding I coudln't go to Alyssa's when the other 3 people contacted me. How lame. Still, I just needed to not do anything major this weekend. Weekdays are so long that I crash on Saturdays, and Sundays I need to do lesson plans. Have I mentioned lately I wish I had a different job?

I love when Pride and Prejudice songs come on iTunes shuffle. Now, back to ironing.

Saturday and today were movie days. Saturday was with Jayme, and we watched Sense and Sensibility '08 and Pride and Prejudice '05. Today was with Reena and Michelle, and we watched A Knight's Tale and 27 dresses. Reena left to party for St. Patrick's Day, so Michelle and I watched P&P again. I will never get tired of that movie.

Tomorrow, I have to clean my classroom and then go to the district office.