birdienl: (LBD Jane and Lizzie)
[personal profile] birdienl
Joanna from The Squirrel´s Diary tagged me a while (aka a month...) ago in the Janeite Tag. Thanks Joanna, I hope I´m still ´in time´ with my answers ;-)

The rules:
- Thank and link back to the person who tagged you.
- Tell us how you were introduced to Jane Austen and share one fun fact about your Janeite life (this fun fact can be anything from "I stayed up all night reading Emma" to "I visited Chawton and met Anna Chancellor.").
- Answer the tagger's questions.
- Write seven questions of your own.
- Tag as few as one or as many as seven other Janeites and let them know you've tagged them.

How I was introduced to Jane Austen:
I don't remember exactly when I heard about Jane Austen for the first time. I do know I watched Pride and Prejudice '95 on Dutch television when I was around 16 or so. I really loved it and we then also bought the VHS (!) of Sense and Sensibility '95. Sense and Sensibility was the first Austen I read, I read it for a book report for my English class in secondary school. It was also the first full-length novel I read in English! I remember having some nice discussions about the book with my English teacher and got a good grade ;-) I then tried to find all the other adaptations and slowly read the rest of Jane's works in the coming years.

Fun fact about my Janeite life:
I used to have a poster from Pride and Prejudice '05 which used to hang in a bus stop. You might imagine the size of it, it took up all the wall next to my bed! It was there for 2 years or so and then I wanted to hang something else there. I then put it on the door of the toilet, to the surprise of my housemates! (Imagine going into the toilet, turning on the light and then suddenly being confronted with a life size Lizzie and Darcy!)

Joanne's questions:

1. Which elder sister would you rather have--Jane or Elinor?
Difficult question, because I fancy I might be a bit like both Jane and Elinor myself. I think I'd choose Elinor though, because you could have a real helpful discussion with her, while Jane would just hug you and sigh at your problems.

2. Least favorite heroine?
Catherine Moreland from Northanger Abbey. Maybe because she's the youngest heroine and she also feels very teenage like and I'm 'already' 30, but I can't really identify with her.

3. Which friendship best describes you and your best friend? (i.e., mine would be Jane and Lizzie)
Maybe Lizzie and Charlotte Lucas. They are in some ways quite similar and their friendship is definitely one of equality, but they also have different opinions and interests.

4. Least favorite hero?
Edmund Bertram, because he's so clueless about Mary and Henry Crawford.

5. Would you rather visit Bath or Brighton?
Actually I visited both Bath and Brighton and they are both great places. Brighton has the decided advantage of being near the sea. But Bath is just so pretty and well-preserved, you really feel like you could be in the Regency era there. So I'd have to choose Bath I think.


Brighton seafront                                                                          The Royal Crescent in Bath

6. Would you rather have dinner with Mrs. Elton or Lady Catherine?
I think Mrs. Elton. I would just leave her to chatter away and pretend to listen ;-) But I would be rather afraid of Lady Catherine...

7. Do you know any English country dances? (because I'm jealous if you do)
No, I don't. We do have those yearly Regency balls in The Netherlands and I would really love to go to one sometime and they offer some introductory dance classes before this ball. Maybe next year?

My own questions:

1. About which secondary character in the Jane Austen novels would you love to read a full novel? (for example: Kitty Bennet, Sophia Wenthworth) How would the story go (or if you've read a good book/story about this, give a summary)
2. In which of the mansions/houses Jane Austen wrote about would you like to live?
3. What do you like best about the Regency era?
4. Have you ever been to a Regency/Austen themed event?
5. What is your least favourite Austen adaptation and how would you improve it?
6. If Lizzie for some reason could not end up with Darcy (sorry...) what other Austen hero do you think she could have married?
7. If you could have tea with Jane Austen, what would you most like to ask her?

I tag: everyone who wants to do this!

Date: 2014-11-30 12:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] richyl88.livejournal.com
Well if you're going to be surprised in the bathroom I think a life size Lizzie and Darcy would be the a good way lol.

I would be quite afraid of Lady Catherine too!

Date: 2014-11-30 03:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mattiescottage.livejournal.com
Agreed on Lady Catherine. She is in a position that is hard to ignore or let roll off you.

Date: 2014-11-30 08:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
Pooh, if she started sniping on me like she did on Elizabeth in P&P, I surely would not have the guts to stand up to her!

Date: 2014-11-30 02:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] msantimacassar.livejournal.com
This is such a fun meme!

That poster would be hilarious to witness! ;)

I'm soooo jealous you've been to Bath AND Brighton!! *_* You lucky thing!

Date: 2014-11-30 08:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
I remember I once took a picture of that poster, but for the life of me I couldn't find it anymore...

Date: 2014-11-30 11:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] msantimacassar.livejournal.com
I bet it was epic!

Btw, how is your move going? Are you all settled in your larger apartment?

Date: 2014-12-01 11:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
I'm only moving in January! My house warden/manager (I don't know the correct term) still needs to do some adjustments, I'm going to help paint the walls in my Christmas holiday.

Date: 2014-12-02 03:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] msantimacassar.livejournal.com
Oh, good! Moving around the holidays is no fun! (Btw, I think landlord is probably the word you're looking for! At least, that is what I would say here!)

Good luck with the move and the painting! :)

Date: 2014-12-02 10:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
Landlord! Ofcourse. Though he does live in the same house as I do, does that ask for a different word?

Date: 2014-12-02 09:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] msantimacassar.livejournal.com
I think it would still be the same word! :)

Date: 2014-11-30 03:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mattiescottage.livejournal.com
It would be lovely if someone could do close to justice to Sophia Wentworth Croft's story. I would like as much of her story to be after her marriage, as I think so much of the radiance she reflects is in her triumph of joy and peace of heart carried through difficulties and disappointments. I love the maturity of heart in her story and would miss that in a story that only covered her early years.

Date: 2014-11-30 08:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
I remember once reading a story that partly was about Sophia Wenthworth, but I would definitely love a more elaborate book about her, she's a really interesting character.

Date: 2014-12-01 05:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ever-maedhros.livejournal.com
Oh, my, this is a great discussion-broacher. :D I had a nice laugh at the idea of a huge picture of Lizzie and Darcy for the restroom. Also, I feel a very Kitty-esque envy for your visiting both Brighton and Bath. But you deserve such an lovely time! ;)

I'm definitely game for playing along! Calling myself duly tagged and rushing to post now!

Date: 2014-12-01 11:36 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
One of the great perks about living in Western Europe (or Europe in general) is how easy it is to quickly visit interesting cities in other countries. In fact, this weekend I'm taking a 2-day trip to Frankfurt in Germany!

Date: 2014-12-11 08:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ever-maedhros.livejournal.com
Ooo, that sounds like a lovely excursion! Hope you had a good time! :)

Date: 2014-12-11 09:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
Yes, it was lovely! Way too short ofcourse, but very Christmassy and great food. Did you ever have roasted chestnuts?

Date: 2014-12-15 05:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ever-maedhros.livejournal.com
No, I haven't ever had roasted chestnuts, but I'm assuming they must be fantastic!

Date: 2014-12-15 09:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
Oh, they're lovely! I wish I could have them a lot more often, they're quite rare in The Netherlands as well.

Date: 2014-12-02 01:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mayanas.livejournal.com
I'm thinking about doing this in an own post (I've had the tab with your post open since you posted it so as to not forget!) but I don't know if I will get around to it.

I'd like a full story on the Crofts if for no other reason than I know it ends happily and we know they had a whirlwind courtship. Early years of marriage would be nice to explore!

And maybe Colonel Brandon and his youth and childhood. Though that will be sad. :(

Date: 2014-12-02 10:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] birdienl.livejournal.com
Oh great! Looking forward to reading what you'll write!

There was quite a big part about Colonel Brandon's youth in Colonel Brandon's Diary from Amanda Grange. And yes indeed, it was sad....

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