Matthew Macfayden

Completely and Perfectly and Incandescently Happy

Posted on by Laura

Pride and Prejudice

Blog Challenge Day 5: Favorite Movies You Never Get Sick of Watching

Truly, there’s only one movie that accurately fits into this category. I suppose most people have at least a handful of films that they can watch again and again and again, but I do not. And maybe that’s because I’m just not so much a movie person,  I’d rather turn on a mind numbing TV show or read a book than watch a movie, most times. But yes, there is one movie which I have seen literally hundreds of times.  After the first view in theaters, I counted down the days til it came out on DVD and when it did, I watched it every day (sometimes multiple times a day) for months. I fell asleep to it most nights and I quoted it constantly and it’s my go-to choice when I need to be comforted like after I finished Allegiant and I wanted to stop crying. This movie is my safety blanket, I turn it on and the rest of the world fades into the background for a couple of hours — every single time.  It doesn’t hurt that my best friend, B, loves this movie as much as I do. It’s possible we have the exact same conversations every time we watch the movie together, but like Darcy’s first disastrous proposal, the discussions never get old.

I’ve already discussed how very much I love Pride and Prejudice, and really Jane Austen, but specifically that story. It’s a wonderful story and in the 2005 version, Joe Wright does a spectacular job adapting it into a relatable major motion picture. His casting was brilliant, Keira Knightley, aside from being skinny as a stick, is a perfectly relatable Elizabeth Bennet.  As for Matthew Macfayden, aside from perfectly capturing Darcy’s conflict, I could listen to him speak all day – his voice is like velvet.

And to back me up on how wonderful this story is, even Sheldon Cooper of The Big Bang Theory agrees with me.

Any questions?

7 Things That I’m Loving About Autumn

Posted on by Laura

Life in the Fall

I feel like my life lately has been this crazy whirlwind of activity. Work, French, lunch with my sister, family nights on sunday, yoga with A, skype chats with M, counseling, Coffee Shop Thursday…I’m not sure where all my time is going but I’m not surprised I haven’t kept up with posting more and now that I’ve got myself in a somewhat quiet moment, I can’t seem to think of a particular topic. Instead, I’m going to give you a list of things that I’m really loving right now.

1) Austenland

I saw this last night with my friends, Anne and Popstar, and as a Die-Hard Darcy fangirl, I was swooning (yes, swooning) when I left the theatre. To my credit, so was Anne. This movie…I just love it. I discovered Jane Austen with the release of the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, (you know the one, with Keira Knightley, and Matthew Macfayden and that first proposal in the rain?)

…Yeah. That one.

…And I’ve been an Austen fanatic ever since. How could I not see a movie inspired by the very fanaticism which I subscribe to? I even own a tote bag ridiculously similar to the one featured in the move poster! (I don’t know if I’m proud of that fact or not).

So Austenland, this movie was wonderful. The casting was perfect, the acting was flawless and for the record, I typically kind of loathe “rom-coms” but this one was an exception. Or maybe I just always make an exception for Austen-inspired things. Either way, this movie is excellent: 5 stars. Go see it.

2) Jillian Michaels’ Yoga Meltdown

My friend, Anne, happens to own this dvd and it’s incredible. There’s two levels, with the intention that one is supposed to be more difficult than the other but honestly they’re both pretty damn difficult- but they feel great. I’ve had other Jillian Michaels dvds but this one is one that I wouldn’t really mind doing everyday.

3) Halloween DIY Costumes

Guys, I thought I was poor as a college student and I’m not totally sure how I was wrong but I feel even more poor now. So naturally, any thing to help me save money? I’m all over it. Pinterest has been wonderful for this. After a certain amount of indecision, I decided to go as Hipster Disney Princess Belle.

What are you going as?

4) JJ Fields

Guys, I don’t know where this handsome brit has been all my life but he was in Austenland and I died from fangirl feels. He pulled off the Regency Era garb just as smoothly as he rocks this leather jacket. Also I’m convinced he’s secretly (or distantly) related to Tom Hiddleston. I just see it.

Bonus fact: JJ Fields also played Henry Tilney, the dashing hero to Catherine Morland in Austen’s Northanger Abbey, so that’s pretty fantastic.

5) American Horror Story: Coven

Anne has been forcing me to watch this, and I really didn’t want to. I hate scary movies and the first two seasons? They looked so freaky! No way did I think I could do it, but I’ve seen the first two episodes and I have to admit, this season looks pretty intense…I think I’m hooked.

6) Change

This season, the last several months, have been reinforcing for me how vital Change is to our lives. I’ve had some really wonderful experiences (like a year spent with incredible roommates) which I never wanted to end, but- and I hate to say it, because it’s so cliche- everything has to end so that you can embark on something new, something exciting, something to wake up your senses and shake down your soul. The best things in life are the ones that you savor while they’re fresh, but the most decadent cake won’t make your mouth water once it has turned stale.

My family has been going through some pretty big adjustments recently, and I thought that the determined solution was such a shame, that it was giving up. I’m beginning to see that I might have been wrong. There’s so much more optimism and positivity in our conversations now, the house feels cleaner and livelier. It takes change to realize you’ve been stuck in a rut, without direction or challenge, and really, that kind of stagnation can be absolutely detrimental to happiness. Interactions in my family have been far more copacetic lately, and that’s something that I can’t seem to get enough of.

DF Event with Taylor

And Finally…

7) My Geometric Cream and Black Boyfriend Cardigan

This cardigan has been one of the best investments ever. It goes with everything and I can wear brown OR black boots with it! Astonishing.

Geometric Cardigan and Sammy