Friday, December 21, 2012

Little Letters - December Edition

Little Letters have popped up on so many blogs recently, and I've been charmed by the idea but until now hadn't gotten around to doing any of my own.  Perhaps I'll make this a monthly thing, perhaps not, but at any rate I'm labeling this post as the December Edition in case I ever do another one and want to keep the posts straight.


Dear Christmas,
How can you possibly be just four days away?  December flew by so terribly fast-- in a way I loved the hectic-ness (hecticity?) of it all, but I'm also glad things are slowing down now.  In fact, very glad.  :D

Dear Etsy,
I would like to request that you stop being so fascinating.  I do not wish to be perpetually broke, and if I continue browsing your shops with such avidity, I will be.  Well, of course, I could exercise restraint and not purchase anything. (Yes, thank you, Mary.)  Which is what I've been doing because I currently am pretty much broke.  But... yeah.  Release your hold upon me, Etsy.

Dear Renaissance Tailor,
You are a lifesaver, did you know that? Fitted bodices have always been the equivalent of Beechen Cliff in my mind.  (That's the literary alternative to Mount Everest, FYI.)  Your instructions are so easy to follow--and now I'm recommending your site to all my blog followers.  Voila, it's the hyperlinked salutation at the beginning of this letter.

Yes, yes, this is a movie poster, but it's prettier than any
of the book covers.

Dear Les Miserables (the book),
You are amazing.  I mean that in the most literal sense.  You still can't beat Jane Austen's novels for overall wonderful-book-ish-ness, but you are probably the most powerful story I've ever read.  I'm awed.  And even though I have five-hundred-some pages left, I don't want you to end.

Dear Hugh Jackman,
Please do a fantastic, stupendous, incredible job with your part as Jean Valjean in the Les Mis movie.  From the clips I've seen so far, you're going to be pretty great (aside from the voice that's not as strong as some might like... ahem...).  But please, be phenomenal.  You owe it to Victor Hugo, to Boublil and Schonberg, to  all the Mizzers everywhere and especially to Colm Wilkinson.  Which brings me to...



Dear Colm Wilkinson,
You are still the one and only Jean Valjean.  Period.  End of story.  To me, you will always be the face of Les Mis, no matter what Hollywood has to offer. (But you're a great Bishop Myriel, too.)  And I'm glad you're being such a guiding presence in the making of the movie.  I like what Cameron Mackintosh said about the figurative and literal passing of the candlesticks... but in my mind, you're still THE Valjean.  Always.


Dear Music Man,
(That's what I've decided to call you, you see, because "the adorable baby I take care of every week" is too long to type out on my blog every time.)  You have no idea how grateful I am that you've finally accepted me, that you don't scream when your mom leaves the room anymore, and that you're even trying to say my name.   I completely melt every time you hug me with your little one-year-old arms; you know that, right?  Little Drummer Boy always makes me think of you now-- I love how you try to sing along whenever we listen to it together!

Dear Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Tea,
You are the best alternative to hot chocolate--indeed, any kind of hot drink--that I have ever met in my entire life.  Please continue to exist forever.



Dear A Christmas Carol (1984),
You are now on my list of favorite Christmas movies.  Thank you for sticking to the book.  That's a rare thing in this day and age.  (Okay, so you're twenty-eight years old... but still.  It's a rare thing.)  I'm planning to review you soon, I really am.  

Dear Irish Tenors,
Thank you for recording some of the best Christmas albums ever.  Er, some of the best albums ever, bar none.  If you wouldn't mind releasing another one (or several...) sometime soon, I would be very much obliged.

Dear Eddie Redmayne,
Michael Ball is still the best Marius ever.  Period.  End of story.  And yet I've become so reconciled to your role in the movie that I'm almost willing to say you're going to be just as good.  Is this rank heresy?  Because you seem to be capturing everything about Marius that was in the book and didn't make it into the concerts.  I can't wait to see the whole thing-- and from the wee snippet of your Empty Chairs that appeared in this video, I think you're going to be splendiferous.  But Michael Ball still sings better, okay?  Okay.

Dear Jeanne Birdsall,
Please hurry up and write the fourth Penderwicks book.  My sisters will back me up in this, I know.  Only do leave out the whole Rosalind-and-Tommy hoopla.  It's unnecessary and is in great danger of becoming the object of ridicule in my family.  Much obliged.


Dear Margaret Hale,
I can't believe I ever said you were one of my least favorite literary heroines.  I apologize.  On bended knee, no less.  Daniela Denby-Ashe did a great job of portraying you in the miniseries, but nothing compares to your depiction in the pages of North and South.  You are one of those people who appear to best advantage in the book, and I'm so glad I finally re-read yours.  I truly feel that I understand you now. I regret to say you're still not up there in my top five, but you've moved into the top ten, and I apologize for previously not considering you much of a heroine.

Dear video editing,
You are a pain in the neck.  I will never have a career in movie-making, and that you may tie to.  Don't get me wrong, I'm truly glad my siblings and I were able to make videos as Christmas presents for our grandfathers this year.  But when you have eight characters appearing in one scene of Much Ado About Nothing with just five actors playing those eight roles... ay yi yi yi.  The amount of shooting, stopping, changing positions, getting unruly little brothers to stand still on their masking-tape floor marks, and then all the cutting and pasting at the end... let's just say this was a one-time-only venture.

Dear siblings,
Thanks for being such good sports in the abovementioned ordeal.  You have no idea how great you all are.  I'm looking forward to our newly-made tradition of a Christmas Eve slumber party together--and it's so cute how some of you are so incredibly excited about my first exposure to Eugene and Connie when we listen to Adventures in Odyssey early on Christmas morning.  I can't wait!

Yours &c.,
Miss Amy Dashwood

8 comments:

Hayden said...

I love little letters! I've never done it myself, but I think that may have to change soon :)

My sister and I have been listening to the new Les Miserables clips from itunes...oh, I can't wait.

Hmmm. I was hoping I would like Margaret Hale when I read the book...but I still don't. I've tried to like her, honest. But I just...can't :(

Christmas is so close!!!!!

Merry Christmas :)

Elizabeth said...

I love the picture of Marius and Eponine! And the header is lovely! Oh, and of course, I LOVED the clip!

Melody said...

Ugh, I know! This December went slower than it usually does for me, I think, but once it gets down to December 20th and 21st, I'm like... no way.

Haha, I wonder what "pretty much broke" is. :P But of course I would NEVAH be so impertinent as to ask. That wasn't asking. 'Twas just wondering.

Hahaha, still can't beat Jane Austen's novels... you threw that in there just to appease me. (Well, I shan't be that presumptuous. But I doubt that that was the furthest thing from your mind. Hahahaha.) Do you know, I might come close to almost considering reading the book, IF it was not so long. But it is. Haha. (You know I only say these things to annoyyy... er, agitate... you. :P)

Ughhhh, I don't like Little Drummer Boy, I am afraid to say. >.< It has always annoyed me. (And my family gets rather annoyed at me for mentioning this every time I hear it. Cough cough.)

Yay, my ACC made it to your list of favorite Christmas movies! I am so pleased!

Oooh, I back you up toooo, and DEFINITELY about the Rosalind-and-Tommy. I will be extremely appreciative if the next book does not have a bunch of nonsense in it. :D

You used to say Margaret was one of your least favorite literary heroines?? REALLY? She nevah was for me... haha. Although I definitely liked her better in the book.

By the bye, when are you going to send me MAAN, exactly? *taps foot impatiently*
(Disclaimer: That's just for laughs. I am not REALLY being impatient. :P)

Ella said...

I love Little Letters!!!!!!
I wish Christmas would slow down too!
P.S.I like your blog design:)

Jessica Greyson said...

Oh, I love these!!!

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOUR LETTER TO ETSY...10 reasons I am nigh perpetually broke Etsy would be pretty much TOP on that list :P

Oh, your little Music Man sounds adorable....I miss my babies!!!! Or at least what I call my babies, *sigh* they really aren't mine. I need a baby fix now...good thing Christmas is only a few days away maybe one of my little cousins will help?

I love Celestial Seasons Tea! They always make the best but now I am suddenly wondering what a cup of tea mixed with a little hot cocoa would taste like...chocolate raspberries... hmmm.

Irish music...have to love it and that is a beautiful cd.

God bless you as you video edit! Such a "fun" task...

Have a beautiful and Merry Christmas!!!

Jessica


Marie said...

The little letters are SUCH a cute idea! As for Etsy...oh, I love that website. Have you checked out the Black Apple shop run by Emily Martin? Not all of her paintings are that pretty, but she's been a huge source of inspiration.
What, you haven't heard Connie and Eugene yet? You'll like them, I think...Eugene is especially funny, as you're siblings have probably told you a hundred times :) .
Your Music Man is trying to say your name! Awww....

Jessica said...

"A Christmas Carol" 1984 is the best! We just watched it on Christmas Eve, as usual. I love the music!

I'm glad you like Margaret Hale now. I have always loved that book and movie. ;-)

Livia Rachelle said...

Odyssey. Listening to those is like my little sisters favorite activity. I think they are obsessed. I am 22 years old, and I find enjoyment in them; they are amazingly high quality in story, audio, etc.

Margaret Hale. Hmm, I liked her in the book and did not like Mr. Thornton, and I hated his mother whom I cannot separate from him since he did not properly separate himself from her ignorance and presumptions. In the movie, well, it is difficult to conceive disliking someone portrayed by the unbelievably handsome and incredibly voiced Richard Armitage. I am (should be) somewhat ashamed to say that the realization that he was the one who portrayed Mr. Thornton spurred me to read the book in order to watch the mini-series. I though Margaret was portrayed dreadfully in the miniseries, actually, I was not impressed with much of it and the only redeeming factor was the illustrious Richard Armitage who caused me to reconsider Mr. Thornton. I think I prefer the novel North and South to Wives and Daughters.