Sunday, March 16, 2014

Birthday Resolutions and Ramblings of a Nonsensical Nature


"It is not every one," said Elinor, "who has your passion for dead leaves."
~Sense and Sensibility

Today is my nineteenth birthday, an occasion which I thought proper to mark on this blog.  After all, Elinor Dashwood is nineteen in Sense and Sensibility (the book, at any rate) and since I take my pen name from her, it's rather fun to think we're the same age at the moment.

Well, actually, if S&S takes place in 1811 (the year it was published) then technically she's 203 years older than I am but why on earth are you quibbling about details?

Part of this post is a delighted little "hey-look-I'm-the-same-age-as-Elinor-now-isn't-that-cool-actually-it's-kind-of-weird-because-I-think-of-her-as-being-lots-older" and part of it is a list of resolutions I've made for my twentieth year.  (Because it IS my twentieth year... the year you were born is your first year and culminates at your first birthday, blah blah blah, you know the drill.)  I prefer to make resolutions at my birthday rather than at New Year's, because New Year's is too mainstream.  That is to say, the New Year technically isn't a full new year in my life because I wasn't born on January first-- I was born on March sixteenth.  Clear as mud?  Yes.  Good.  We shall proceed.

As I said, I like to make resolutions on my birthday, and generally some of them are of a personal nature that shall not be shared with the Internet at large, but this year some of them are book-and-writing related, so I thought it would be a good idea to post about them here on my blog so that y'all can hold me accountable if you so desire.  There is nothing like accountability to help people keep their promises.  (I flatter myself that that sounds like something from The Importance of Being Earnest, but it isn't.)

Resolution the First

To finish rereading Sense and Sensibility and to reread Emma and Northanger Abbey before I turn 20.  (I read P&P, Mansfield Park and Persuasion last year.)

Resolution the Second

To read at least three new novels from my Classics Club list (which has been sadly neglected of late-- the count currently stands at 18/60.  Yikes).

Resolution the Third

To re-read at least three of the previously-read novels from my Classics Club list.

Resolution the Fourth

To finish the edits for the manuscript I'm currently working on ("How It Began With the Rochesters"-- go here for more details) and to write a query letter for it.  (Gulp.)

Resolution the Fifth

To write ten movie reviews here on YAPDB before my twentieth birthay. That's actually less than one per month.  I CAN DO THIS.  Watch out for Somewhere in Time coming Sometime This Week.

Resolution the Sixth

To delve deeper into the world of adapting classic literature for dramatic purposes-- I've been piddling in scriptwriting for a while now, but my interest was renewed tenfold yesterday when my sister Anne-girl and a dear friend of ours took me to see a local production of Pride and Prejudice (as a many-happy-returns present).  It was indubitably swellissimus and reminded me again how cool it is when a really good book gets a really faithful adaptation that does justice to it-- a thing I want to try for myself.  (Awkward sentence there... maybe I should resolve to work on my phrasing.  :P)

Resolution the Seventh

To be better at communication with friends and to see them in person as much as possible.  This past year was quite wonderful in regard to meeting blogging friends in person.  I count not one, not two, but three instances of its happening-- an excellent record, to be sure, but one I would not be sorry to break if occasion should ever require such a thing.  Heehee.

Annnnnd I think that's enough for one birthday... I am not made of ambition, after all.  And I don't intend to make resolutions I won't be able to keep-- you may notice that I say nothing about cake or treadmills.  My posted goals for this year revolve around books and writing and friends, which seems pretty fitting-- after all, isn't that what this blog is all about?  Thanks for sticking with me for another year, lovely people.  You're the best!


P.S.  Today I begged for money from Molly Hooper because that's what people do.  Go here to find out your Sherlock birthday description and tell me in the comments, won't you?  Yes, yes, I like geeky fan stuff like that. You were saying?

P.P.S. Oh, and my lovely sister Molly gave me series one of Sherlock for my birthday last night... not that I'm freaking-out-excited or anything.  SQUEEEEEEE.

35 comments:

Alexander said...

Happy Birthday!

Miss Dashwood said...

Thanks, Alex!

Alexandra said...

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPY BIRFDAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

Your resolutions sound amazing. I wikes. Specially the dramatic purposes one. Yes.

I solved a case with Mycroft Holmes because that's my division. Who knew.

Hope your day is so much awesomeness. LOVE YA TO BITS, MY BIBI.

Bella said...

Uh Happy Birthday Martha M. :D Thanks for that awesome time at our house, and that amazing performance of Martha :) (oh and Addy told me to add Horace to that awesome performance list as well :D) She is the holiest child in the universe :P HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

-Martha M. :)

Miss Dashwood said...

Ally,
THAAAAAANK YOUUUUUUUUUU BIBI!
The dramatic purposes one is something I thought would please you, Cute Owl. Yes. Had no idea Mycroft was your division. :D Love you to bits back!

Belle,
Uh, thank you very much, Martha M. Uh, I couldn't imagine being Martha or Horace with anyone but you. Uh, I would say YOU are the holiest child in the universe. I'm so blessed to have you as a cousin. Er, an uncle. Er, a friend. :P

Melody said...

Why, congratulations on having made it through another year, m'dear!

That's a very odd way to wish somebody a happy birthday, to be sure, but I have after all done so Several Times already. ;)

Nice resolutions... ahh, so you decided that you're not done with the Classics Club after all? I thought you'd washed your hands of it, or something of the sort. Haha.
I've never made resolutions on my birthday, exactly... I don't usually do that at the New Year, either, though. Hahaha.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEP I wanna know ALL about the query letter and every tiny little detail connected with that sort of thing, and did I mention in detail? Yes, I think so. Okay. Just so that's clear. ;D

Isn't it freaky that it's your twentieth year? I mean... griefies. And you're going to be twenty next time. THIS IS YOUR LAAAAST YEEEEEAR OF BEIN' A TEEEENAGAH!!!! Okay for some reason I wrote that last bit in a LBD-Mrs. Bennet voice... ahem.

Can't wait to hear about the playyyy... and seeing friends more would be lovely as long as it means me... HAHAHAHA. Um. That is, as long as I'm included. *coughcough* It would be awfully fun to see each other two different times in a year, wouldn't it? Or two times while one of us is still the same age, or however you want to look at it, but I was thinking calendar year. ;) Someday. Someday it will happen.

Cake and treadmills... they can go jump off a cliff. :P

Lauren | Chic Éthique said...

Happy birthday! I enjoyed reading your resolutions. Birthdays are the perfect time to make them.
-Lauren

Hannah said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Your sister is seriously cool for buying you the first series of Sherlock but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that :) And well done for calling it "series one" of Sherlock - which is the correct British way ;) - instead of calling it "season one".

Melody said...

Oh, and you can figure out what my line is... if I tell you that my shirt is... well... black with a blue sweater/shrug thing over it so I guess you could go either way. ;)

Olivia said...

Happy birthday, Miss Dashwood!! Yay, more movie reviews!!:) I do so love a good movie review;)

Miss Dashwood said...

Tween,
Why, thank you muchly, m'dear! I decided I ought to give the Classics Club another go... though I'm being a lot looser with the deadline for completion, haha. Right now it's just a Guideline-ish List of Books I Want to Read.
Naturally you shall be the first to know all about the query letter when and if it materializes. Duh.
BAHAHAHAHAHAHA, the Mrs. Bennet voice MMG. Muchly.
And I do so want to see you sometime twice within a year. It must and shall happen.
I do hope you're not sending cake off a cliff... treadmills yes, cake no. (That line in the post was a Sherlock reference, FYRI.)

Lauren,
Thank you! Ah, are you a fellow birthday-resolver? What fun!

Hannah,
Thank you! Indeed she is. I have told her so. :D And with Sherlock I always refer to it as series one, etc., but I'm a lot looser in my terminology when it comes to other shows, I'm afraid.

Arwen,
Thank you! I do so love a good movie review too. :D

Hayden said...

Happy Birthday!!
(and when you posted the Sherlock birthday thing on Pinterest I went all stalker-y and figured out when your birthday was and was like, ahhh! Her birthday's TOMORROW!!:)

Wonderful resolutions! I think *cough, cough* I should make resolution #7 one of mine..I'm the worst at keeping up with my blogging friends. So I'll work on that :)

Lydia said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you have an amazing day! I actually posted about you last night on my blog so if you want to check out that post go to http://daddysgigglepuss.blogspot.com/ and its the first post! Happy birthday!
Lydia

Livia Rachelle said...

That birthday Sherlock stuff is awesome I made tea for Sherlock Holmes because that is my division. Yes. Well, I suppose that last part would change if/when I actually do that on my birthday . . .

Eloise Kate said...

Happy birthday, Amy! Thanks so much for this awesome-sauce blog. It's my favourite.

I ate dinner with John Watson because we're secretly in love!

Shocking!

Naomi said...

Happy, happy Birthday!!!!!! (for yesterday)
Nineteen-- like Elinor (although in the Emma Thompson version she looks thirty or something. The actor was thirtyfive or something when she acted it, I think.) Anyways, you're referring to Elinor in the book.
What a good idea to do birthday resolutions. After all, it's your year. :-)
Love all the resolutions :)
Happy twenty-est year and nineteenth birthday!!!!!!

Elizabeth said...

Happy Birthday, dear!

Emma Jane said...

Happy 19th birthday, dear Amy! :-) I hope your day is wonderful, and I wish you all the best in your 20th year!

God bless,
~Emma

Sarah C. said...

Happy Birthday, Miss Dashwood!!
Hi! I'm Sarah. I'm quite new to your lovely blog and I'm must say that I'm really enjoying it :) :)
I love Elinor Dashwood. She's actually my favourite Austen heroine. I took the Austen quiz (several times) and I've always come up as Elinor Dashwood, too!

Oh! Birthday resolutions! I'd love to spend more time in reading good books, too...I'm hoping to get the time to start reading Little Dorrit (Dickens) soon!

Hope you enjoy Sherlock...I love this series! :)

God bless.
Sarah from Australia
http://ofsimplethings-sarah.blogspot.com.au/

Raechel said...

A very Happy (not un) birthday to you! "to me?" To YOU!
:)

Oh and my Sherlock thing was:

"I bought milk for Moriarty because that's what people do" XD

Congrats on getting the first season for your birthday! Yay! :D

Natalie said...

Happy Birthday, Amy!!!!

Caroline L. said...

Happy Happy Happy HAPPY BIRTHDAY! And many happy returns. =D

Elizabeth said...

Happy Birthday!!!!!!! (A day late. :P) Heehee, that sentence about accountability does sound like it's from TIOBE. Hmmm, I solved a case with Donovan because that's what people DO! BTW, I realized a few minutes ago that if I had been wearing green for St. Patrick's Day, like I was planing to, I would have had the answer because we're secretly in love. :D Who is Donovan?

Ginger said...

Yay yay YAY it's you're birthday!!!!

I would send you a scone with a candle in it if I could. :)

Unknown said...

HAPPPYYY BIIIRTTHHDAYYY!! Wow, that looks like frosty would say that.... ehh oh well. You know what I mean! :D I hope you enjoyed your day and that this year is one of the best one's yet!! Can't wait to see you soon!!

Unknown said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
And I blew up Anderson while wearing the Crown Jewels!

Ginger said...

Oh, I am horrified.... typing "you're" in place of "your"...

My apologies, was a bit out of sorts this morning.

Again, many felicitations on this the anniversary of your natal day.

Miss Jane Bennet said...

Happy late birthday!! Wow, 19...what an Austen-ish age. ;) Congratulations, m'dear, and great resolutions!

Julia said...

Happy Birthday Amy! :) Strange! I think of you as my age (sorta... though I am 22) and just now realized you're only a little older than my youngest brother. Haha!

The Sherlock birthday thing was hilarious, though I wish I was wearing a different-colored shirt, because...
I bought milk for Anderson - because we were secretly in love.

UH NO. I THINK NOT! Hahaha!

payton marie said...

Yeah, yeah, I've already told you, but HAPPY BIRTHDAAAAAY, MY LITTLE CHAUVELIN!
I approve of these resolutions, yes, I do. Haha, and don't worry; your Classics Club count looks suspiciously like mine... ;)

Beth said...

Happy Birthday! God bless :-)

Marie said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY DEAR!!!

Ugh, I feel like a terrible friend for not knowing the exact date of your birthday...you'll have to forgive me. (Please? I'll do puppy eyes!)

I watched telly with Irene Adler because Anderson lowered my IQ. Thank goodness there are no turn-ups on my jeans today...

Naomi said...

If my maths is good, I've worked out that you were born in 1995- the year when the best movie in the world aka Pride and Prejudice was made! What an honour for you, my dear!!! Heehee, I know there are many people born in that year, but still it's an honour ;P

Hamlette (Rachel) said...

Today I chased a cab with Anderson because Anderson lowered my IQ. I need to quit hanging out with Anderson, clearly!

Happy belated birthday :-) I'd forgotten that Elinor is 19 in S&S. I remember when I was in my teens, every time I had a birthday I'd compare myself to which of S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders I was the same age as now. I was so sad when I got older than Darry and was thus older than all of them.

Naomi Pitts said...

I have just started my own blog. I'd love it if you'd visit it now and then! Thanks!
http://naomiblog15.blogspot.be/