The Scarlet Pimpernel Blog Party Tag

Really, what is a blog party without a tag, eh?  Please feel free to copy these questions onto your own blog, and leave a comment below with the link to your answers.  That way we can all see everyone's contribution! 

1. The obvious question... how'd you get introduced to the Scarlet Pimpernel?

2.  If you could meet any of the characters in real life, who would you choose and why? (you can use the obvious answer of Sir Percy if you really want to, but this is your chance to get creative. ;))

3.  What are your top 3 favorite quotes from the books or movies? (yes, just three)

4. Who is your favorite supporting character in the books? (Percy and Marguerite are ineligible)

5. Which film versions have you seen and which do you like best?

6. What's your top-absolute-favorite scene in the first book? (if you've read it-- if not, what's your favorite scene in whichever movie you prefer?)

7. If you could dream-cast a new adaptation of the book (a period piece, that is) who would you choose to play the roles of Sir Percy, Marguerite and Chauvelin?

8. Do you think the Scarlet Pimpernel does his rescue work purely for "the love of sport," as the narrative would tell us (and as he would often claim) or does he have more noble motives that he won't admit?  Explain your answer.  Show your work.

9.  Second to Chauvelin, who is the worst villain in the book series, and why?

10.  What's your favorite novel in the series (if you've read more than one)?  If not, which one are you most excited to read?

11.  If you could change one thing about your favorite version of the movie, what would it be?

12.  Lastly... how would you convince a skeptical friend to read/watch TSP?  What is it that you love about it?

Don't forget to leave a comment below with your answers!

“Each age has deemed the new-born year the fittest time for festal cheer.”

Well, would you look at that... the year's practically over.  Which means it's time for me to write a post commemorating the past year, and since I'm way too pretentious to just call this post "New Year's Tag," I had to quote Sir Walter Scott in the title line.  Because that's what I DO.

Um, anyway, let's get to it.

What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?

Flew on a plane all by myself without any grown-ups or anything, got my driver's license, had my ears pierced and acted in a real professional play.  In that order.


Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make one this year?

I usually make resolutions at my birthday, not New Year's.  It's a new year for me in March. :D

Did anyone close to you give birth?

Nope. Sadly.  I feel the lack of small cute babies to hold... but I'm starting a second nannying job next week in which I will be taking care of a sweet three-month-old girl, so I'm quite excited about that!!


Did anyone close to you die?

Also nope, praise the Lord!


What countries/states did you visit?

Missouri was the big one this year. ;)

What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

Ummmmm... stronger faith.  And a published book, maybe?


What date from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory?

Several of those! October 4th, the day my best friend showed up in my kitchen and practically gave me a heart attack, was a biggie. ;)


Did you move anywhere?

I did not! And coming from a girl who has moved six times, that's a nice thing.  We've been in one house for over four years now and I don't intend to leave anytime soon.

What was the best month?

Probably October.  ;)


What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting my license at long last! And successfully parallel parking a 12-passenger van to do so.  (It took two tries, but hush.)


What was your biggest failure?

Not growing in character as much as I would like to have... but I prefer to look at that as Room For Improvement rather than failure.

Did you suffer illness or injury?

Had a nasty throat infection in January that lasted nearly a month.  Not fun at all.  ("My sore throats are always worse than anyone else's." :P)  But no injuries, thankfully!


What was the best thing you bought?

Airline tickets. :D  And this is going to sound dumb, but a white wooden bedside table with a cute shelf and drawer for my bedroom... it's the first piece of furniture I ever chose, paid for and took home all by myself.  Heehee.

Whose behavior merited celebration?

My darling friend Ally got herself the lead role in a musical this fall!  I was very proud. :D


Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Um.  Eh, heh.  This is a public blog so I think I'll skip that one.  Suffice it to say, several people's.

Where did most of your money go?

Gas.  :P  Yay driving!  (Wish I was driving one of the cars in that picture, though... I have a weakness for 50's Cadillacs, preferably the pink and Tiffany blue kind.) And US Airways, haha.


What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Having Melody come for a visit, going to Ally's, and getting a new car!  Well, new in the new-to-us sense... it's a 1994 Toyota Camry which was no longer needed by some very dear friends of ours, and so now it sits in our driveway and saves me from having to drive the van.  WIN.

What was the best concert you’ve been to this year?

I didn't go to many concerts this year (unless recitals count) but I did get to see three different musicals live-- Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Cinderella!  If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be Les Mis, simply because of the great affection and attachment I have to the story.  Plus, I went to see it with my sister and four of our friends, and we had a blast experiencing our all-time favorite musical. :D


What song/album will always remind you of 2014?

"Let It Go," because people won't. :P

Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. happier or sadder?  Ummmmm. About the same?
2. thinner or fatter?  Again, the same. Haha.
3. richer or poorer?  Somewhat richer because I've saved a little more, but not much. :P


What do you wish you’d done more of?

Reading.  I'd planned to read 50 books in 2014, a number I didn't think was unreasonable, but I only ended up finishing 35.  Heh.  I want to do better in 2015.

What do you wish you’d done less of?

Wasting time on the Internet and worrying. :P


What was your greatest musical discovery?

Collabro!  Seriously, go listen.

How did you spend Christmas?

With my family.  We kids did our traditional sleepover-in-the-younger-girls'-room, listened to Adventures in Odyssey upon awakening, opened presents in the living room, had a fabulous breakfast and then spent the rest of the day at my maternal grandmother's with my mom's side of the family... it was a lovely quiet celebration.


How are you spending New Year’s?

We went to my aunt's house today to hang out with extended family and eat ham and macaroni and cheese, and tonight we're going to observe tradition again and stay up till midnight watching Anne of Green Gables with lots of unhealthy snacks. :D

Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?

Melody. Surprise, surprise. :D


What was the best book you read?

Hard call.  Maybe Christy by Catherine Marshall?  Technically this was a re-read, but it had been several years since I picked it up and I appreciated it SO much more this second time around.  The Fault in Our Stars was also pretty amazing, though I had some issues with some of the content so I can't recommend it unreservedly.

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Did you fall in love in 2014?

Fictional characters count, right?


What was your favorite TV show?

...Take a wild guess.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

*didactic voice* Hate is a very strong word.
I do dislike a few people that I didn't this time last year, tbh.  But let's try and dwell on the positive, shall we?  Happy thoughts, Wanda!


What did you want and get?

My driver's license! (yes, I know I keep harping on this one, but SERIOUSLY do you know how COOL it is to DRIVE MYSELF PLACES WITHOUT AN ADULT IN THE FRONT SEAT??)

(basically me)

What did you want and not get?

A cat, haha.  (I'm not planning to get a cat.  But I was reminded many times this year of how much I like cats and how much I want one someday.)


What were your favorite films of this year?

If we're taking this to mean favorite films that came out this year, the only one I've actually seen is Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.  As for films I saw for the first time this year, David Copperfield (okay, it's a miniseries-- hush), Newsies, Frozen,  and of course Saving Mr. Banks.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

Vintage-inspired librarian chic, with not-infrequent interjections of Whatever's Handy.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 19 on March 16th, and spent the weekend celebrating in various quiet ways-- cake and presents with my family and seeing a local production of Pride and Prejudice with my sister and a dear friend!

What kept you sane?

Melody. Haha.  She puts up with a lot, pooooooooooor deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeear.


What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Shrinking the USA so I could live closer to some of my dear, faraway friends.  ;)

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Ummmm... probably Benedict Cumberbatch.  Heehee.


What political issue stirred you the most?

Heh... I try to stay out of politics on my blog.  Most of the time.  I will say that I experienced a lot of confusion and battling opinions over the Ferguson trial, but farther than that I will not go, so as to keep the comment box civil.  Heh.


Who did you miss?

Duh?  And, um?  Also, obviously?

Who was the best new person you met?

I actually didn't meet very many new people in 2014... although I have had the opportunity to interact with quite a few new blog followers and commentators, all of whom I am very grateful to have "met"!  (Wow. Weird phrasing there.)


Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Who can say if I've been changed for the better? But because I knew you, I have been changed for good."


Five things I want to do in 2015:

~Go see Melody
~Publish a book
~See Masked air on YouTube :D
~Start my new nannying job!
~Read more books than I did in 2014, haha


Five people I’d like to know better in 2015:

All of you!

*random pretty picture of tea to close this post*

How was your 2014?

"If I am a wild Beast I cannot help it. It is not my own fault."

I've been tagged by multiple people for the Janeite tag, which was making the rounds back in September (cough... cough cough cough... yes, I'm very late), and now I'm finally following through with it.

Here are the official rules (which of course I've bent to suit my own whims and inconsistencies)--

~Thank and link back to the person who tagged you.
~Tell how you were introduced to Jane Austen and share one fun fact about your Janeite life (this fun fact can be anywhere 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.

So!  First of all, big thank you to Miss Elliot, Hannah, and Melody.  Since they've each tagged me with seven original questions, I chose not to answer twenty-one questions but instead to pick and choose my favorites from the bunch and just do seven all told.  (My blog, my rules. :P)

Second, the story of how I was introduced to Jane Austen... I've told this one on the blog before but it never hurts to repeat it.  I was 14, had outgrown a lot of the juvenile fiction at the library, was raring for something to read, and my mom said she thought I was old enough to try Pride and Prejudice.  So off I trotted to Borders (BACK WHEN BORDERS STILL EXISTED) with a gift card my grandfather had given me for my birthday, purchased the Modern Library of Classics edition of P&P, read it within a week, fell irrevocably in love and never looked back.  (And since that time I've read all six major novels, plus some of the juvenilia and unfinished works and what have you, watched most of the films, and co-run a blog devoted to the 1995 Pride and Prejudice miniseries.  Phew.)

As for a fun fact... um... I've seen a play of Pride and Prejudice performed live.  It was awesome.

...Yes, that was lame.  I'm bad at fun facts.

So.  Questions.

From Miss Elliot

~If you were Elinor Dashwood, would you buy sugar or beef?

I'd buy sugar. Definitely.  You can live on vegetables, after all.  And I'm not much of a beef person, to be honest.  Or really much of a meat person at all.  I don't dislike it, of course, but I can often just take it or leave it.  (My brother regards this opinion with the shock and horror that his nine-year-old constitution requires him to bestow.)

~Do you think you have to love tea to be a Janeite?

...I think you have to love tea to be a human.
KIDDING.
No, certainly not.  But it doesn't hurt.  :D

From Hannah

~Which relative of any of Austen's heroines/heroes do you find most annoying?

Mrs. Norris from Mansfield Park drives me NUTS.  I hate that woman.  Sir Walter Elliot from Persuasion also drives me batty.  Ugh.

~Provide up to five of your favourite Austen quotes. (I know, hard! Just pick a few random quotes that you love. They don't have to be your absolute favourites.)

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?" (Pride & Prejudice)

"What dreadfully hot weather we are having! It keeps one in a continual state of inelegance." (letter to Cassandra

"From politics, it was an easy step to silence."  (Northanger Abbey)

"I cannot make speeches, Emma.  If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."  (Emma)

"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal." (letter to Cassandra)


From Melody

~Heehee... okay. How would you react if you were talking to a young man rather close to your own age and he announced that he was a fan of Jane Austen? ;)

I would marry him.  Duh. :D

...Okay, okay, maybe I wouldn't quite go that far quite so soon, but I'd definitely be more Interested in him than I would have been had he not said such a thing.  Heehee.  And obviously I'd press for more details and probably harass him with a million questions about favorite books and movies and quotes and what all.  Because I do that with most people I meet who say they like Jane Austen.  Heh.

~So pretend that all the Jane Austen adaptations made up to this point, are actually being filmed presently, and you have the option to be an extra in one of them.  Which would you select, and what scene would you choose to be in?

I would be in Emma 2009, and I'd be a lady at the Crown Inn ball.  And I'd contrive to dance really close to Emma and Mr. Knightley so I could watch them being cute. :D

~You're at a ball which is comprised of twelve dances.  As they are done two at a time, you will be able to dance with six of Jane Austen's gentlemen.  Three of them are desirable, three of them you do not like at all.  You get to pick.  Which six are on your list?  (They'll still be the ones to ask you, of course. They will magically know to do so, I guess.)

(This question is hilarious, by the way.  Excellent job, Tween.)

I'd pick...

1. Mr. Knightley
2. Mr. Elliot
3. Henry Tilney
4. Henry Crawford
5. Mr. Willoughby
6. Mr. Bingley

(And you can figure out for yourself which I'd think of as desirable and undesirable.  Haha.  Please note that I chose the undesirable ones with how-gross-would-they-be-to-dance-with in mind, not necessarily how-horrible-are-they-as-humans.  Heehee.)

Now for my questions!

~If you could mix-and-match any Jane Austen heroine with a hero from a different novel, who would it be?  (ex: Fanny Price and Mr. Knightley)
~What's your favorite quote from a Jane Austen movie that doesn't actually appear in the novel it's based on? (make sense of that if you can)
~What's your favorite hat or bonnet worn by a heroine in a Jane Austen movie?
~Which Janeite-related location would you most want to visit-- London, Bath, Steventon Rectory or Chawton Cottage?
~What's your favorite kind of tea?  :D
~Have you ever randomly stumbled across a fellow Janeite at a social event?  Tell us about it!
~Who's your favorite parent in a Jane Austen novel?

And I tag... anyone reading this who wishes to do it.  Leave your answers in the comments if you care to (even if you've already done the tag!).

Yes, I'm Overusing Tags... Hush.

I've seen the New Year's tag floating around for three new years now, and I figured it was about time I answered it.  :D  It's tremendously long, so consider yourself warned.  

What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?

~Graduated high school!
~Met my best friend face-to-face.  :D
~Took an eight-day vacation (that turned into nine days when our connecting flight got delayed, cough) with my mom to a state we'd never visited.  (see above :D)
~Got excited about the Academy Awards.  Heehee.
~Started taking voice lessons.
~Started tutoring.
~Started Civil War reenacting, joined a local military group and began volunteering at a historical mansion for their living history programs.
~Launched my historical costuming business.
~Got my own cell phone.
~Got my driver's permit!

Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make one this year?

I don't really make New Year's resolutions, so... nope.  :P  

Did anyone close to you give birth?

Our next-door neighbors had an adorable baby boy, and my youngest sister is completely in love with him. :D

Did anyone close to you die?

My great-grandmother passed away on June 6th.

What countries/states did you visit?

Stayed in the U.S., heehee.  Mostly in my own state, too.  I did go out and visit Melody's in July, but I'm not going to tell you what it is.  :P

What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?

A driver's license.  More patience with people.  Less desire to control things.  More sewing experience. More compassion and a better ability to encourage people.

What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory?

July 9th.  :D

Did you move anywhere?

Nope!  And after having moved six times in my life, I'm quite happy to stay where I am for now.

What was the best month?

July.  Can't think why.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Finishing high school at long last.  Heehee.  Also finishing the first draft of the book I'd been working on for over a year.

What was your biggest failure?

Losing my temper so often.

Did you suffer illness or injury?

Umm... I got sick quite a few times, but nothing serious.

What was the best thing you bought?

My laptop.  I love her to pieces.  Her name is Kevin (and yes, Kevin's a girl).

(read this book, it's good)

Whose behavior merited celebration?

I was incredibly proud of my sisters for their hard work on their National History Day projects.  One of them even made it to the national competition, which was awesome.  

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Um... the people at the top of the U.S. government food chain.  Heh.

Where did most of your money go?

Joann Fabrics, Goodwill and the Apple store.  :P

What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Visiting Melody!  Petie's visit!  The prospect of visiting Ally!  Seeing the Les Mis movie for the first time!

What was the best concert you’ve been to this year?

I've been to more musical events this year than any other year in my life, I do believe.  Les Miserables in January, a friend's private cello recital in January, a local symphony orchestra's open rehearsals throughout most of the school year (we made it to all seven of them this year and they were fabulous), my sister's piano recital in February, my aunt's community theatre production of The Sound of Music in July, our local community theatre's production of Fiddler on the Roof in December and then our local regional theatre's production of Mary Poppins, also in December.  

What song/album will always remind you of 2013?

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall.  This was the year I really got into Phantom, and it will always have special memories attached to it because of how much Melody and I sang snatches of it together.  Heehee.  

Compared to this time last year, are you:
1. happier or sadder?  Happier!
2. thinner or fatter?  Actually a bit thinner.  This pleases Cute Owl.  :P
3. richer or poorer?  Slightly richer.  I've been working longer.  Heehee.

What do you wish you’d done more of?

Spent more time with my siblings.  Written more.

What do you wish you’d done less of?

Waste time on the Internet.  Ahem.

What was your greatest musical discovery?

I discovered a ton of great artists/songs this year... Bernadette Peters, Cecilia Bartoli, Aaron Tveit, Natalie Dessay, Barbra Streisand, Mark Vincent, and kind of rediscovered Italian opera in general.  It's so awesome. :D

How did you spend Christmas?

With my family at my maternal grandmother's.  Almost everyone on my mom's side was there this year, which was great.

How are you spending New Year’s?

Well, it's over now, but I spent NYE with my family having a movie marathon and then NYD with Margaret Hale and Marie and their family, which was lovely. 

Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?

Melody.  :P

What was the best book you read?

Ummmmmm.  I read a lot of good ones.  

Did you fall in love in 2013?

Do fictional characters count?  :P

What was your favorite TV show?

Road to Avonlea!!

Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Do fictional characters count? :P

What did you want and get?

My own computer!

What did you want and not get?

Ummmmm... a 19th-century cottage in England?

What were your favourite films of this year?

I'm taking this to mean movies I saw for the first time this year, not necessarily movies that came out this year, so...

Les Miserables (2012)
Great Expectations (2011)
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Jane Eyre (2006)
A Tale of Two Cities (2009 concert)
Old Yeller (1957)
Lark Rise to Candleford (2008-2011) Yes, I'm including TV shows in this, it's my list.
Jeeves and Wooster (1990-1993)
Cars 2 (2011)  Don't judge me.
Emma Approved (2013-)  This is a web series, but hush.  GO WATCH IT.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

My eighteenth birthday coincided with another family event so we ended up celebrating on a different day (which we usually end up doing with birthdays anyway :D)-- had a quiet family party at home (lemon cake and Anne of Green Gables) two days before and then went out to dinner with my family on the actual day.  And talked on the phone with Melody. :D

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?

Twenty-first century librarian.  Heehee.  Sweaters, skirts, collared blouses... and more contemporary-looking tops and scarves.  But if I could wear any era's clothing all day long, I'd pick outfits from the 40's and 50's.  

What kept you sane?

God.  And I don't mean that flippantly-- I just mean that I can't imagine where I'd be or what state my mind would be in without Him.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

*ahem* It was actually a tie...

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Ummmm... getting a book published?  Honestly, this was a great year, and I'm very thankful for it.  Not in an Elsie Dinsmore way-- it definitely wasn't perfect, but overall I was quite satisfied.  I'm trying to get better at being satisfied with things in general.

What political issue stirred you the most?

"From politics it was an easy step to silence."
~Jane Austen

Who did you miss?

Melody.  Um, duh.  All my lovely bloggy friends who live so very far away.  :(

Who was the best new person you met?

I've met several fantastic people through Civil War reenacting and am looking forward to getting to know them better in 2014!

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

The more you think you know, the more you have to learn.  :P
    
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

So much of me
Is made from what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...
...I do believe I have been changed for the better
And because I knew you
I have been changed for good.

~"For Good," by Stephen Schwartz, Wicked

Five personally significant events of 2013:

~Graduating high school
~Launching my sewing business
~Starting voice lessons
~Getting my driver's permit
~Flying out of state to visit Melody (there seems to be a theme in a lot of these answers...)

Five things I want to do in 2014:

Visit Ally :D
Sing in a recital
Publish a book with an agent
Attend more Civil War reenactments
See Melody again (praying it will happen!)

Five people I’d like to know better in 2014:

All my blogging friends! Thanks so much for staying with me through 2013, folks!  I'm so looking forward to what this new year holds!