#Woodhouse Bar

[chuffineckjames]

Is Callum at TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow?🤔

[incomingalbatross]

Austen books ranked by least to most outrage (I think) New Bad Adaptations are likely to spark:

Northanger Abbey. For it to get a bad adaptation would require it getting an adaptation in the first place, which even at the worst would hopefully increase its public visibility. So I feel like the bar is relatively low, even for its fans. (Although that does not eliminate outrage, of course.)

Pride and Prejudice. Bad interpretation of Lizzie, Darcy, or others? *deep sigh* They’ll survive. It’s the price you pay for being the highest-profile Austen book.

Emma. Not 100% sure on this one, but I feel like Emma fans can shrug off bad adaptational choices with a laugh more easily than fans can with other books. Or maybe it’s just that current trends, specifically, can’t hurt our heroine that much--what, are you going to girlbossify Emma Woodhouse? That’s just accenting her canon entertaining flaws in a different way.

Sense and Sensibility. This may need to swap places with Emma, but a Bad Adaptation that messed with Elinor, misinterpreted Marianne, or approached Willoughby wrongly is probably going to spark an outcry.

Persuasion. As has been recently demonstrated, Anne’s canon character and the atmosphere and themes of the novel are very important to its fans, and held in high esteem. Any adaptation that messes these up is likely to do it by lack of attention to or respect for said heroine/atmosphere/themes, and that’s going to be taken personally by said fans.

Mansfield Park. Not as popular as Persuasion, but I’d argue that its fans are even more protective of Fanny than of Anne. She already gets enough grief from her relatives and from critics, after all! Any adaptation that refuses to appreciate her for herself is going to have her fans out for blood.

(And yes, I’m aware that half of the Bad Adaptations I’ve listed actually exist, probably, though I haven’t watched them. We’re being hypothetical here because I’m imagining a level playing field in which Bad Adaptations of each book came out at similar moments with similar press, and reception was only affected by the differences in the books.)

[onebluebookworm]

December 2022 Book Club Picks

Emma by Jane Austen: Emma Woodhouse is beautiful, wealthy, and has far too much confidence in her matchmaking skills. Believing she helped her former governess find a suitable husband, Emma sets her sights next on her hapless, impoverished friend Harriet Smith. Certain she can strike a match for Harriet with the eligible new vicar in the village, Emma instead causes one misunderstanding after the next with her short-sighted meddling. The first Jane Austen book I ever read, and my favorite. Emma will always be my best bitch.

Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement by Tarana Burke: Tarana Burke was a simple trauma counselor, when one night - unable to sleep after a day of helping young black girls cope with the unimaginable - she grabbed a notebook and scribbled two pages worth of notes. She titled these notes with two words: “Me Too”. Thus begins the painful, powerful, and very much needed memoirs of the leader of one of the most influential social justice campaigns of the 21st century.

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey: Vera swore she’d never return to the house she grew up in. It’s caused her enough pain as it is. But all it takes is one phone call from her mother, one sentence - “Come home.” - and Vera is back in the home of a serial killer. As if the painful memories and dealing with her mother’s impending death aren’t enough, her mother has invited a narcissistic artist to live in the shed behind the house, and he’s slowly ripping the house apart for raw material. He insists he isn’t the one leaving notes around the house, or making the noises she hears when she’s trying to sleep. But who else could it possibly be? How far down does the rot in the Crowder house go? And how far is Vera willing to look before she too is swallowed up by it?

Severed by Scott Snyder: It’s 1916, and twelve-year-old Jack Garron has run away from home after his mother reveals a bombshell secret to him. Determined to make his fortune as a musician, Jack rides the rails to the city. But someone is hunting Jack - a man with sharp teeth and an even sharper hunger, haunts the American roads, drawn to the smell of dreams. And he thinks Jack’s smell particularly delicious...

Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg: The semi-autobiographical story of Jess Goldberg, a young butch lesbian coming out in the highly conservative time of McCarthy, Ozzie and Harriet, and strict gender conformity. Traversing a world of pre-Stonewall gay drag bars, we follow Jess through some of the most turbulent politics of the 20th century, all while following Jess’ gender exploration, discovery, and transformation.

[warrenwoodhouse]

Dublin Holiday 23rd March 2024 Itinerary (Travel) (Itineraries)

Article and Itinerary by @warrenwoodhouse

Here’s the list in order of places visited. I would like to suggest that you pre-book transport arrangements as buses in Dublin require a Leap Card, these aren’t free and are quite expensive in Euros. The exchange rate between Pound Sterling and Euros comes with cost as well. Euro is weaker than the pound. Uber exists in Dublin, so you could always use that and the local metro rail instead.

Leave from: Newcastle International Airport

Arrived at: Dublin International Airport

Got Uber taxi from Airport to Fairview Park

Had breakfast at Bram’s Cafe on St. Aidan’s Park Road near Fairview Park

My sister Kirsty had her park run scheduled at Fairview Park

Me and my brother in law Sean walked around Fairview Park until Kirsty was finished

Got the local metro rail from Clontarf Road Station to Connolly Station

Walked on R105, then R802 then R105 on the same street as The Custom House

Continued walking down Abbey Street Lower

Continued walking down O’Connell Street Lower

Crossed O’Connell Bridge

Continued walking down R148

Visited Forbidden Planet on Crampton Quay

Continued walking down Bedford Row

Continued walking down Fleet Street

Visited Temple Bar Square

Continued walking down Fownes Street Lower

Continued walking down R148 to Bedford Row

Continued walking down Fleet Street

Had lunch at @hardrock Hard Rock Cafe Dublin

Continued walking down Fleet Street then down Essex Street East

Continued walking down Eustace Street

Continued walking down R137

Continued walking down Castle Street

Visited Palace Square at Dublin Castle

Continued walking down Castle Street

Continued walking down 53.3429905,-6.2686855

Visited Dubh Linn Garden

Visited Chester Beatty Art Museum

Continued walking down Ship Street Little

Continued walking down Ross Road

Continued walking down R137

Continued walking down High Street

Continued walking down Thomas Street

Continued walking down Crane Street

Continued walking down Rainsford Street

Continued walking down Robert Street

Continued walking down Market Street South

Visited Guinness Storehouse

Tour of the Storehouse

Continued walking down Market Street South

Continued walking down Grand Canal Place

Continued walking down Echlin Street

Continued walking down Thomas Street

Continued walking down Bow Lane West

Continued walking down Steeven’s Lane

Visited Dublin Heuston Bus Station

Leave from: Dublin International Airport

Arrived at: Newcastle International Airport

Total amount of walking distance achieved: 12.5 miles

What Links Here

Itineraries - Warren Woodhouse

[rhinoremovals-leeds]

Woodhouse, Leeds: Where History and Modernity Collide

Welcome to Woodhouse, a fascinating neighborhood nestled in the vibrant city of Leeds, England. With its unique blend of history and modernity, Woodhouse offers residents and visitors an enriching experience like no other. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the captivating heritage, architectural wonders, and contemporary attractions that make Woodhouse a true gem of Leeds. Prepare to embark on a journey through time as we explore the dynamic blend of history and modernity in Woodhouse, Leeds.

Rich Historical Heritage

St. Mark's Church: A historic landmark, St. Mark's Church stands tall as a symbol of Woodhouse's rich history. This stunning Victorian church showcases exquisite architecture and provides a glimpse into the area's religious heritage.

Woodhouse Cemetery: Step back in time as you wander through Woodhouse Cemetery, a serene resting place that dates back to the early 19th century. Here, you can discover the final resting places of notable individuals from Woodhouse's past and gain insight into the lives they lived.

Architectural Marvels

Woodhouse Moor: One of the most iconic landmarks in Woodhouse, Woodhouse Moor is a sprawling urban park that offers a respite from the bustling city. It features beautiful Victorian-era architecture and provides an ideal setting for relaxation and recreation.

University of Leeds: The prestigious University of Leeds dominates the landscape of Woodhouse with its striking architecture. The campus seamlessly combines historic buildings with modern facilities, creating a captivating blend of old and new.

Vibrant Arts and Culture

Hyde Park Picture House: Step into the past at the Hyde Park Picture House, a charming cinema that has been in operation since 1914. This independent cinema screens a diverse range of films, preserving the nostalgic charm of early movie theaters.

Cultural Events: Woodhouse embraces its cultural diversity through a variety of events and festivals that celebrate art, music, and literature. From local performances to international exhibitions, there's always something exciting happening in Woodhouse.

Modern Amenities and Entertainment

Shopping and Dining: Woodhouse offers a plethora of modern amenities, including boutique shops, trendy cafes, and fine dining establishments. From unique fashion boutiques to artisanal eateries, there's something to suit every taste.

Nightlife: As evening falls, Woodhouse comes alive with a vibrant nightlife scene. From cozy pubs serving local brews to stylish bars and live music venues, there's no shortage of entertainment options to enjoy.

Convenient Location

Proximity to City Center: Woodhouse's prime location provides residents with easy access to the bustling city center of Leeds. Whether you need to commute to work, explore cultural attractions, or indulge in shopping sprees, everything is just a stone's throw away.

Transportation Connections: Woodhouse benefits from excellent transportation links, including bus routes and nearby train stations. These connections make it convenient for residents to explore other parts of Leeds and beyond.

Conclusion

Woodhouse, Leeds, effortlessly combines the allure of history with the vibrancy of modernity. With its rich historical heritage, architectural marvels, vibrant arts and culture scene, and modern amenities, Woodhouse offers residents and visitors a unique and captivating experience. Whether you're fascinated by the past, eager to explore contemporary attractions, or simply seeking a convenient and lively neighborhood to call home, Woodhouse has it all. Embrace the collision of history and modernity in Woodhouse, Leeds, and discover the charm of this remarkable neighborhood.

When it comes to student removals Leeds or office removals, Rhino Removals Leeds is the go-to choice for reliable and efficient services. With their expertise in handling various types of removals, they understand the unique needs and challenges of both students and businesses.

Rhino Removals Leeds takes pride in providing hassle-free student removals, ensuring a smooth transition for students moving to or from Leeds. They understand the importance of time and budget constraints for students and offer flexible and affordable solutions tailored to their specific requirements. From packing and loading to transportation and unloading, Rhino Removals Leeds takes care of every aspect of the student removal process.

With Rhino Removals Leeds, you can have peace of mind knowing that your student removal or office removals service is in capable hands. Their attention to detail, reliability, and commitment to customer service set them apart from the rest. Choose Rhino Removals Leeds for a stress-free and efficient removal experience.

Contact Rhino Removals Leeds today to discuss your student removal or office removal needs. Let their team of experts handle the logistics, so you can focus on other important aspects of your move. Trust Rhino Removals Leeds for a seamless and successful student or office removal in Leeds.

Rhino Removals Leeds D6, 26 Leodis residences, 1 N W Rd, Woodhouse, Leeds LS6 2QF, United Kingdom 44 113 436 7860 https://proremovalsleeds.co.uk/

[carpenteractivist]

Manufacturer, Designer And Installer Of Kitchen Cupboards

Grant Botten solely uses quality suppliers in relation to your own home making certain great quality installations first time around. Grant has more than 20 years worth of experience in phrases of Bathroom and Kitchen Design. His steerage will permit you to make optimal use of your out there house for your image good built-in cabinetry design. Water broken models and skirtings are sometimes the rationale for the replacement of many kitchens. By changing these water broken gadgets you possibly can increase the lifespan of your kitchen. Mould can develop on account of water damage and can be hazardous to your health – this should be replaced immediately.

A.K Carpenters manufacture bespoke, fitted kitchens to go nicely with your individual needs and private preferences. Whatever youre on the lookout for, we will provide/ supply you with an unimaginable designs, and supplies, to build your new dream. Potential kitchen types embrace Modern kitchens from overseas, French Provincial, Solid Wood and Semi Wood kitchens, with the most recent high-gloss finishes in Wrapped, Impact, or Unique approach finishes. Each kitchen that we match is made to enhance the homes own distinctive... Our focus on providing quality merchandise for each and every project signifies that we hold a detailed eye on our manufacturing course of.

In addition to any employees who assist in the workshop, a enterprise additionally wants someone skilled in cabinet installation. The most fantastically built cabinets won’t look right if they’re installed improperly, which is why having a talented built-in cabinetry installer is so important. As lengthy as a cupboard making business provides quality cupboards on time and on price range, professionals will continue to recommend the enterprise.

Cabinet making enterprise house owners spend lots of time making cabinets, which includes measuring, chopping, fastening, and gluing. When not truly building cupboards, enterprise house owners could also built-in cabinetry be designing cupboards with clients, or delivering and putting in finished cupboards. Supervision is vital and with each project, we maintain a vigilant eye and help and regulate where necessary.

The ultimate piece is the fitting in your home, which falls into the succesful palms of our installation teams who've mastered their trade over many years – ensuring the proper match, for you and your vision. Woodhouse Kitchens and Cupboard Makers are based mostly in Johannesburg and Cape Town. We design, manufacture and install kitchens, cabinets, bars, wine cellars, rest room vanities, studies, wall units and distinctive one-off pieces of furnishings. Founded in 2011, Bespoke Designs is a family owned and operated business working in Cape Town and surrounding areas. We specialise within the design, producer and installation of fitted kitchens, built-in cupboards, toilet vanities and customized cabinetry. We additionally supply and install a complete vary of window blinds and shutters.

However, not all built-in cupboards are created equal, and it is due to this fact necessary to do your homework and resolve what is greatest in your specific wants. Consequently, we take care from the gut to the kitchens build doing it like it was our personal. Also supplied are momentary kitchens, using your old kitchens to setup a kitchenette whilst we remodel your kitchen.

We offer a free design service providing you with recommendation on how to plan your cabinets and how to measure your room in your built-in cabinets. We supply the provision and installation of Built in Cupboards in Durban and Ballito, Kitchen Cupboards, Timber Decking, Balustrades and Pergolas. Further providers include timber maintenance, portray and general carpenters in Durban, Ballito andsurrounds. Businesses specializing in custom cabinetry normally remain small and serve a defined geographic space. A cabinet making business makes money by selling completed cabinets.

Even the smallest of rooms can profit from built-in cupboards. They can really assist you to to take advantage of out of a tight area. We will discuss your design, vision and price range allowance, take measurements and explain the method from begin to finish. Would you prefer to see what your area will look like upon completion, even earlier than the fabrication process starts?

[purvastreaksseo]

Apartment interior Design

The balance of an apartment interior design can be challenging to achieve. Innovations play an essential role, from minimalist mezzanines and lofts that bridge old and new to sleek urban penthouses and dramatic transformations of apartments. 

It's a one-of-a-kind task to create the ideal interior design. Fitting contemporary designs within the existing structure of old buildings or transforming a blank concrete into a dream home takes precision, flexibility and flair from the side of designers. Architects around the globe are taking a turn at composing the perfect interior with excellent results. 

Here we explore some of the preferred 2 bedroom apartment interior design ideas that mark the magnificence of the building. 

Top preferred apartment interior architecture and designs 

Psyche By One Space Design 

In this apartment interior design in India, the architects work with the structure’s building ceilings to prioritize the sense of space throughout by keeping the decor minimalist. The bar used in the formation is also strategically selected by the designers. These pieces of contemporary and mid-century-inspired furniture add extra magnificence to designs. 

The architecture team of this small apartment interior design says: ‘The clean and bright drawing room is mixed with simple and advanced soft furnishings, the bookshelf is used as a partition to space out the living room and the game room, breaking the conventional space division method, making the space more transparent and bright.’ This constitutes the base of the psyche design by One space. 

Purvastreaks Interiors Designs 

Purva Streaks is one of Bangalore's top interior designers. The organization wants to establish itself as one of Bangalore's top designers by producing rooms that mix liveliness, beauty, and vibrancy. Designers put in endless hours of work to satisfy clients' needs. Puravstreaks' goal is to prioritize the satisfaction of its clients by offering great 2 bedroom apartment interior design ideas. 

Fusion Design By StudioIO7 

The 2 bedroom apartment interior design idea is inspired by contemporary style. But the designers have used elements like floral motifs, wooden columns, traditional design furnishing, tree wall art etc., to elevate the design as much as possible. 

The apartment interior design in India is incomplete without the mandir formation. The apartment interior design in India is incomplete without the mandir formation. 

As the apartment’s size is not too big, to maintain its aesthetic value, the designers create a mural tree in the bedroom of the same color as the walls as the 2 bedroom apartment interior design ideas. The seating or living room is also aesthetically structured with custom-based furniture and other elements. 

Residential Project By Vintage Modern Take 

This small apartment's interior design is voluminous, unlike any other apartment in India. The designer designed this feature in a good way. They devise intricate wall treatments to create subtle backgrounds for the custom-made furniture. All rooms of this design have a vintage touch which makes it different from other apartment interior designs. 

Wood Art House by Space Plus 

Woodhouse art is gaining popularity steadily in the design market due to its artistic grandeur. As per this design, the main entrance is designed in teak wood with a customized wooden door handle that magnifies the house interiors. With teak wood coating, the entry wall exudes grandeur and beautifies your home with clear interiors. Colorful custom-designed sofa and chairs adorn the living room, making it different from other 2 bedroom apartment interior design ideas. All bedrooms are designed with different looks & ambience; custom-made furniture looks diverse and beautiful. 

Stylish Urban Design by Design Scope 

For designers to design an apartment is like a baby getting nurtured and with all care to be taken with millions of dreams the client has seen in that house calling “home”. The stylish urban design includes all kinds of urban works that would exude your personality. 

[2022-jackie50-kent]

Birthday meal with mum and Phil @ https://www.thefrogmindenhurst.co.uk/

[onaredwheelbarrow]

For many, Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice, 1812) and Emma Woodhouse (Emma, 1815) represent two opposing ideals of performative femininity. Elizabeth represents the woman who acts in opposition to society’s surface level expectations of women (e.g. talking long, muddy walks), while Emma represents the woman who conforms to the trappings of traditional womanhood (e.g. wearing pretty dresses and matchmaking). However, both women staunchly refuse to marry for the majority of their novels, and both are, more or less, the masters of their own fates. Despite these similarities, Emma is often codified as a bitch, and Elizabeth is given the “not like other girls” treatment in modern culture. These surface-level characterizations derail Jane Austen’s careful portrayal of multi-faceted women and play into the patriarchal pressure for women to be in competition with each other and to appeal to expectations of acceptable womanhood. I firmly believe if Elizabeth and Emma were to meet in 2020, they would drunkenly run into each other in a bathroom at a downtown bar. Emma would sincerely compliment Elizabeth’s outfit, and Elizabeth would use her impeccable character judgement to help Emma swipe through Harriet’s Bumble matches. In this essay, I will—

[wickcdcreations]

hey ! i’d love to get the ball rolling on here again so instead of making a bunch of open starters i’m gonna list a bunch of muses i have muse for under the read more. if any of these interest you, please reply with which one you want and i’ll make a personal starter for you !

-

adonis romilly  //  drake  //  club owner  //  bottom + switch.

alexis de romay  //  manu rios  // spanish marquis  //  bottom + switch

barnaby talbot  //  julian morris  //  history teacher  //  bottom + switch

benji salazar  //  froy gutierrez  //  college student  //  bottom + submissive

brett mccarthy  //  gavin steinhouse  //  pro boxer  //  versatile + switch

cain woodhouse  //  jon bernthal  //  hit man  //  bottom + dominant

caleb winslow  //  travis kelce  //  pro football player  //  top + switch

damian hanover  //  rege-jean page  //  socialite  //  bottom + switch

dmitri markov  //  tom hardy  //  p*mp  //  versatile + dominant

ethan van kirk  //  jacob elordi  //  college student  //  top + dominant

frank harrington  //  jeffrey dean morgan  //  police commissioner  //  versatile + dom

hardy belmont  //  colin donnell  //  bar owner  //  bottom + submissive

henrik von binzer  //  eli brown  //  socialite  //  versatile + submissive

juan esparza  //  wilmer valderrama  //  fbi agent  //  top + dominant

kasper van horn  //  trevor donovan  //  actor  //  bottom + switch

nathan macnamara  //  michael evans-behling  //  uni cheerleader  //  bottom + switch

peyton talbot  //  cody christian  //  uni cheerleader  //  versatile + dominant

rafael flores  //  michael trevino  //  boxer  //  versatile + dominant

rajeev khan  //  rahul kohli  //  medical examiner  //  versatile + submissive

spencer mccarthy  //  adam huber  //  freelance journalist  //  bottom + switch

trevor hornsby  //  matt bomer  //  florist  //  bottom + submissive

warren malinsky  //  matt czuchry  //  defense attorney  //  bottom + switch

xavier cardoza  //  jack gilinsky  //  college student  //  top + dominant

[finleydawsonn]

“you know my date is hot as fuck tonight, but i have to say that i’m a little offended that you are here with silva when i could have been an option, are you indicating here that you don’t like me miss woodhouse?” finley asked as he came to lean next to her at the bar, eyes scanning her up and down. he wouldn’t touch her whilst he was with reid but he could sure as hell look at something so fine. 

( @ellcgrxce at the valentines party. ) 

[night-unfurls-its-splendour]

The Critique of Manners, Part II

~Or~

A Candid Review of ITV's Emma (1997)

Disclaimer: I do know that both this and the Miramax version were released in 1996, but to avoid confusion, I refer to this one as the “1997 Emma” in reference to the US release date.

The bones of this review were written some six years ago after my initial viewing. I’ve watched it three or four times since then, two very recently (Within the past year). I’d started to soften on it in the most recent watch. So many people love it so much I thought surely maybe I’m just crazy or even wrong; until I found this blog post from 2008 (a year before my favorite version was released) that hit on almost EVERY SINGLE thing that skeeved me out about this version when I first watched it.

Like my previous review of Emma. (2020), I’ll be covering the cast and overall handling of the script in comparison with what I know from reading the book. I will also be commenting on my thoughts about the costumes (Whether they are attractive or accurate, or both, or neither) which will be a bit more in depth than it was for the 2020 version, and this will set a pattern for the costumes section going forward.

Directed by Diarmuid Lawrence with screenwriting by Andrew Davies (Or should I say “Written by Andrew Davies with direction by Diarmuid Lawrence”?), this version was  a fan-favorite among Janeites for many years for … well, reasons I’ve never been entirely certain of. I’ve read the book twice through and referenced pertinent passages MANY times besides, and really I don’t see what they’re raving about.

Let’s dive in.

Cast & Characterization

I’d known about this adaptation for a while, but I held off on watching it, largely for one reason: my apprehension about Mark Strong playing Mr. Knightley.

     I was concerned because when I watched this I had already seen Mark Strong as Sir John Conroy in The Young Victoria and as Lord Blackwood in Sherlock Holmes, both very unpleasant characters. But there have been several occasions when I expressed displeasure with casting choices only to eat my words when I actually watched the movie. So I entered into watching this with an optimistic outlook, sure that Mark and Kate would surprise me with brilliant performances. And I would like to say that they did, but that would be an untruth.

My biggest fear about Mark Strong playing Mr. Knightley was that his rebuking of Emma was going to be a watered down version of ‘RAAAWWWRRR’ that I was familiar with, specifically because of The Young Victoria. It’s very hard for me to see Mark Strong point his finger in Emily Blunt’s face and shout at her, and then watch him do the same thing with Kate Beckinsale (only somewhat less aggressively) and expect to feel all warm and fuzzy about their romance. I expected that to be a tall order. And it was. Whenever he raises his voice, the right side of his face pulls up into a snarl. Now since it does this no matter what role he’s playing I’m guessing that’s just how his face is. It’s not his fault really and it’s almost certainly unintentional, but I’ve seen that snarl before and it does NOT belong on Mr. Knightley’s face.

   Don’t ever think I don’t LOVE Kate Beckinsale, and I don’t necessarily think that my problems with this interpretation of Emma are her fault; these things very rarely fall on the shoulders of the actual actors, but those of the screenwriters and directors who guide them. However – and I am aware that this might sound a bit harsh – I would say that at points, Kate Beckinsale’s performance in this movie (In my opinion) barely outstrips community theatre or even very good high school drama club level acting. It seems to me that there’s burden on her here to sound historical or period. This lends to this interpretation of Emma feeling at once both cold and childish (more on that later.)

Her best moments are when she runs into Jane as Jane is leaving Donwell and when she speaks with Robert Martin at the end of the film. I always like scenes where Emma tacitly apologizes to Mr. Martin, and her feeling when she invites him to Donwell is Kate’s finest moment in this movie.

I found Raymond Coulthard’s Frank Churchill insignificant at first, but on repeat viewings I really started to hate him. I don’t think Austen intended Frank’s caddishness (to use more modern vernacular I’d say he’s an utter “Douche”) to be quite this obvious on first glance. He’s a creep in this version and Raymond Coulthard is just not at all attractive to me, from his big nose to his little shark teeth.

Olivia Williams was a good, even great, Jane Fairfax, and in my opinion does a much better job of portraying Jane’s vexation than, say, Polly Walker did (more on that next time), while still quietly looking like she’d like to arm-bar Frank rather than take his vulgar teasing lying down.

She also has the distinction of being the only Jane Fairfax who’s singing REALLY blows Emma’s out of the water, and I like that all of the songs she sings are in languages other than English (primarily Italian I think?). This achieves the double whammy of showing how much more accomplished she is than Emma by emphasizing that not only does Jane sing and play better, but she knows languages too.

Samantha Morton is a superb actress whom I love and I was sort of appalled at how she looks in this movie. Is she dying of a wasting illness? She looks like a gust of wind will carry her away, although since she looked the same in the 1997 Jane Eyre (In which she played the title role under similarly appalling direction) perhaps that was just her look that year?

Dominic Rowan, as Mr. Elton, is… there’s a perfect word to describe it and I just can’t think of it right now. Like every other young man in this movie (other than Robert Martin) he’s got this feeling of skeeviness to me but it’s more than that. It’s a dweebie-ness as well. This is so dissatisfactory to me because Mr. Elton is supposed to have every appearance of charm and agreeableness, with his only obvious fault being his over-eagerness to ingratiate himself to Emma and some rather vulgar locker-room type talk about marrying for fortune. He’s just so… (I’ve hit upon it now after some discussion with my sister) dingy. He looks less like a “very handsome young man” who “knows the value of a good income” and more like the kind of guy that scrubs up okay, but still you can tell from the rumple of his clothes and the pizzaroni odor wafting from him that he lives in his mom’s basement.

The shining star for me in this production was Alistair Petrie as Robert Martin. I love him as an actor and especially after watching him in Cranford, I think he was an excellent choice for Harriet’s Mr. Martin.

Davies wrote the character to be a little more romantic (Actually buying Anne Radcliffe’s The Romance of the Forest, where originally Mr. Martin was supposed to forget to – something Emma uses as a mark against him to prove how he will age into an “gross vulgar old farmer” who is “obsessed with profit and loss”.)

I especially like an inserted scene where Mr. Martin, working in his field, sees a distressed Jane Fairfax from afar as she is walking home (I think from Donwell). I thought it drew an interesting parallel between two emotionally wronged characters that otherwise would have no interaction.

What’s with Mrs. Elton (Lucy Robinson)? I don’t think nearly enough people question this. I’ve seen it explained away as her being from Bristol and trying to make herself sound more hoity-toity to hide the fact that she’s New Money. I’m not positive on what a Bristol accent sounds like (For that is where Augusta Hawkins is from) but… this sounds like an American trying to sound posh. At some points she almost sounds Texan. It’s all very confusing, because the actress is British.  

Prunella Scales lists among her achievements being an outstanding actress and comedienne, as well as bringing into the world Samuel West, one of my all time favourite British screen crushes. She's probably best known for her work on Fawlty Towers, so its interesting to see her range as much less inscrutable Miss Bates. Her performance is by the book, but so much more engaging than Constance Chapman's 1972 offering, although i find her perhaps a shade too placid. She lacks a certain nervousness that I associate with the character (for more information, see my previous review.)

As for Bernard Hepton as Mr. Woodhouse, I can only say I. Didn’t. Like. Him. I have every consciousness of this being a personal bias. I have seen him play too many insufferable characters in too many things to like him as Emma’s lovable if tiresome father. This isn’t a knock on him or his performance; his reaction to Mrs. Elton is some great subtle visual comedy, this is just a me thing.

Another one of the better characterizations, though a relatively small role, is John Knightley. Played by Guy Henry, he is shown to be a good father, and an “Gentleman-like man”, with just the right blend of good humor and caustic comments.

Sets & Surroundings

I’d never paid MUCH attention to or questioned the houses and interiors used for estates in Austen adaptations until the 2020 version of Emma used such ridiculously lavish houses for relatively provincial gentry it forced me to sit up and pay attention. I think the houses used in this version are mostly suitable.

The part of Donwell Abbey’s exterior is played by Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire. The Key words for Donwell from the text are “rambling and irregular” and while perhaps not as big as the Former Claremont House (Which, it is believed, was Austen’s inspiration for Donwell Abbey) it definitely is a suitable architectural style and situation and furthermore, having been purchased in the 19th century by a glove manufacturer and having been up to that point left in a little bit of a state of disrepair, fits the “neglect of prospect” Austen describes as well. Its interiors are a cobble-work of the Great Hall at Broughton Castle (Oxfordshire), various rooms at Stanway House (Gloucestershire), and the Strawberry beds at Thame Park (Oxfordshire)

(Top, left – Sudeley Castle; Bottom left – Trafalgar Park; Right – Dorney Court)

Trafalgar Park in Wiltshire and its interiors (a minty sage-green drawing-room fitting in perfectly with the mint-chocolate – primarily chocolate – color palette of the production) played the role of the Woodhouse’s home, Hartfield. A typical Georgian style house in red brick, I believe is consistent with Austen’s description of a “well built, modern house”.

Dorney Court in Buckinghamshire was used for Randalls, Mr. Weston’s recently purchased estate. It’s a Tudor style red brick house and it looks pretty on the mark from the front facade, but I think it’s still too big for a “small estate” with only two guest rooms (Although there’s no panic about the snow in this version – perhaps because it’s already snowing when they set out.)

My biggest problem is the lighting of this movie. I understand natural lighting and I LOVE it when you can even it out – but it is so dark in the evening scenes that it adds to the colorlessness of an already colorless production.

Fashion

Oh Jenny Beavan. You are a well-respected costume designer with good reason. However, I know that most of these costumes are rentals, but why is every-fucking-thing in this movie a shade of brown, beige or green?

As you can see, a rich tapestry of brown and beige. And this isn’t selective. this is (just about) every day-wear outfit in the movie (barring repeats and a few exceptions that I’ll give mention to below.)

Emma’s outerwear is brought to you by Hershey’s Chocolate. Also I’m not certain but I think  that her light brown redingote is the same one as Elinor’s in the 1995 Sense and Sensibility? If anyone can confirm, drop it in the comments.

Perhaps the evening wear will be more colorful?

Barely – Mrs. Weston in a brownish orange; Mrs. John Knightley in an orange-ish brown; Emma gets a dark blue? Or is that just the wintery glow from the window on a dark green velvet? Green (either so dark it’s almost black, or washed-out mint) appears to be the only color Emma is allowed to wear other than brown or ivory/white. Even her gown for the Crown Inn Ball (upper right) is an underwhelming and rather dingy ivory. The champagne number she wears for Christmas at Randalls is not only lack-lustre, but also sports what I’m now calling a “Bridgerton Bust” (where the Empire waist comes up too high, with the seam apparently resting across her bust rather than under it.)

The pink frock (seen properly only from the back) on Mrs. Weston is as close to real color as a main character gets in this production, and can be recognized as one of Jane Bennet’s dresses from the previous year’s Pride and Prejudice.

Even Jane Fairfax doesn’t get a break. Rather than putting her in Jane Fairfax Blue ™ (honestly, Jane Fairfax being costumed in blue is so consistent at this point Crayola should just name a crayon in her honor - this is gonna come back in future reviews) she gets a black-green evening number with no trim at all, and a succession of what the Ladies over at Frock Flicks like to call the “Dumpy Regency Little White Dress”, or drab gray-blues.

Some of the background dancers in the Crown Inn Ball scene get to wear pink! Why not put Harriet in a nice pink frock for this scene?! Why is this so difficult?!

Strawberry picking at Donwell is the only time main characters are consistently wearing identifiable colors that aren’t brown or green: Mrs. Weston in pink, Miss Bates in (oddly the most colorful dress of them all) a nice refreshing lavender blue; Jane gets grey/blue and Mrs. Elton, a pastel mint. Harriet is also given a little break in Mrs. Elton’s introduction scene in a (very) pastel blue frock, while Emma sports white (with a trademark green shawl.)

So how about the...

Similarly dull. I almost screamed for joy when I saw that Frank’s jacket was actually blue, and a vibrant blue at that. (The red is too close to brown, I’m sorry.)

So yes, in short the costumes, while perfectly technically accurate (I didn’t get a lot of caps of them but the trousers sufficiently tight, not that I care to look), are drab as a peahen.

As always I’ll outsource any dancing critique by linking Tea With Cassiane on YouTube, since I find her insights on the approach to dancing in Austen adaptations just fascinating and I would like to share such witty and informed reviews.

The Andrew Davies of it All…

*Strong Opinions Ahead*

There are so many reasons why this adaptation isn’t for me. First of all the very idea of making Emma, one of Austen’s most socially complex works (certainly her most vivid) into a sparse 107 minutes is baffling to me. Perhaps I can understand if it’s a Theatrical release but this is a TV production. Why not at least make it a two part special?

And besides the issue that, in order to make this fit the time frame, the story is severely truncated, there’s… the Andrew Davies of it all.

I have some issues with Andrew Davies’ screenwriting for this adaptation particularly. A LOT of issues. Where does one start? I think Knightley is a good place.

It’s not just the casting I don’t like here; but it does say something to me that they chose Mark Strong for this role. It’s a casting decision I discovered with disbelief when I first saw clips from this version in a Period Drama men compilation video on YouTube. I mentioned above that I know Mark Strong as unpleasant characters with man-handling habits. That’s the kind of role Mark Strong is associated with because that’s just what he does well. And I think this played into the casting here, because Davies’ interpretation of Knightley is a bit… fierce. He shouts SO MUCH in this movie and in scenes like the Harriet Smith debacle (where Mr. Knightley of the book even gets a bit angry with Emma) I can understand this, perhaps. But in the book Mr. Knightley takes many pauses to collect and calm himself, because his goal is not to quarrel with Emma but to argue a point. 97 Knightley takes no such pauses and spends the whole scene in what some might call an escalating rage.

Knightley’s cheerful arrival to Hartfield to tell Emma that Robert Martin intended to propose to Harriet is cut out so we start right off with his indignant exclamation of “She refused him?!” and it’s all go from there. To make matters worse, Emma’s own arguments are crippled by Davies’ editing. Many of her more (what might even latterly be considered “feminist”) arguments are cut out. In fact once Knightley gets going, he juggernauts his way through all of his rebukes and speeches from the book, but Emma hardly gets a word in edgewise after arguing that Robert Martin is not Harriet’s equal. What Austen wrote as a heated debate is turned by Davies into a one-sided tirade. (By don’t take my word for it, watch the clip.)

The final cherry on top is having Emma, after Knightley leaves the room with the last word firmly in his grasp, childishly pout “You are wrong Mr. Knightley, and you will see you are wrong and then you will be sorry.” I half expected her to cross her arms and stomp her foot. Worth noting is the fact that Davies adds an additional “It was badly done. Emma,” in this scene where there was none in the book. Rather overkill to my mind. Is this his catchphrase?

At Box Hill, Davies has Knightley begin his climactic rebuke of Emma’s insulting behavior by grabbing her arm and hauling her aside, and concludes by leading her, still holding her arm, to the carriage. Well at least he doesn’t shout at her in this scene; but again, all but one of Emma’s responses are cut out and she stands there, pouting until Mr. Knightley leaves and then she bursts into tears.

When Mr. Knightly proposes to Emma I was feeling good about this scene, until he dropped the “I held you when you were three weeks old” line, and I immediately felt uncomfortable. Maybe you DON’T want mention how you held her when she was a baby after you asked her to MARRY you. But perhaps worse is Emma’s response to the line: “Do you like me as well now as you did then?”

Bringing up holding Emma when she was three weeks old at the proposal (A line which was not in the book) is bad enough but there seems to be a peculiar repeated emphasis on Knightley recalling Emma as a baby. He dragged it up previously when he and Emma make up after the Harriet debacle, as he holds John and Isabella’s baby daughter (whose name, I would mention, is Emma.) In this instance too, the line is a Davies addition.

Let’s talk about Knightley’s strawberry line.

This is delivered in voice-over as a transition to the strawberry picking party at Donwell, and is portrayed as a formal invitation: “Mr. Knightley invites you to taste his strawberries, which are ripening fast.”

At first I was confident that I was reading too much into this (but I think at this point I can safely say that I’m not). I can’t help bursting out laughing every time I hear that line. It was a questionable way to word that if you ask me, especially considering that this is (once again) NOT the line in the book, and it was NOT a formal invitation. It was said to Mrs. Elton and intended to be a joke.  

“You had better explore Donwell then,” replied Mr. Knightly “That may be done without horses. Come and eat the strawberries; they’re ripening fast.”

   ‘ If Mr. Knightly did not begin seriously, he was obliged to proceed so...’

   And here I thought Janeites hated adaptations that cut out “Miss Austen’s biting wit.”

To top it all off, we have Frank Churchill (Who I have already pointed out is a bit of a creep in this adaptation and even more detestable than he already was as Austen wrote him) praising Jane: this would be fine, if he wasn’t drooling into Emma’s ear about the turn of Jane’s throat, (He actually utters this line)

and how fine his dead aunt’s jewels will look against her skin. May I just be the first to say “Ehewhegaugh”.

I juxtapose this with the book where Frank's lines are almost exactly as Davies renders them, except Jane Austen never wrote the "have you ever seen such a skin?" Line. The difference i have highlighted in bold:

"... She is a complete angel. Look at her. Is she not an angel in every gesture? Observe the turn of her throat. Observe her eyes as she looks up at my father. --- You will be glad to hear that my uncle intends to give her all my aunt's jewels. They are to be new set. I am resolved to have some in an ornament for the head. Will it not be beautiful in her dark hair?"

Because talking about how pretty your fiancee's hair is, is normal and marginally less creepy than talking about what a fine skin she has or how lovely your (i cannot stress this part enough) dead aunt's jewels will look against it. Davies' script also makes no mention of having them reset, which makes me think he’s talking about the actual necklaces and bracelets Mrs. Churchill would have worn.

But hey, maybe its just a me thing.

Harriet Smith’s story suffers, primarily, I can with some candor admit, due to the time constraints. After Mr. Elton is married, we never see Harriet in any distress. It’s almost as though she’s forgotten all about it! Emma never has to appeal to her to exert herself or to move on. Perhaps this is better than Doran Godwin’s Emma gaslighting Harriet and manipulating her by constantly chastising her for… well general heartbreak (but that’s a bugaboo for a different review.)

My last complaint of note is that ludicrous harvest feast at the end of the movie. The whole concept of this scene just does not seem at all Janely to me. I was under the impression that I was meant to be watching an Austen. Not some bullshit Thomas Hardy knock-off. This is another Davies touch and I hate it more on the principal that it is one of his numerous, obsessive tweaks made solely to point out the existence of the lower classes.

If Davies wanted to show Mr. Knightley’s being an attentive landlord and gentleman farmer then I don’t see why he couldn’t just show Knightley actually running his farm?

“Okay’, you might say, “but I think the highlighting of the servants is to show how good Knightley is by treating them like real people compared to everyone else”, and I hear you. And in the situations where that is the case, like him greeting the Woodhouse’s butler and asking after his family I think that’s totally fine and in character. But things like the servants moving the knee cushions every time someone moves down the line at strawberry picking, to me, is AS ridiculous as the “servants clipping the lawn on their hands and knees with tiny scissors” trope. Like we get it, people took the lower classes for granted, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that it would be easier and more realistic to have Mrs. Elton have to move her own knee cushion. I don’t think Knightley would instruct his servants, who he treats so well, to do that kind of thing, but you could write in Mrs. Elton’s expectation of it if you wanted. It seems like the kind of thing she would expect the landed gentry to do.

Screenwriter for some of the best loved Austen’s (including the sacrosanct 1995 P&P Mini-series and my favorite Sense & Sensibility), I thought of Davies for years as untouchable; until Sanditon happened and left everyone who knows anything about Jane Austen really wondering where this mess came from. I put it to you now that it was there in Davies all along.

Davies admitted, when talking about the drastic “Sexing Up” he did in Sanditon that he felt Austen’s works could have done with a bit more sex appeal. I can hardly disagree and additions like Darcy’s little swim in the pond and Edward Ferrars’ angsty wood-chopping are welcome and beloved. But it seems that what he really wanted all along was what he gave us in Sanditon; and finally, without actual source material to stand in his way, he had a chance let his dirty old man show and gave “Austen” the sexing up he thought it needed.

And it gets more troubling as you look back.

In my opening paragraph to this review I mentioned a 2008 blog post that not only agreed with me that there’s something very off about this screenplay, but gave me some possible insights as to why. It points out numerous things that I have always questioned in this version but have never seen anyone else criticize (though I am informed that more recently it has gained its’ share of critics). In fact the post itself actually points out that almost no one in the Austen Blog-sphere had (at that point) criticized this version’s faults in any meaningful way, but my favorite thing about it is that it points out what you find in Davies’ screenplay if you pay careful attention to it “Rather than sitting there and cataloguing what is “technically faithful and whatnot”.

Many Austen bloggers have kind of been playing Miss Taylor to Davies’ Emma for some two decades and change.

The most troubling thing of all is Davies own comments on Mr. Knightley (and other things, more inferred in his screen play). All of the aspects of this interpretation of Knightley that I mentioned earlier seem to stem from the fact that, as quoted in Sarah Caldwell’s book on his works, Davies thinks there’s “Something odd going on with Knightley.”

Davies clearly reads foul, or at least questionable, intentions in Mr. Knightley but I find it interesting that, rather than cutting out material he may have found troubling about Knightley in the book out of his screenplay, he doubled down by adding MORE troubling lines and situations (that were never in the book at all, and imagined solely by himself) in a romantic story with a happy ending.

Perhaps there’s not so much something odd going on with Knightley, Mr. Davies, but with you.

Final Thoughts

At this point I might ask what it is that everyone sees in this version that makes them think it’s so perfect, but that would be a bit pointless since all I’ve read since I discovered this version is people on elaborating on just that and I don’t care to hear much more.

“The lines are verbatim!” textually, perhaps, but it’s the ones that added that trouble me.

“The leads have so much chemistry!” I’m glad you think so, but I can’t find it.

“The costumes are damn near perfect!” And brown. So, so very brown.

As a 90's TV period drama, this version is pretty standard. It sticks to the book (except in those places where the screenwriter saw fit to dabble with some subtle but troubling suggestions about the characters.) And if it floats your boat, as always I'm glad it gives you what you want from the story.

I know I hold unpopular opinions on Jane Austen adaptations, and perhaps this is one of them, but every time I watch this version I feel the need to read the book as a cleanse. Perhaps Davies’s ferocious Knightley was simply a pendulum swing reaction to Douglas McGrath’s almost too laid back interpretation in the Miramax film from earlier in 1996, but even if that’s the case it’s just uncalled for and is my biggest turn off for this film.

Tone: 3

Ribbon Rating: Badly Done! (40 Ribbons)

Casting: 5

Acting: 6

Scripting: 4

Pacing: 2

Cinematography: 4

Setting: 3

Costumes: 5

Music: 2

Book Accuracy: 6

[warrenwoodhouse]

The Beacon by Warren Woodhouse (Minecraft) (Videos) (Gaming)

Minecraft Project & Video by @warrenwoodhouse

Here’s my #Minecraft build called The Beacon, the exact location where the game first loaded for me and is my first project that I’ve made. It includes tunnels, garden, bar, bedrooms, bathrooms, swimming pool, library, kitchen and more.

CLICK HERE to like this project on Planet Minecraft.

[rii-chann]

tagged by @binickmiller (thank u for always tagging me ♥) to answer the following questions about music, books, films, & tv, then tag nine people!

answers will be under the cut and i am tagging @bubulinnie-san @goth-himbo-dabi @themixofmagic

MUSIC

favourite genres? rock, indie, kpop, classical

favourite artists? muse, tame impala, the beatles, bts, mitski, alt-j, san cisco, lana del rey,  j^p^n (and many more)

favourite songs? washing machine heart by mitski, borderline by tame impala, losing all sense by grizzly bear, slow dancing in the dark by joji (just to name a few)

most listened song recently? me and my husband by mitski

song currently stuck in your head? fourth of july by sufjan stevens

favourite lyrics? “some things are best unsaid” (ruby falls, guster) - “if dreams can’t come true, then why not pretend?” (into the unknown, otgw soundtrack) - “people you’ve been before that you won’t want around anymore” (between the bars, elliot smith) -”where is it that fills the deepness i feel?” (i lost something on the hills, sibylle baier)

radio or your own playlist | solo artists or and bands | pop or indie | loud or silent volume I slow or fast songs | music video or lyrics video | speakers or headset | riding a bus in silence or while listening to music | driving in silence or with radio on 

BOOKS

favourite book genre? fantasy

favourite writers? j.r.r. tolkien, jane austen, patrick rothfuss, c.s. lewis, stieg larsson

favourite book? pride and prejudice by jane austen

favourite book series? the lord of the rings by j.r.r. tolkien

comfort book? the voyage of the dawn treader (the chronicles of narnia)

perfect book to read on a rainy day? before i fall by lauren oliver

favourite characters? elizabeth bennet, edmund pevensie, aragorn, lisbeth salander, hermione granger, emma woodhouse

five quotes from your favourite book that you know by heart? i only remember two: “it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” (pride and prejudice) “anyone can love a thing because...but to love a thing despite. to know the flaws and love them too. that’s rare, and pure, and perfect.” (the wise man’s fear) 

hardcover or paperback | buy or and library | standalone novels or and book series | ebook or physical copy | reading at night or and during the day | reading at home or and in nature | listening to music while reading or reading in silence | reading in order or reading the ending first | reliable or and unreliable narrator | realism or fantasy | one or and multiple POVS | judging by the covers or by the summary | rereading or reading just once

TV AND FILMS

favourite tv/film genre? fantasy/supernatural, comedy, mistery

favourite film? pride and prejudice (2005)

comfort film? pride and prejudice (2005)

film you watch every year? probably p&p, the mummy, any of the ocean’s trilogy

favourite tv show? derry girls, brooklyn nine nine, the office, anne with an e

comfort tv show? derry girls, friends, b99, anne with an e, teen wolf, the mentalist

most rewatched tv show? probably friends or b99

ultimate otp? stidya, jisbon, peraltiago, merthur, bellarke 

five favourite characters? stiles stilinski, anne shirley cuthbert, orla mccool, amy santiago, patrick jane

tv shows or and films | short seasons (8-13 episodes) or and full seasons (22 episodes or more) | one episode a week or binging | one season or multiple seasons | one part or saga | half hour or one hour long episodes | subtitles on or and off | rewatching or watching just once | downloads or watches online

[literallyliam]

Dear Dad,

A letter from Liam to Alexander Teixeira

I was thinking about all the fun we had together. All the play fighting and how I idolized you as my hero... At least that’s how I would have started it if you’d been around. It’s how I’ve wanted to start this since I was 10 years old and you misspelled my name on the card you sent. Didn’t get my birthday right either but it was a card right? It showed me that you cared. That was also the year that me and a group of my friends went out for the first time to the woods behind uncle Dan’s house and made a game about jumping across the creek until one of us inevitably fell in. 

Now up until this point I’d had no introduction to the world of drugs or the harm they could cause a kid my age. Without my grandparents knowledge, my friend Brian Woodhouse’s older brother would come out with us and would buy us silly energy drinks like Monsters and Redbulls. Silly things that we all knew wouldn’t hurt us. But when I came home enough times with too much energy and an already piss poor ability to focus, soaked in pond water my grandparents made me my first appointment with Dr. Howe. She prescribed me 5 mg of Adderall XR twice daily. By the time I was 11 we’d reached 35 mg per day. An increase that may or may not have been necessary had Brian’s brother not been taking most of my meds in exchange for the playboy magazines he’d give to the group of us. A group who had now found more enjoyment searching for the allusive itch than jumping streams or running around in the mud. 

At 12 they decided to try something different and thanks to a series of different doctors switched me to Focalin, Vyvanse, and even Ritalin for a short time. Grandma had even gone as far as to give me some of her Ambien in the evenings to help me sleep which brought on my first experience with hallucinations. Trapped in box of windowless room night after night with smoke filtering in from under the door. And I thought that I would die there. I dreamed of ghosts rattling the bars of my rib cage attempting to break free. But in the dreams death was a friendly visitor. At least once a week a part of me would disappear and at least once a week it was as if everyone who knew me had forgotten. 

At 13 Adderall was re-introduced into my diet with an additional Strattera and Prozac to handle the anger I started feeling each time I received one of your stupid cards. To combat the overwhelming sadness I felt from nobody noticing the parts of me that were no longer there. I was the same age when the great “incident at Brian’s” occurred. His brother was there. With these two girls who’s names... I can’t remember anymore and I think from what I remember was having sex with one of them in the room behind us. Brian and I were lazing around on the couch, playing video games and eating popcorn when his brother called us into the room. Brian and his friends threw him on top of the girl his brother had just been having sex with and started shouting at him to perform like they were a couple of fucking jocks at a high school football game. I remember the tears streaming down his face and the look of horror on the other girls faces and feeling like my body was completely numb. Like perhaps the part of myself that would have jumped in to help him was a part of me that had been taken away. 

I remember desperately wishing I could have talked to you that night. That you’d have been there. I felt so certain you’d have known what to do. After that the prescription for my anti-depressants were increased once again. They switched to a cocktail of Adderall, Strattera, and Wellbutrin to help with the focus and of course I was still being given the Ambien for sleep. The memories of that night now on repeat like a show in the windowless box.

I didn’t hear from you again until I was 15. You’d missed my first day of High School. You weren’t there for my first baseball game, my first time getting caught with alcohol, my first time asking out a girl, my first kiss. You missed all of it. You weren’t there when Natalia and I fell in love. Weren’t there when I stopped taking the meds I’d been taking for over 5 years and traded them in for the weed. Weren’t there when I decided to start selling them. You weren’t there for my first stint in rehab or even my second. You weren’t there for the first time the fire burnt down the door. Or when the machine came into my life. You weren’t there for my first heart break. You weren’t there when I walked in to find her with somebody else. You weren’t there when she gave her body to the people I hated the most knowing it would hurt the worst. Or when I decided to do the exact same thing. You weren’t there for the beginning of end of my ability to ever truly feel like I could have any sort of committed loving relationship. 

 I’m in my Freshman year of college. That’s right old man, you missed that too. I can’t remember the last time you wrote me a letter so I thought maybe this time I’d change up the game. It’s parents weekend and after what happened at the welcome dinner I think for maybe the first time in my life I’m glad to not have you around. There’s something dark about this place. Something all consuming and I think... I think it’s the kind of thing I’ve been looking for to feel fulfilled by but it’s hurting people I care about. It’s hurting them and once again I’m left with this feeling of wishing I had someone to talk to. Someone who understood. I’ve never known a life without drugs to help me get through absolutely everything but I don’t know if there’s a pill to make this make sense. A pill to make me hate you a little less on weekends like this. I thought I was past the point of thinking of you as that person who might understand me but clearly I’m not. I hate you so much dad. I’m sorry for giving a fuck. 

Liam

[jack-antonoff]

get to know me tag

tagged by @njaems

tagging: anyone who wants to do it!

What day is your birthday? July 20th

What is your favorite color? Mint green, and pastel pink as a close second

What’s your lucky number? 24. Vietnamese students get assigned a number each year and mine typically was 24

Do you have any pets? A mixed hound pup named Ginny 

How tall are you? 158cm / 5′2 :(

How many pairs of shoes do you own? ~ 9-10 I think

Favorite song? I have too many but Such Great Heights by The Postal Service always make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside so maybe that song?

Favorite movie? Clueless. Emma is my favorite Austen book and both Clueless & Emma (2009) are my go-to comfort movie/ show (my url when I first became active on tumblr was knightley-woodhouse haha)

Who would be your ideal partner? Someone who I can banter well with 

Do you want children? I think I would like to adopt one someday? Pregnancy/ giving birth scares the shit out of me but I think I might wanna have children

Have you ever got into trouble with the law? Nope

Baths or showers? Showers. I just don’t have enough patient for a bath though ngl those bubble bath/ bath bombs do seem alluring

What color socks are you wearing? None

What type of music do you like? Well the 4 playlist that are divided by genres on my Spotify are: bubblegum bops, infectious indie, alternative anthems, and grungy gems. I also have a playlist called ethereal for dreampop/ shoegazey songs. I do have an rnb playlist but I’m still organizing that one so it’s not public yet

How many pillows do you sleep with? 2. One to lay my head on and one to hug

What position do you usually sleep in? On the side, hugging my pillow like a shrimp

What you don’t like when you’re sleeping? When sleeping with others it’s the sound of snoring. When sleeping alone it’s the sound of mosquitoes/ flies/ bees zooming around. So I guess just noise in general

What do you typically have for breakfast? When I stay with my mom she cooks traditional Vietnamese breakfast like noodles or rice. When I’m on my own during the school year it’s typically just toast/ cereal/ granola bar

Have you ever tried archery? Nope, it looks cool tho!

Favorite fruit? Vietnam has this fruit called sapodilla that is super delicious but I can’t find it here. I also like dragonfruits, watermelons, mangoes, cherries (Basically sweet fruits) 

Favorite swear word? Can’t go wrong with fuck. A classic. Fuck off and Get fucked are my go-to

Do you have any scars? Not anymore. I got run over by a motorbike in elementary school and got 3 scars on my stomach but they all faded now

Are you a good liar? Not really. But since I’m a bad liar I typically tell the truth, which ends up making ppl trust me during the rare times I lie :p

What is your personality type? Well I got a different ones everytime I do the quiz so I just ended up google what each letter stands for and sorted myself lol. I align myself with ISFJ the most

What is your favorite type of girls? Fictional? Emma Woodhouse/ Cher Horowitz along with Ai Haibara from Detective Conan are my favorite heroines of all time (Snarky bitches with heats of gold). Irl? Girls with great sense of humor

Are you an innie or an outie? Innie

Left or right handed? Right

Favorite food? Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean food

Favorite foreign food? Sushi/ poke, Korean bbq and fried chicken (In fact I just had a Korean cheese fried chicken earlier lol), tacos (esp fish tacos)

Are you a clean or messy person? Messy in terms of organization but I can’t stand actual dirt/ sticky substance

Most used phrase? “Well I guess...” or “Yeah...”

How long does it take for you to get ready? 15 mins normally, 45 mins when I wanna be more dressed up

Do you talk to yourself? Yeah. She makes a lot of good points!

Do you sing to yourself? Yes

Are you a good singer? Nope, I can’t hold a tune to save my life

Biggest fear? I have severe flight anxiety and always imagine what if the plane crashes when I get on a flight. Otherwise just typical stuff like ghosts or getting murdered

Are you a gossip? Not really irl but I do enjoy lurking online drama from time to time. Highly recommend the subreddit r/hobbydrama I have wasted a lot of times reading things on there haha

Do you like long or short hair? I typically cut my hair to chin length, let it grow to around my boobs & then cut again

Favorite school subject? From K-12: English (as a foreign language when I was in VN), French (when I move here, but I already forgot most of my french by now rip), History, Literature. So typical social studies stuff. I also enjoy math from time to time

Extrovert or Introvert? Mostly introvert but going to concerts is one my favorite activities ever and I do enjoy being in the crowd during those times. Also HCMC/ Saigon population is like 9 million so even though I cherish my own space I am kinda used to crowded places in general

What makes you nervous? Flights as mentioned above, public speaking, confrontations

Who was your first real crush? That one kid in elementary school who I can’t remember the name of but was really good at drawing

How many piercings do you have? Just 2, one on each ear. I haven’t worn earrings in a while tho I hope they haven’t closed yet...

How fast can you run? I’m terribly out of shape so not very fast lol

What color is your hair? Black. Had I been able to fly back to VN this summer I think I would have dyed it to a brown-pink color (think Jisung during Boom, but maybe more brown)

What color are your eyes? Black (although I read that black irises technically don’t exist, it’s actually a very deep brown color instead)

What makes you angry? Lots of things but unfairness & hypocrisy in general

Do you like your own name? Yeah. I like that it’s unisex, short, and easy to spell/ pronounce for people of all backgrounds (although some still misspell it as Ming...). It also means bright/ light which I think is cool. I also like my full name as a whole, kinda long but pretty unique

Do you want a boy or a girl for a child? I think a girl but I’m open to both

What are your strengths? Straightforwardness and I’m pretty self-aware

What are your weaknesses? My lack of patience and my tendency to procrastinate lol

Color of your bedspread? Mint

Color of your room? White