HD Love, Jimmies (plural), & the Like

5 Interesting Things You All Ought to Know

-1-

New year, new me, new blog.

 Look around. Isn't it colorful? I am currently working on improving the layout of the blog and making it more functional. I'll be rolling out some more minor changes which will hopefully make this blog easier to navigate. 

-2-

Heather Dixon loves me.

Me, and Marlene. Below is a screenshot to prove it. If you haven't read Heather Dixon's positively enchanting novel Entwined or clicked "follow" for her hysterical blog Story-Monster, I would highly recommend it. She can make me laugh (or swoon) even on the darkest and dreariest of days.

Fangirl captions added for your entertainment.

-3-

Downton is back, ladies n' gents.

While other viewers are trying to keep calm and carry on after Season 3, I am still suffering from post-Season 2 depression. Face it: Best season of Downton Abbey ever. I have professed my love for William and Branson and Downton Abbey before, so I will leave the gushing to my past self. I am looking forward to Season 4 viewing sessions with my family until I return to school. My sisters, mother, and I all make tea and watch it together, and my father inevitably asks for the details the next day. (He's secretly a fan. I just know it.) So far it's more of the same, but the promise of new characters should shake things up relatively soon.

 -4-

On top of Jimmy, there are jimmies!

There's Downton Abbey Jimmy, and then there are jimmies. As of tomorrow, I'll have both! I'm planning to bake some sprinkle-covered cookies over the course of the week, and for some reason the irony of back-to-back Jimmy-ness tickles my funny bone.

Durdurdur I'm Jimmy durdurdur.

-5-

 My sister loves Earl Grey. I repeat: SHE LOVES EARL GREY.

I watched my youngest sister acquire a taste for tea over the past few years, but we had sort of parted ways. She experimented with vanilla chai concoctions while I perfected the art of a perfectly steeped, stirred, and sweetened cup of E.G. She saw me having my "usual" this evening and asked for a sip. She brought the mug to her lips, took a tiny sip, looked me in the eye, smiled, and said, "That was delicious." I promptly made her her own cup and watched her skip off into boiled leaf juice bliss. I'm so proud, guys!!!

The tea was Iroh approved.

On the writing front... All this time off has given me some time to write, which has been glorious. Still in my fairy-tale phase. I may or may not have promised some of my friends at school some finished stories, so I have my work cut out for me. I only have two weeks before I have to head back! My sentiments on the subject look a little like this:

Okay, maybe not that dramatic, but I'm pretty happy right where I am. So there you have it: 5 things you ought to know. Until next time!

Image Credits: 2nd down, 3rd down, 4th down

New (Old) Typewriter

I have always wanted a typewriter. Ever since I read the Kit Kittredge books as a kid, I have wanted one. I used to type up newspapers just like Kit, but it wasn't the same without the click-clacking of a typewriter.

My sister owned the doll, but I read all the books. :)

Well, guess what? I am now the proud owner of a typewriter! Sort of! I mean, it doesn't have an ink ribbon... and it's not entirely "mine"... and it's an electronic one from the 80's... but STILL!

It all happened at Goodwill. I was having a glorious day: I bought two skirts, one for $2, the cutest/most unique pair of flats, and a great quality white shirt. Then, my sister and I saw it: the $15, still working, electronic typewriter. Needless to say, we bought it, and the rest was history.

I can't really do anything with it except make clacky noises and play pretend. I want to find an ink ribbon for it, assuming it doesn't lead to any killers...

Don't y'all watch NCIS? That episode where this killer starts killing people (obvs), but it's related to McGee's unpublished manuscript, and it's this crazy fan who steals the ink ribbons from his typewriter and thinks that the book is real!? Somebody? Anybody? *sigh*

Just read this bit of the episode, wouldya?

MCGEE: Okay, sometimes when I’m in trouble, I take a few minutes to free-write.  
TONY: Free-write?  
MCGEE: Stream of consciousness. About my characters, my story arcs, my possible plot lines, everything. No filter. 
 TONY: No filter. 
 MCGEE: Whatever pops in my head goes right to the page.  
TONY: Ah. Write. Be free! Just do it. Free write! Be free. I get it.

See? I didn't just want to tell you about my typewriter! I wanted to segue into a section about free writing! (And gush about how much I love McGee and we're both writers and stuff.) 

I had such a great free writing session today. It was very much Downton inspired. I just finished The World of Downton Abbey, which is such a great intro to the Edwardian era. Plus, it really enhances the show. I find myself explaining the historical significance of certain lines/events to my family. Makes me feel awesome. I feel particularly awesome when I understand all of Branson's political references. Like a sir.

Anyways, my newfound (albeit shallow) understanding of the early 1900's made for an awesome pair of passages. I don't know if these musings will ever transform into a full novel, but I would definitely consider expanding the story. I've got a beginning and an end, but no middle. Someday, right? I'm sure the stuff is ridden with historical inaccuracies, but you know what? It's free writing. Like Dinozzo says, be free! Just do it.

Read my review of The World of Downton Abbey here! Do any of you free write? Tell me about it in the comments, if it strikes your fancy.

I was going to just put a picture of the book, but this bit of awesomesauce cropped up. *smirk*

My Christmas present. Super cool.