I said I would, and I did!

I read Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." Folks, this was a huge undertaking for me. I am a modern girl, living in a modern world, which means I get bored easily if not stimulated by a million different things during a given 24 hour period. You know how it works, iPod on while I'm vacuuming, folding laundry and watching my favorite season of Friends all while trying to make dinner, discipline, guide and nurture my 2 kids, oh and dote on my fabulous husband who I have been thoroughly enjoying since his return.

You know this story, it takes a whole drawn out YEAR to get these two to come to their senses and figure it out. That is like a millennium in my life. You remember when my fabulous friend Bree came to visit?? I kept thinking of my good friend Bree while I read. I miss her, she is the bomb of fun. You remember how we had our Jane Austen experience?? I swore I would conquer the real Pride and Prejudice in my lifetime, and I DID IT! You know what else? I enjoyed it too. Even though I had to keep my dictionary at my side the whole time and I'm happy to confess that I didn't damage the book by throwing it across the room. I did this once, I wanted to feel I had learned from that bad girl experience. I read it on the way to Euro Disney, figured Mark needed catch up time in being a father so I let him handle the kiddo's on the bus. Ah, buses in Europe, such a fabulous time to curl up with a good book and a well charged iPod and a very useful husband!

Darcy did win my heart over and I must say that Darcy before Colin Firth is oh so much better!!! Jane Austen molds a character who you despise from the onset, who seals his fate as such a disrespectful arrogant man towards his love interest with the initial proposal and takes him to the elevation of the most romantic, selfless, changed for the better (because of Elizabeth mind you) male character of all time in the coarse of one book, one very long book I tell you. Who can forget, when Elizabeth thought all was lost, Darcy tells her "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever." Aaaahhhhh, I'm melting!

Oh, Oh, and this one: When Elizabeth becomes so bold as to ask Darcy when he fell in love with her. She says, "Now, be sincere; did you admire me for my impertinence?" And he replies, "For the liveliness of your mind, I did." How this makes me feel so much better. My friend the dictionary defines impertinent as "arrogantly rude with brash behavior" synonyms include: bold, cheeky (I'm not kiddin'), sassy, saucy, audacious, brazen and the ones I like: smart and wise. Feel's like I'm lookin' in the mirror because I often find things falling out of my mouth that once they fall I wonder, "What in the heck? Those were not meant for other's ears." I have no filter at times. But, sweet Darcy makes me feel that I'm lively not impertinent, oh what a sweet, sweet man. I do realize I'm not Elizabeth but let me live the dream, dang it. Leslie = lively?? Could work!

And just today as I received the post (hee hee, Jane Austen talk for mail, just without the horse) I find the modern movie version, the one with Keira Knightly, in my my hands from my sweet mother. I think I'll just sit back, relax and let the modern entertainment take me away for a bit. Of course, I must cuddle up with my own "Darcy" while I take it all in once more, totally sped up and laid out in a couple hours time. Instant gratification for which I'm a huge huge fan of. Me, my man, diet coke, sleeping children, the big red couch, maybe some ice cream . . . you get the picture. I must make haste to relax and enjoy! Such a dichotomy of our time. See, my vocabulary IS improving!

Disclaimer: this entry would not have been nearly what it was without my good friend spellcheck, for she (oh you better believe she is a she) knows what I want to say and allows me to say it while looking a bit intelligent due to very few misspellings. Bless the spellchecker!!! I think she checked me, oh, let's just say a large handful of times . . . just a bit embarrassing. What is it? Am I bad typer? A bad speller? Crap, I'm both. I am not so bold as to not admit a fault, for I have many, I just try my darndest to hide them. Some days are better than others.

Oh and you should all know that my husband just abandoned me for a soccer game. Kinda smashes the romance out of it eh?! Maybe I should switch to Phantom of the Opera. In THAT scenario her love interest takes his eye off the prize for a second and the girl gets swept away into the dark, scary catacombs of the Opera to get used and abused by Gerard Butler . . . I wonder if he learned his lesson. I'd like to learn that lesson . . . See, no filter I tell you!!!