So it has been a while since we last went over Desire & Decorum, so I will do a quick brief.
I’m all ears
Choices is a video game that combines film and book storytelling with you making choices as to what will happen next. One of their newest releases was an Austenlike game Desire & Decorum.
In the last chapter your father accepted you as his child and heir, Lady Catherine of Edgewater! You are legally now part of the family. You also meet your evil stepmother, stepbrother, and stepbrother’s dotty fiancé. We have two men on the rise Mr. Sinclaire and Mr. Harper, horsekeeper.
But which man?
In this episode they have put together a sewing circle to out you in lady’s society. Will you hold your own? Or fall to ribbons.
I got my tea cup, I’m ready.
So at the sewing circle is your evil stepmother-who clearly makes her disdain for you. Also is your stepbrother’s fiance, the simple Miss Sutton who “unwittingly” (is she really as simple as she seems?) always insults you.
Hmmm…
There is also a Miss Parsons
She was your older brother’s fiancé, the one that passed away.
We all stitch together, my character is as pro as me.
There is also Donna Bowman, Miss Sutton’s friend who is reading a rather amazing book.
Some games have a secondary mission, things you need to acquire to unlock special scenes or something special at the end of the complete story, mine is to be a truly accomplished lady. In this Miss Parsons offered to teach me piano, my first in the challenge. I had enough diamonds to purchase it and gained the pianoforte.
Woojoo, now I rock!
Just kidding. I’m probably more on par with Emma.
So let’s take a look at that challenge list again:
There looks to be dancing shoes, a painter’s palette, and something round? Not sure what the last object is. Either way, I plan on getting each one.
After the sewing circle you take a walk reading and have the option to go on a horse ride with Mr. Harper. I refused as I did not have the diamonds for it.
My wallet to me…
At the end of the chapter you are approached by your father who has planned a garden party in your honor! And your grandmother, the Dowager Countess, informs you that Duke Tristan Richards of Karlington will be attending the party. What an honor. Really.
No it’s not any of those. Well the thing that I’m most proud of might sound silly or boring to you, but it was hard for me to accomplish.
So let me back up. You recall from a previous post that I graduated last year from college?
Well before I could do that, for my study I had to write an intense thesis paper. And I don’t know about other places out there but my university didn’t let you choose your own topic. Instead they gave you a large one and you were able to pick something underneath that umbrella.
Yeah. Then the professor noticed my love of film, and recommended that I choose that for my project and I did. I choose to talk about the Civil Rights era and Western film.
I know, it sounds weird, but it there were actually a lot of Western films that correlated with the changes occurring due to the Civil Rights Movement. It was different, it was ambitious, it would be a perfect change from anything anyone else had done.
It also was the hardest thing I have EVER chosen to do.
Yes, it turns out that people write about Westerns taking place in 1960s-70s, and they talk about films (specifically those relating to the movement) but NO one ever discusses this as a correlation. On one hand it’s good as it is new, on the other, how was I supposed to pull from resources so separated?
I ended up reading Western History, Civil Rights History, Western Film History, and Film History of the Civil Rights Movement. It was hard and a loooot of work. I spent nearly every waking hour in the library.
Then there was the problem of primary sources. The films I choose weren’t the really popular films and were also not available to borrow from the campus library, or purchase.
I was able to rent one from Amazon Instant Watch, score another off of Youtube, and the remaining ones off some site that I’m sure had obtained the films illegally. But that wasn’t even the hardest thing, It was just so much time and effort; all-the-while knowing that if you fail you are not graduating.
AAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Eventually, through the all-nighters, the crazy researching, the personal drama, work, and other school work: I finished it!
And it even went on to win a writing award.
To start the 30 Day Challenge from the beginning, go to Musical Madness
Every young girl knows that a dance is split up into three parts. 1) Prep: Getting ready with hair + makeup. 2) The Dance itself. And 3) The After Party. Now I’m not talking about an “after party, after party”, but when its over you hang with your girlfriends and hash over the whole events.
It was just as true 203 years ago as it is today. Yep in Pride and Prejudice after the ball, the girls do what every young girl after a dance does, DISCUSS IT!
So everyone finds the ball a complete success.
Finally something GOOD!
Jane danced with Mr. Bingley twice! Not once but TWICE!!!
If you remember from my earlier post, First Impressions, I discussed how dancing showed you were open to getting married. The women you danced with, showed your interest in them. By dancing with Jane, Mr. Bingley declared to the world that he was most def interested in pursuing Jane. Kind of the equivalent of:
Mary was called one of the most accomplished ladies from the neighborhood.
So finally, she is able to get a good word and be appreciated for talents. This is steering her away from having a breakdown and trying to destroy her village. Not everyone is that lucky to be complimented on their talents.
Now Kitty never was without a partner. And what 15-year old isn’t pleased with that. Heck, who doesn’t love knowing that they are hot and in demand.
The same goes for Lydia. No wallflower here. Although with Lydia she doesn’t just think she is hot, she thinks she is the best of the best.
And that leaves us with Elizabeth.
Yep poor, poor, Lizzie.
Yeah she didn’t have the best of the night. Yeah Darcy did a real number on her pride. But Lizzie like all great sisters, puts aside her feelings and is all about being happy for Jane.
Besides, Elizabeth knows like any other girl who has had a bad time at a dance. There will be plenty more.
In other news this marks my 400th post! That’s quite a lot. I can’t believe I’ve been able to accomplish that many. Yay Me! And Yay all of you who read this blog!
In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy has very particular guidelines as to who the perfect woman is. The perfect (accomplished) woman is one who has
“a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.’ Caroline Bingley…’All this she must possess,’ added Darcy, ‘and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”
After reviewing this statement I have discovered that I am Mr. Darcy’s perfect woman.
Oh well…
1)Knowledge of Music
I grew up in a musical house, although I cannot play any one instrument profusely. Here are some of my musical accomplishments.
The Afoxé: I love this instrument and have been playing it my whole life.
The Piano: I know how to play Hot Cross Buns, Rugrats Theme, and Chopsticks.
The Recorder: This is the instrument that I am best in. I learned how to play the Star Wars Theme, Hot Cross Buns, Three Blind Mice, Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me), and every song from Disney’s Pocahontas.
The Guitar: I know one very old hymn.
2) Singing
I know how to sing, but will only do it around friends and family. But it still counts!
3) Drawing
I took painting and drawing classes for two years before I switched to photography. Now I am not one of those geniuses who can draw or paint a perfect image from memory, but I do well f I can see the image I am trying to recreate. Painting, I only do well at watercolors, or objects such as a room, plate, frame, etc. I also do very well in pastels, charcoal, and chalk. My main forte is collage and photography.
4) Dancing
I am not the world’s best dancer, but my biggest strength is that I am a fast learner, and can be taught dance moves quickly. However I have been trained in certain areas.
Waltz: I learned this from the Sleeping Beauty’s collector edition DVD. It was very easy to learn
Thriller: Love the song and know almost the whole dance.
Ballet: Was in a class for a few days before I transferred out, I was put there by accident. However, what I learned there will forever remain in my mind.
The Time Warp: Such a fun song!
Bollywood: I watch a lot and love to dance along.
Mash Potato: Such fun!
The Twist: Who doesn’t like to twist?
Square Dancing: A fun requirement everyone has to learn.
Breakfast Club Dance: Not only can I do the feet thing, but I have Ally Sheedy’s dance down.
MC Hammer: Only Can’t Touch This, and not even all of that.
5) Modern Languages
I wish I knew more languages fluently, but alas I am only bilingual (and even that some may not count.)
Some Spanish: I’m half Mexican and I have taken three years of spanish class. I know how to introduce myself (Me llamo es), say where I am from (Yo soy de), if I want to go somewhere (Yo voy, tu vas, nosotros vamos…), how to ask for things (puedo por favor; donde esta…), help (ayudame), the weather, how to say I am hurt or injured, can count etc…
Smattering of French: I know how to say hello, good-bye (five different ways), and a few other things.
Sign Language: I know quite a bit and the whole alphabet.
5) Something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions
Got all those covered. 😊
Or 10th, 50th, 100th….
6) Extensive Reading
This is where I fit the bill most of all. I have been reading since I was a small child, and I READ ALL THE TIME. I am never without a book, and devour them extremely fast, no matter the length. In fact I meet my goal of reading 365 books this year a couple of weeks ago. And I love to read EVERYTHING! Mystery, classics, sci-fi, horror, romance, historical fiction, non-fiction, biography, westerns, plays, novels, etc. I love the library, and spend as much free time there possible. One of my favorite things is to just go through the stacks and look at all the different books, choosing which I think will be best. I have too many favorite books and authors that I just can’t pick one. I really want a library like in Beauty and the Beast or The Swan Princess. I mean if Darcy has asked me to marry him in his rude, conceited way that first time; I would have considered saying yes because I would know he would have a fantastic library.
7) Embroidery
I know that this isn’t technically something that Darcy said was attractive in a woman, but it was something that most people valued a woman knowing back then. I only know hand sewing, and that in itself is mostly subjects related to patching; but I embroider like a boss. I have been doing it ever since I was a kid, amd enjoy it immensely.
8) Cooking
Yes, I know. Only poor women or domestic help cooked at that time, but I’m proud of the fact that I am an extremely good cook. I can make anything, as long as I have a recipe, and am not daunted at trying new things. And for all the modern men out there, I make the best sandwiches out of every person I know. My older sister and I used to kid that I would make one very lucky guy extremely happy with that talent.
Well with all these accomplishments; along with filling many others that we value today, what guy wouldn’t want me? LOL
janeaustenrunsmylife 