Hardest Part of the Journey...is the Journey...?

I've totally got that wrong. But to surmise, things are haaaaard *insert whiny voice here*. (And yes, I used "surmise" correctly. I just googled it.)

I've had some wine so the actual decibel of my whine has gone down. Look at me, ma, I'm self soothing!

My friends have come to play.

Not self-medicating with wine in this photo...just felt it looked appropriate within the context of the narrative. "WINE!"...kinda how I feel about coffee too.

Things have gotten quite tricky on the grad school front. Which is....awesome. Cause this is just going to make me feel like actually being in grad school is a freaking breeze. Ahh, bless.

Funny thing about loans and visa's and grad school. It's all one big gigantic balancing act. Let me lay it down for ya from the beginning.

-Grad school accepted me, hooray! I'm moving back to my homeland...I mean where my heart is....home is where the heart is, so that kind of makes England my homeland..kind of. I don't know...something like that. But YAY!

-No grad school till I can make the first payment of $6,000. I am poor. Hahahaha. But okay. *Gulp wine. Fortify oneself*

-Apply for loan, loan company says "HELLYES, we'd like to help you along your path to debt. Let us give you money. We just need your school to tell us when."

-School accidentally puts down for the money to be released a month into school....basically making it impossible for me to put down my first payment before I start...which technically means, I ain't going.

-School fixes it right quick when I mention that I can't go if I don't get that loan. Ergo, they don't get awesome American dollars.

-Loan money comes in just a little over 1 week ago to the school.

-I need my CAS (confirmation of acceptance to study) paper from the school now that they have the loan money. I need that CAS paper to be able to apply for my visa. My visa that allows me to be in that country to study for a year.

-I am 10 days away from flying to London and I don't have my CAS. I don't have my visa. I don't have anywhere to live because the housing I found a week ago fell through due to unforeseen conditions.

-Additionally, I feel fat.

-And, I can't run due to plantar faciitis. This makes me want to punch people. Especially running bloggers because they're having so much fun...running...and blogging. Shut it, twinkle toes. Nobody wants to hear about your fabulous running adventures. (No wait, I do. I'm not serious. I love hearing about it. I want to weep in envy!)

I just really felt the need to add those last two on, just cause.

Where's my wine?

So yes, grad school...hard. Not even there yet. And it's getting a little rough having everyone keep asking me "are you so excited?" "Are you, like, totally freaking out?" "I mean, this is like your dream. How pumped are you?"

*Throws wine glass to the floor* (Actually that's just for dramatic effect, cause seriously.....I am poor and we don't waste that shit.)

NO. Currently I am not excited, thrilled, or peeing my pants with glee. I wish I was...all those things...except maybe not the pee. I feel slightly overwhelmed by the fact that I have so much to worry about. And I've officially stopped voicing those worries out loud (aren't you lucky to be reading this! Go on, feel pleased) because, as much as I love everyone who says this to me, if I hear one more person say "oh don't worry, it'll all work out" I will PUNCH you in your delicate bits. Stop poo-pooing my stress okay? I know it's going to work out, because I'm bloody well going to make it work out. At this point, there is no way possible that I will be deterred from going over to London for grad school. (*Knock on wood*)

But when people say this in a "hush now little one" *hypothetical pat on head* kind of way, makes my worry, my fears seem childish and insignificant.

And let me tell you, this chocolate and wine habit I am currently cultivating really demonstrates that my emotions are not insignificant. Either join me in drink, or commiserate and tell me your tale of woe. Otherwise...stfu. I say that politely, with non-aggression, and a slight curtsy.

*End Rant*

In good news...my dog has learned a new game. It's called "I'm Mad At You. Hide the Poo."

Essentially, what happened was...my sister and I went away to DC for a long weekend. We did not go to work on Thursday and Friday because of this long weekend road trip, and ergo, Charlie did not get to go to his favorite place ever--CarRideAndThenToWORK. Since we've taken him to the office every day with us (perk of working for our Dad, holler), and he gets treats constantly from all the delivery people, it's like Disney World for him. So we denied him Disney World for two days.

What he does, in retaliation, is poops in my upstairs living room (I live in a kind of in-law apartment attachment of the house. It keeps me and my parents from killing each other.) But he's not like a normal dog, oh no. He's Catholic Guilt Charlie. He does wrong, and feels HORRENDOUS about it. If he could whip himself, he would. So he eats the poop. Like ya do. He eats the poop cause it was his favorite thing to do as a puppy. He eats the poop out of guilt, but at the same time still does it out of retaliation, like a good Catholic. He likes to watch in glee as we run around the small space trying to figure out where the fuck he pooped.

"Poo? What poo? I no poo. If there no poo, there no problem."

So my living room space smells like poop. My Dad tried cleaning up the suspect spots...but we can't be sure. Cause the damn dog ate the evidence.

YAY. WINE.

I want to add on to this whole shenanigan piece that I have not been working out as much as usual, so that makes me a little bit crazy. Apologies. But you can only blame yourself if you've not been entertained by my narrative, cause you've gone on reading it this far. Well done you.

I've resorted to de-stressing through food. I'm telling you right now, watch out for Amanda over at Rhymes & Ribbons . I've been trying out a few of her recipes and they will wash your cares away in a nice creamy vodka sauce. Pasta alla Vodka and I have been making friends...a lot recently.

That eye is supposed to be bigger than the other. Allergies. Not wine. Seriously. 

Most amazing thing ever. I've had it twice in two weeks.

 I also made the best decision ever of trying her Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies. Regular cookies will never be enough now.

Recipe has been placed on fridge for easy viewing. When you're feeling low, eat your carbs. God said that.

Better than booze in drowning ones sorrows. Oh and look! I now have more cushion....for sitting. Lovely.

Right. I'm off now to find my dignity somewhere. (Well if you read the last post, Getting Physical: Dominating the Swim Category you'll gather that I don't actually have any...it's there. I swear.)

Cheers, and next time, less complaining...but probably the same amount of wine....

Lindsay xx

Getting Physical: Dominating the Swim Category

I hear swimming is great exercise. I follow a few bloggers that go into great details about their tri's and their Ironman's and I feel sparks of jealous. Yes. I would like to do a tri someday. That sounds like good fun, running and biking and swimming. Yes! I like all those things. (Says the girl that just had a weekend of marathon viewing Pride & Prejudice and Doctor Who. Also...I've eaten my weight in food. MARATHONING. I mean it in every way possible.)

So one must begin somewhere. I do a bit of the running now and again. Though recently have been plagued by plantar fasciitis in both heels and I'm still trying to figure out how to get rid of it without seeing a doctor and without giving up running.

Maybe focus on another exercise for now.

Biking is going pretty well already. Completed a 30K bike race with my family, not to brag or anything. And by "completed" I mean, I barely survived. Pro tip: don't bring a mountain bike to a road race, kids. It means you get your own security detail because you will be the very last rider on the road. By the very end, everyone had been waiting for me for quite some time and I had just about reached delirium...that fun part of over exerting oneself when all you can do it put your fist in the air and incoherently sing "Eye of the Tiger". Or was it "We Are The Champions"? It was probably a rousing rendition of both. I'm just happy I didn't vomit on myself.

Just need a moment. To remind myself never to ride a mountain bike at a road race again. Or do anything my family says will be fun. LIARS.

So biking. Win. Done. Got it.

On to the swimming portion. I got some good workouts via email from my old ADPi sister Sarah, who's an awesome swimmer and avid sports woman. She does many things that make me very much regret sitting on my ass all weekend. Sarah recommended getting a swim cap and goggles for my new adventure. Swim cap would keep my hair out of my face so I could see while I swam. Originally I thought braids of some kind would do that but I like this idea of getting a swim cap. Surly I will look impressive and fierce at the gym pool. People will part like the red sea when I get into the water because they know....swim cap means business. Swim cap means I'll be slicing through water like a great shark.

Well people will surely be parting like the red sea. Guarantee it once they get a look at me!

See the thing is, I've always known my head to be....somewhat on the extra large scale. It's not just that I have a lot of hair, but my head itself really is...massive. In order to buy a Boston Red Sox fitted cap one time, both my Dad and I had to get Men's Extra Large. Turns out my Dad and I have the same head size.  No lady cap will do on my noggin, no sir.

But why would I think that would interfere with swim cap shopping? It's stretchy right? Made for all sizes?

Well, while the box does say "adult"...I don't think swim caps were quite made for me.

Please...enjoy my trials:

To begin...place hands inside cap and interlock fingers. Be sure not to use any sharp objects such as finger nails or hairpins.

Okay....got it.

Stretch it. Stretch it good.

 Now one must pull over head to secure in place.

Almost made it. But I feel like I've forgotten something within these ridiculously easy steps.

 Oh that's right....I've forgotten about my hair.

Eh, voila. I am swim champion.

 So I go back and put my hair into a bun with one hand and try and use the other to put the cap on. It worked okay....

Ummmm....

 Did I do it okay? Do I look alright? Would Michael Phelps take me out for a coffee later to swap pro tips?

 Yes. Yes he would. (I do believe you can cut off enough blood flow to your head to cause that delirium I was talking about earlier. It's kind of like drugs. And don't do drugs kids.)

YAY! I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M SO EXCITED.

Brain freeze. Or brain squeeze. I'm not sure yet.

 Guess what guys....you can't head bang in a speedo cap. You just can't. You may hurt someone or yourself.

Also, you're more suited to be one of the Who's in Whoville.

 I think I like it better with my hair down. Don't you? I think I'm really becoming in this one...

 ....becoming a superhero that is! Fighting crime any time, day or night...but preferably in water! As I wear goggles and can see better in water.

 I think my acting career is really going to take off. And I'm going to go places, if only I could use this as my headshot.

Maybe just my Ok Cupid profile pic. Not at all scary.

*No hair or heads were injured in the making of this tutorial. Only pride.

Cheers,
Lindsay Xx

Jane Austen Book Club: Pride and Prejudice

Such a late review for my July book Pride & Prejudice for The Quintessentially English Jane Austen Book Club that Erin started at the beginning of the summer. It's been such a good idea and I've very much enjoyed reading through Jane Austen's novels.  Join anytime if it's something you'd like to do! Here's some other posts done for P&P from people participating in the book club: Selena @ Oh, the Places We Will Go! and Holly Nelson @ English Girl Canadian Man

I like to throw a bit of controversy into my discussions with friends sometimes. Just wait for a lull in conversation, coyly look up and say..."So...Colin Firth version or Keira Knightley version?" 90% of women will know what you're talking about.

For the record, I prefer the Keira Knightley version. When I first saw it (Pride & Prejudice of course), I thought it so well cast. I will always love Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, but there is something about Matthew Macfadyen that is just...smoldering.

After just finishing reading Pride & Prejudice for the first time ever, I might add, I found the Knightley version even more suitable. But I really need to get around to watching the Colin Firth one to conduct a truly fair trial. (In the name of research, I am taking the task on now. A Sunday for an all out Austen-binge. Lost in Austen was finished in the morning and now we're on to the Colin Firth Pride & Prejudice 6-hour glory.  I know how to do a lazy Sunday right.)

If you've never read the book before, I think you're quite missing out. Unlike Mansfield's Park, which I'm reading for August and have failed miserably at getting sucked into or finishing within the month, P&P is quick paced and absorbing.

Off the bat you hate the mother, love Lizzy and Jane, and can't wait for new characters to come into play. Mr. Collins is beautifully put into color before your eyes as absolutely annoying and dreadful. You get excited for the introduction of Mr. Bingley and his guests and, truth be told, you won't like Darcy upon meeting him. That's the way it's supposed to be. Just like Lizzy's character, Austen makes you wait to warm up to him.

When approaching the book, it may have helped that I've seen the story line and heard the characters names over and over again throughout many different re-imaginings of the story. There are many renditions of Pride & Prejudice so reading the book is approachable and I was not confused easily. (As opposed to Mansfield Park, where every time I put it down, then pick it back up, I forget who some of the smaller characters are and need to flip through already read pages to pick the familiar threads up again.)

I am so glad I've actually sat down and read through Pride & Prejudice finally. It is sure to be a book that I can use in the future to self-soothe with (step away from the wine bottle, Lindsay) and have already found myself being comforted by a recent viewing of the Keira Knightley movie (albeit, with wine). I've been mentally keeping a list of the books and movies I must take with me to London when I head over to grad school (*pending visa*) to help distract me from any lonely moments when I find myself with nothing to do but feel homesick. It was a great tactic to use when I first studied abroad. My main objects of comfort being the DVD's of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Bridget Jones's Diary, the Harry Potter books and a book called Postcards From France by Megan McNeill Libby.

If you're very much into chick lit, fiction that includes a world of manners and etiquette or consider yourself an Anglophile, you should definitely read this book.

So, which do you prefer, Firth or Knightley version? (And can we still be friends since you know I love the Knightley version? I have many other fine qualities!)

Cheers,
Lindsay

Grad School Woes

I should be working on my review of Pride & Prejudice to post for my blogger Jane Austen Book Club. But the words just aren't coming.

I think I need more wine.

The blog post ideas have been coming in fast and then get stopped up like a clogged drain when it comes time for me to actually start writing. I blame grad school. I just can't function as I normally would when I have all these future plans up in the air.

Oh yes, grad school is up in the air. This may, or may not, have been the reason I demolished half a bottle of wine and found myself sobbing over the Keira Knightly Pride & Prejudice last Thursday. Not something I normally find myself doing, but ya know. Stress buster right there. Let's all be grateful I didn't eat my emotions by consuming a Domino's Pizza, then spend the next week complaining about my dairy issues, my face looking like I rubbed it in the pizza and...just ew. (PULL yourself together woman. There is NO need for that kind of behavior.)

This is how I feel right now. I wanna curl up in a blanket and hide. With my wine and my shitty pizza and Jane Austen movies. Oh wait...CHECK. Did it.

Funny thing about going to grad school in the UK. You can't just go on a visitor's visa...even though a visitor can be in the UK for up to six months and technically my first term is only two and a half months. I'll be back in the US in time for Christmas. But you can't go over and study on a visitor's visa (and would people please stop suggesting I "just try it"? How 'bout I try smacking you? That'd be more fun than me breaking the law. So stfu. <----look br="" i="" m="" stress="" swearing=""> Here's the deal. I need a student visa to go over, regardless that the school wants me. In order to apply for said visa I only need TWO things. 1-Proof that I can pay for school. Check. I have a letter from my loan company (bless you Sallie Mae) that they sent over right quick when I asked, that says I have the money. Love that that qualifies instead of having to have the money actually in my bank account. Thank you, UK government. No seriously...that does make things easier.

Number 2-I need a CAS-Confirmation of Acceptance to the school. That's not the email the school sent me saying "OMG we totes love you, come join our hippy ways in drama. Let us show you the way to a life of happiness and thriftiness. You won't even miss food. Too expensive, let's improv our emotions instead." (I wish they said that.) A CAS is not the really nice letter and packet they sent my way a few months ago. Loads of lovely, heart-palpitation inducing, information about my new school. Nope.

The school has it's hands on my super official, special, one-of-a-kind CAS letter. And they won't give it to me until I've given them my first payment. A payment of $5,000.

Okay, no worries. That's what my lovely loan is for and I want to pay with the loan. I don't have the money and while my parents may, I'd rather not ask them as I'll need help with cheaper things...like plane tickets, visa fees and maybe, possibly, some lovely apartment decorations and new school clothes. But really just the plane tickets and visa fees. Cause ya know....savings? What savings? I used to work in theatre, as a dog walker, gym desk attendant and waitress. Also I love wine. So, seriously...what savings?

I checked with my loan company, who's being so unbelievably helpful and understanding that it's a little mind blowing. They explained that my loan disbursement dates (the two dates that were chosen for the loan money to be sent to the school and then to me) were set by the school itself. And oh look...the first disbursement date is for October 15th....so that's only a week and a half AFTER my first day of school.

And you can't enter the country to go to school without a visa damnit. (Stress swearing.... #sorrynotsorry)

I emailed the financial director, who chose those dates. First she asked me to call the loan company because she didn't think that changing the dates (or picking the dates) was something she did (then WHO pray tell?!). So I did and the loan company said that she did and she can and no they won't give me a number/email for financial director lady to contact as she should already have that info....because she accepted the loan and chose the dates.

Emailed financial director again. Response: "Oh okay. I'll change those."

.......

That was over a week ago.

I was going to call her today. And boy will she not like that conversation. I get all "super perky, uber helpful, sunshine-y, customer service-y" when I'm pissed about something. Not many people know how to handle that (think over-caffeinated squirrel) and it's gotten me through a lot of bad customer situations. People will bend to my will because nobody knows what to do with all the freaking sunshine and positivity. However, she's lucky cause today is a bank holiday.

Nobody wants to mess with someone this perky. Because she just might be a murderer. I'll admit to nothing.

Ergo...tomorrow I will be calling and explaining to her why I need that loan money last week, in order to get that CAS emailed to me, in order to apply for my visa which could take as long as eight weeks to get approved for and if I don't get that visa before the start of school, then I can't go to school and then I cancel my loan, and oh no...then the school won't get that money. (Run-on sentence FTW! My undergrad English professors will be so happy that I'm using my degree well...and not continuing on in the field, as I'm quite inadequate to do so.)

I'll say all that way nicer. I think.

Here's hoping I can send in for my visa before the end of the week.

Cheers,
Lindsay xx

P.S. So I have a contingency plan if I end up canceling the grad school plan...I'm going to go on a spa bender. Oh yes. I've gotten a massage three times in my life now, and even on this last trip for just reflexology on my hands and feet, they still want me naked. I feel you. I want to be naked too. Did shit just get weird? Have some wine, you'll get over it.

Obligatory "Oh My God, I'm naked underneath this robe!" shot. You must do it.

Crohn's Girl Running

There has been so much goodness and delight and sunshiny happiness going on in my world of running that I have had no time to update anyone on it. I haven't even filled in my parents on all the gory details of everything I've done and I live with them.

I just wanted to revel in all I've done this summer. It's gone by too, too fast. And isn't that said every summer?

Funny how most adults, majority who aren't even teachers, speak like summer time is break time and it's NOT. I still go to work every day (until grad school in OCTOBER!! *Pending Visa*). Just for some reason, summer is the time of "The Trips to Every Place I Can Think Of". Here, stupid airlines that give me no snack, take my money. Take me places!

For a good part of this year, I had taken on the challenge of participating in Team Challenge. I've never done anything like that before and let me tell you....I am so glad I did. Team Challenge is an organization that runs/walks in races and raises money for CCFA, Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. Amazing group raising money for my people. How could I not get involved after training for my first race ever, the Disney Princess Half Marathon, and finding that I so absolutely love training for a half. (Yes, 14 yr-old Lindsay, I did go insane. Who'da thunk?)

Also, joining Team Challenge and being on the National Team (I had no local running team near me, since I live in the middle of nowhere) I got to meet amazingly cool runners who like arts and crafts as much as I do:

From my mentor, Abbe. Totally still have this, as it is AWESOME. She gets additional awesome points for spelling my name correctly. Even relatives, who leave comments on my FACEBOOK wall spell my name incorrectly. 

 The whole National Team met for the first time at the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half Marathon weekend, though some have been doing Team Challenge for a few years and know each other well. After just a weekend together, I'm certain I'll want to do Napa again...if only to kick the boys butts in time. I can shave an hour off my time in a year right? Totally sane goal...uh-huh yes. Watch me. I do love a challenge that involves more than "let's see how fast I can get my iron levels up, decrease my roughage, and reduce flare-ups so my GI doctor doesn't put me on any scary drugs." Oh the life of a Crohnie, you have no idea how fun. Surprise stool samples required.

Are you eating right now, I really hope you're eating right now. I mean, at my dinner table, we only talk about bowel habits when we're eating. So much sharing right now! How EXCITED are you?

Fun fact: when I first signed on to the National Team, my amazingly awesome and perky team leader, Adina, was excited to hear I had Crohn's as that meant we had the most amount of people with the disease on the National Team then they had had in a long time. Surprise, surprise, (at least to me) most people running for Team Challenge don't have Crohn's or Colitis but are running for others who do. That almost made me cry right there. And trust me, if you do Team Challenge, you cannot make it out of the Pasta Dinner without shedding some tears. Seriously. So many inspirational stories from people and it was truly inspiring to see how many people were running in honor of someone. I was really glad to be a part of it and actually able to run, unlike so many others who have Crohn's and Colitis worse than I do.

Fun fact #2: Until last October when I went to my very first CCFA support group meeting, I had never met anyone with Crohn's or Colitis. In all my 14 years with the disease. I only ever heard that some one's friend of a friend had it. So when I was actually at the half and met tons of people my age with it, it was a little more mind blowing than I expected.

Other than partying it up with a whole lot of other people with bathroom issues (guess what? we know ALL the poop jokes. Yes. All of them.), I loved this half marathon because it was in WINE COUNTRY. If you know me, you know I love my wine.

We celebrate long runs with WINE. I'm sure that's a total recovery rule. In my book. "Can't feel my knees! I know, I'll drink wine! BEST IDEA. I win."

 I ran a good race, better than my first half, not in terms of time, but the fact that I ran longer. I ran 12 miles before my digestive system woke up and alerted me to the fact that if I did not start walking soon, there would be some impolite issues to deal with soon. My first half, I made it just 10 miles. (Full race recap of the Napa Half coming soon. With more runner-friendly details other than how much wine I was drinking...although that is a fun detail in my book.)

This is what happens, though, when you don't actually follow any training program at all. As a part of Team Challenge I was given a run plan to follow from our very cool training coach (each team has their own coach), but I still have issues wrapping my head around the fact that I'm a runner. I get intimidated by expectation and often times my "training" is just running a few times a week and seeing how long I feel like going. I think after the joy I got from doing this one, and my steel-hard reserve for doing better than the boys next year, I will actually put a little more thought and effort into working on a run plan. Like, for serious guys. I'm going to start lifting weights and swimming (ohhhh cross training! Look at me go!) and everything (intervals anyone?).

I'm kind of pumped.

A few more pictures from the run:

After a long run, bananas are the only thing my stomach can tolerate for the first 45 minutes after I'm done.

How cool am I with my water belt? Yeah...you wish you were this dorky.

 This was my first time fueling up in a hotel room before a race, so I went all out and bought my favorite Gluten Free Honey'd Corn Flakes and Almond Milk for the job, ate a banana and....some tuna straight from the can. I can't help it, it's delicious and fuel/stomach friendly. I have some weird, but fun! (sarcasm folks...), dietary issues. It's not a necessity for me to be Gluten Free all the time, but before runs I'm sensitive to it if I've been eating it the days leading up to the run. Weird right? It's like a build up or something, that affects me.

Pre-race fueling in a hotel room...when you dietary issues. Always such a good time.

 The day before the race was one of the best I've had all summer (except for my birthday). I got invited to a winery that's not usually open to the public. We got a special lunch, loads of wines to taste and were allowed to wander around the gorgeous old house and property. I hope to write a post just on that winery. It really was an amazing way to get ready for a race.

So. Much. Wine. Clearly, doing it right:

Day before a race, I always seem to wind up with a wine glass in my hand. I think it's just my process now. 

 For some reason, after my half marathon, I went into a runner's coma for three weeks and didn't run at all. Then one day I decided I wanted to just jet off to Chicago to visit my sorority sister, Carrie, and check the city out. She just happened to be running in the Zooma 10K the Saturday I would be there. So, you know, just as the recovery rules go, after a half marathon, not running for a few weeks, I decided to push myself and do the 10k.

AND THEN I PR'D! And stuffed my face, and drank my weight in bourbon and whiskey.

If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now...clearly, I make good choices.

Ooh look, jewelry!!

Zooma 10K is awesome cause you get JEWELRY!!

 I managed to beat my old 10K time of 1 hour and 17 minutes and did it in 1 hour 12 minutes. I blame it all on my friend Carrie. I didn't want to embarrass myself by slowing down and we were both kept fairly distracted by the beautiful scenery of running along the lakefront and gossiping catching up. Also...damn that sun was hot. Felt hotter than running in Florida for the Disney Half.

I was proud enough that I went ahead and ate enough dairy to cover me for the rest of the year. Normally, I keep my distance (only slightly sensitive, don't worry, no serious allergies here), but how could you go to Kuma's Too and not order the mac and cheese? We added the bacon and peas because clearly we are genius'.

I love you.

 After that I made love to a burger. Medium rare with herbed goat's cheese, fried red onions, corn salsa and a lemon vinaigrette. Screw fries. With a burger that good, it needs no accouterments.

I'm fairly certain that burger made me a woman. Thank you Kuma's.

Ohmygod. I will dream of this burger FOREVER. Goatsnake = forever love. And my beer was as dark and thick as espresso. Best stuff I've had in awhile.

So over all, my running choices have been gooooood. Who would have thought that someone with Crohn's could have such adventures? And adventures that don't involve the words "surprise stool sample day"? Definitely not 14 year old me. When I was diagnosed, I was fairly certain, as certain as an all knowing teen can be, that my life was over. No travel, no good food, no exercise (cause back then, exercise was seen as something that would cause a flare-up), no friends that would understand.

Over the last 14 years of having this horrible, no-good, very bad, super lame, disease, my life has been pretty stellar.

And oh look.....I'm going to move to LONDON, ENGLAND for grad school in October for Acting. BOO-YAH. I win.

Cheers,
Lindsay

Little Bit 'O Lovin'

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Trying out this whole Bloglovin' thing! Feel free to follow me on that if you're keeping your blogs there. I'm kinda digging it right now...instead of my usual manner of checking all my bookmarked blogs this seems easier to me.

Cheers,
Lindsay xx

Jane Austen Book Club: Sense and Sensibility

One of the expat bloggers I read suggested a few months via Twitter to doing a blogger book club for Jane Austen. I was immediately invested as I have been meaning to read all of Jane Austen's novels. It's embarrassing to admit as an English Lit degree holder, I have only ever read one Jane Austen, Emma. I knew I'd be a big fan just from that one book, so I signed on to do the book club as well.

I present to you, The Quintessentially English Jane Austen Book Club. The reading schedule is as follows, in order of when published:

• June - Sense and Sensibility (1811)
• July - Pride and Prejudice (1813)
• August - Mansfield Park (1814)
• September - Emma (1815)
• October - Northanger Abbey (1818)
• November - Persuasion (1818)

I finished Sense and Sensibility at the end of June and have already finished Pride and Prejudice as well. I'll try to keep my little reviews of both separate, but know that'll be quite hard for me. I've got too much comparison going on in my head of both. I very much enjoyed Sense and Sensibility but than I read P&P and couldn't put it down. 

Now I'm not one for a recap, so check out SparkNotes or Google it if you haven't read it. Cheaters can just go straight to the phenomenal movie written by Emma Thompson, staring her and Kate Winslet. Going down as one of my favorite movies ever AND has just all the very best British actors in it. Couldn't believe it. It's the most well cast movie based on a book. Read the book first and you'll see. 

Sense and Sensibility definitely had the feel of a chick lit on the first go of it. I love the manners that instruct British society in this time period. There are rules of conduct and how one should behave. So of course I loved all the rule breakers. Marianne was the one I most identified with because of her grand emotion about everything, except I wish I was more like Elinor. This is one of those things that feel quite black and white to me when reading. There's a clear choice of who you should want to be like. That's how I feel when I watch Sex & The City. Everyone wants to be just like Carrie, or find a bit of themselves in her, but most of the time we're like one of the other girls who are put into a very extreme type cast. (I'm definitely Charlotte and a bit of Miranda...also, after watching that show back-to-back...I freaking hated Carrie. They try quite hard to make her like "every woman".)

I think that the book could be a bit over dramatic at times and just seemed...like her first novel, as if she was finding her feet in the genre. A lot of the smaller characters were quite one-dimensional, like the Palmers, Mrs. Dashwood, Fanny and John. I think the movie actually made everyone a lot more nuanced than the book. And I was never aware of Margaret Dashwood at all in the book, but she played a good part in the coming together of Elinor and Edward Ferrars in the movie.

Some of the choices in the movie I was on board with quite a lot. There was no Lady Middleton and I do believe her children in the book were replaced by dogs in the movie. LOVED that choice as I feel she was a nothing kind of character. What really was her purpose other than to show how completely different her husband was in comparison to her? I also enjoyed the fact that there was no forced hinting of emotion between Marianne and Colonel Brandon in the movie. A lot of movies like to create that emotion before it's time and in the book Marianne doesn't feel anything for Colonel Brandon till the end. 

I was disappointed that in the movie there was no Anne Steele. One of my favorite parts of the book (and the movie) was the relationship between the sisters, Elinor and Marianne. You feel that love and that trust. It reminded me a lot of my relationship with my sister. Though my younger sister is more rational and mature than I, much more the Elinor to my Marianne. I enjoyed, in the book, the great contrast of their relationship against that of Lucy Steele and Anne Steele's relationship. It just showed much more strength in Elinor and Marianne's. 

My last comment of note between the book and the movie is that in the movie I very much appreciated that it showed Elinor suffering in silence over Lucy's engagement to Edward. You feel her pain. In the book, it's still very much a time of politeness and I didn't get such an intense feeling from the book because you just see Elinor playing by society's rules. She is upset, but she reigns in her emotions, she is very controlled...unlike her sister Marianne, who is makes herself sick over lost love.

It was so lovely to read the book and then watch the movie. I think it really helped me to fall in love with Austen's story a bit more than if I had just read the book.

Of course, then I read Pride and Prejudice and how can you not love that story? I'm not sure we can be friends if you didn't like that book. But I want to wait until after I get back from my trip to California this weekend for my Napa half marathon before I write about July's book. 

Can I just say that I tried to go from Jane Austen to Stephen King and have been attempting to read Under the Dome, worst idea ever. Definitely not good for a delicate psyche, let me tell you. He is a really good writer and even the simplest scenes of a bird dying are completely devastating and horrific to me. Give me a world of manners and elegance any day. Can't wait to start on Mansfield Park!

Have you read any Jane Austen? I would love to hear favorites, and opinions on Sense and Sensibility!

Cheers,

Lindsay