Sunshine Post: August Edition

Dear Kindreds.

Fourscore and seven eons ago, (or forty seven of something, anyway, if nothing quite so drastic as eons😜) this little blog was tagged, very kindly, for the Sunshine Blogger Award by Liz over at The Antique Bookworm. (Whom we thanked then, and thank again now, so as to be properly thorough at the thing ;) And knowing my own self fairly well, she was then warned that it could just take awhile before my pen should have a chance to become very well acquainted with Blog-Post Paper, since that seems to be the way I do things.... Also I was in the middle of the Second Busiest Season Of The Whole Entire Year, which contributed to this considerably. (Which being May-and-June-'Cember, just in case anyone wonders ;) BUT. Not even I expected it to take THIS long😳 Fourscore and seven is an awful lot, even if they're only medium sized and pretend eons.

But eventually Miss Not-Starr has indeed popped back up and out of the woodwork brandishing her post, having been cooking  it up behind the scenes (or the woodwork :P)  the whole time, and seasoning it with pinches and dashes of time and scribbling...  

In fact, you see before you a double post today, because I'm not only borrowing Lizzie Hexam's idea, and writing this twofold, but she has been so lovely as to tag us again, (Thankyou, Lizzie!!) and so it comes about :)  (To be tagged by a Liz and a Lizzie both in the one thing, imagine!)

I imagine you all know the rules of the game by now, but I'll reacquaint you with them anyway just to be on the safe side ;)

1. Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog.

2. Thank the person who nominated you.

3. Provide a link to your nominator’s blog.

4. Answer your nominator’s questions.

5. Nominate up to 11 bloggers.

6. Ask your nominees 11 questions.

7. Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts.

And now, shall we up and at the questions? 

(But before we do, allow me to say please do excuse the way the fonts are all the time changing sizes throughout the post, it is a Whim that the blog has taken to of late, and I can't seem to get it to shake the notion... Messy as the result is ):)

Liz's Questions

1. Favorite Nancy Drew book?

Emi: Excellent, excellent question!! Seeing as I'm a bit rusty whipping out this answer, though, it having been awhile since I stuck my nose in anything Nancy Drew, I'm going to go with The Mystery Of  Lilac Inn.... It's a classic, and it sticks out in my memory because of the cover, (my sister actually has the same edition as you do, Liz!) so we'll go with that :P 

Julie: Hmmm... wow, it's been a while... I read them mostly between 7-9... but I remember going through random periods of obsessions with certain books. Including The Secret of the Broken Locket, The Mystery of Lilac Inn, Sign of the Twisted Candles, Clue of the Black Keys, The Whispering Statue, Clue of the Velvet Mask... I know I always preferred the more dramatic ones. With the scary kidnapping scenes. I don't know what's wrong with me, LOL... Anyway. I really don't think I can pinpoint a favorite, I loved those books so much...

2. Least favorite middle-grade books?

Emi: Harry Potter? I mean, I've never actually READ them, but I think they qualify anyway.

Julie: Oof... there are SO many stupid middle-grade books... (as a teacher, I can say that, I've come up against many stupid books...) Again, so hard to choose, but I'm going to put down Captain Underpants here... those books are just garbage and I despise them... You'll never see one of them in my classroom, for sure!!

 

3. Are you a fan of Shakespeare? And have you ever acted out a section of one of his works? 

Emi: Am not. (Though I've never actually read his work. I apparently dislike a good many books I have not read.) This does not prevent a shivery thrill from going down my spine when I hear a particular section (Puck's monologue from Act Five, Scene One of A Midsummer Night's Dream) read in my mother tongue, though. Something about the intonations and the richness of those R's being rolled goes perfectly with the darkness of that particular bit. Even if it's incredibly creepy. Perhaps being made even creepier by the way it rolls off the reader's tongue.

Also no, I haven't acted anything of his out, not even so much as what Julie is going to say presently XD Poor Romeo never knew freely how his name would come to be bandied about in the centuries that came after him, did he?

Julie: The simple answer here is no, I am not a Shakespeare fan. Although I do laugh most hysterically over Shakespearian insults. I will say I love The Taming of the Shrew film with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, but that's about as far as I go with enjoying Shakespeare. I learned too much about him in college to be a fan, LOL. As for the acting part, I have been known to occasionally strike a dramatic pose while warbling out "Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo..." and so on...

4. Favorite bookish drink?

Emi: Raspberry cordial wins out over currant wine, because in addition to its undeniable advantage in never setting the company drunk when you are having your very first tea party with a real guest and no grownups, (even if the longed-for rosebud tea set is replaced by the everyday brown one,) it always paints a very pleasant mental picture, and sounds very refreshing to me.

Julie: I'm going to play copycat here and also say raspberry cordial. Because why not? "I love bright red drinks, don't you? They taste twice as good as any other color." -LMM Btw, they sell something on PEI labelled raspberry cordial and while it isn't the traditional thing, it is so good... it's basically raspberry pop. And I drank several tumblers full while I was on the island... (and I didn't get drunk, thank goodness XD)

5. If you had to choose to live in Middle Earth or Narnia.... Where would you choose, and why? 

Emi: Middle Earth. Because they have the sweetest little hobbit-houses there, and I want one. This while I have never met them except in pictures, and have no other basis to settle my decision on. The roundness of their doors and the delightfulness of them being set in hillsides is enough to make me pick them.

Julie: I am afraid I have no idea what Middle Earth is and I have never read the Chronicles of Narnia, so I must respectfully decline to answer here...

6. What time period would you live in for one day, and who would you bring back to the future with you? 

Emi: Are fictional guests allowed to be brought back into the future with me?? Because if so, I honestly can't think of any place (bookish, of course) that I want to visit so much as Lantern Hill, (I assume in the 1920's or 30's?) and I WOULD love to bring Jane Stuart back with me.... Lantern Hill is exactly my sort of place. Something about the little potbellied stove and those liberal lashings of magic, and Jane herself....

Julie: So for the past eleven years of my life, I've been fascinated by Les Miserables, and I finally this summer took the plunge and went all in with it. I'm purely obsessed with that story now. So I'd go back to the 1830's, during the June Rebellion, and bring back whoever I could manage to save. Because a lot of those characters on the barricade were based on people Victor Hugo saw in real life. He witnessed the barricade battles first-hand. 

7. What time period do you like, but everyone else hates?

Emi: Another excellent question, which I have no earthly idea how to answer, because I can't think of so much as one time period that everyone else hates, let alone one that qualifies for that reason, and that I myself like XD Can I leave this question unanswered for reasons of cluelessness??

Julie: Oh boy... there is no such thing as a time period that everyone hates, is there...?? I mean, there's always some random eccentric somewhere that's obsessed with Vikings or Medieval Peasants or ancient Caledonia or even the Spanish Inquisition... I'm going to pick Jacobite-era Scotland, between the 1680's and 1745. It was a dreadful time for Scotland, and the English were absolute monsters... but I've always been fascinated learning about it and although the Scots lost pretty much everything, they didn't go down without a fight. It's a testament to desperate courage and that is noble.

8. Favorite period movie not in the Regency period?

Emi: Does Anne Of Green Gables (Sullivan version) count?? No? Well then, make it Les Mis ;) (Have I ever seen it? Ahem. No. Admittedly, not yet. But I have seen and heard OF it, and tumbled head-over-high-heeled-slippers in extreme like with it. For more reasons than just red jackets even, people. Something about all these people just does things to the heart...)

Julie: Hmmm... Are you sure, Emi, that AOGG doesn't count? Because if not (and I still love Ben-Hur too) but oh my word I have to say Les Mis... Which I HAVE seen (you been slacking, Emi) and it is pure gloriousness. AGH, the music, the music... I ADORE the music... and every single character in it (besides the Thenardiers) and there is just too much to love about that movie, especially... ahem... my new favorite fictional character of all time... being Enjolras, of course... XD (yes, I'm also currently obsessed with Aaron Tveit. Don't judge. Have you heard him sing? XD)

9. Movie that you love, but everyone hates?

Emi: Everyone in my family, or just in general?? Because within the family,  that would be all the period drama type stuff, even my younger sisters think Jane Austen is dry and ancient XD Yes, I am widely considered the old fashioned girl of the lot.... 

Julie: I feel like I've answered this exact question before, and answered the same as I'm about to answer now... Spider-Man 3. For some reason, most people seem to hate it, the critics go wild criticizing it. And yes, it's campy... yes, it's weird... and yes, I love it. XD

10. Favourite 80's movie/TV Show?

Emi: Since I'm not actually familiar with all that many 80's movies and TV shows, I believe I will go with the earlier seasons of Full House here.

Julie: The Princess Bride, obviously... and while I'm on the subject I've gotta say that while it's known for its hilarious lines, the best quote just is "eyes like the sea after a storm..." 

11. Have you ever been tagged for the Sunshine Blogger Award before? (And if yes, how many times?)

Emi: I have, and this makes the third time! (Though with the next one in line, courtesy of Lizzie, it will be four :)

Julie: Thanks, Emi, I was losing count... XD (actually, I was tagged more than that, but I don't feel like going back and counting atm, I'm being lazy today...)

Lizzie's Questions

What's your favorite and least favorite household chore?

Emi~ Favourite? General tidying and making things pleasant, and washing dishes and sweeping floors... Dishwashing can be relaxing, in a way, and I love how much NICER a place feels when the floor has been swept. As for least favourite, maybe washing the floors? It always seems like the floors somehow have hold of so much invisible (well, not entirely invisible, but an apparently clean looking floor will still leave you with dirty mop-water :P) dirt that you wind up spending three-quarters of your time just washing out the mop head XD That part is not actually my favourite thing.

And if we have time for a quick and random observation... My keyboard, being Canadian, is putting dotted red lines underneath the word Favorite in the question above. XD It's pretty sure there's a U missing in there!

Julie: Favorite is sweeping, maybe folding laundry... least favorite is washing dishes. I HATE washing dishes.

Have you ever watched a movie remake that was better than the original movie?

Emi~ I have indeed, and it was Swiss Family Robinson.... And let it be known that the one with--shoot, I forget his name, let me dash off and find it quick😬😆 *comes back only slightly out of breath, since the internet was only a short jog away* Ahem. The one with James MacArthur in it, I say, is the Official Swiss Family Robinson on my books. *nods head decisively*

Julie: Oh, so many, soooo many... First that comes to mind is The Scarlet Pimpernel though, so I'm gonna go with that one. Ever seen it? It's fabulous. I need to watch it again, very much so.

His ridiculously pompous face... XDXD

What decade are the majority of the songs you listened to today from? 

Emi~ Uhhhhh-hmm🤔 The particular Today that I'm writing this in, I think I listened to about four songs... One from probably the eighties, another from what I'm assuming to be the late nineties, (I'll check, one second... Oops, nope, way off, it was 2005 XD ) So yeah. That leaves the other two, which I'm assuming are from the past couple of years here, so very recent stuff. Early to mid 2020's, then, I guess :P (Doesn't THAT sound funny?? Like we're living out history in the making, which I guess we technically are :P)

Julie: Hmm... lemme see... I think they're all from the most recent decade...

What's a language/grammar mistake that drives you crazy? (Or a more general pet peeve, if you can't think of a language-related one.)

Emi~ Oh, that's an easy one. When people write Your instead of You're... 

Julie: I'm a member of the infamous Grammar Police... that being said, I don't always set the best example. But the "its" vs "it's" really drives me nuts. It's so easy... see? XD

What's a movie you've seen recently that you just can't wait to re-watch? 

Emi~  That would be The Ultimate Gift. (It's incredible, by the way, and if any of you ends up having the slightest half chance, you must needs watch it... It's one of those rare gems of  movies that teaches without it feeling like you're being preached at, just good solid stuff... Though I warn you right now, the probability of it making you cry is fairly high.) The only difficulty is that it's on DVD, and I'm the only person in my family who delights in watching and rewatching movies in rapid succession that I've particularly enjoyed XD The rest are like "but we just WATCHED that!!" even if it was a least three months ago already.

Julie: I actually happen to be rewatching it now... (I have a bad habit of playing movies in the background while I'm working on stuff). It's... surprise... a Hallmark movie. XD Called One Royal Holiday. And the only reason I'm watching it is because Aaron Tveit is in it. He's the only reason the movie wasn't a total disaster, because this thing is ridiculously cheesy. Funny story... I saw parts of this movie in the lobby of a nursing home last Christmas and was oddly fascinated by one character in particular, never dreaming that he was Enjolras and would shortly be my favorite actor...

What's a movie you've seen recently that you never want to watch again?

 

Emi~ Hum🤔 Since I usually get up and stop watching movies I don't like... This is something of a difficult question. Allow me to think about this for a moment. 

I'm coming up empty on this🤨 Apparently I have not been watching very many movies lately, and only movies I liked while I watched them...

Julie: I feel like I just saw a movie that I hated ridiculously much... I've gotta think about that... hmmm... oh yes! Snow White. The new live-action version. I do LOVE the new song, but for the most part, I thought it was absolutely pathetic. Extremely poorly-done. 

You're stranded on a desert island. You can bring three fictional characters with you: One will be your protector, one will be your moral support, and one will be devoting his/her time to finding a way off the island. Which three characters do you bring?

Emi~This is a very easy question, except for the part of it that is not XD Because clearly I can choose no one but Jack Allen of Odyssey for the position of Moral Support, and again Jason Whittaker (those poor guys, they're gonna be like "can't you ever pick anyone else??! SERIOUSLY Emi, we need a vacation!!) to figure us all out a way to get OFF the island, but who do I get to play protector??! I have not the faintest idea😳 Oh! No, actually I do. Shiloh Irons from the Cheney Duvall, MD. books by Lynn and Gilbert Morris. He's like a combination of prizefighter and nurse, so he should fit just about every bill the island sees fit to throw at us. Or wait. Can I change my mind and bring Enjolras??! (Of Les Mis fame, of course. And I won't complain if he decides that he cannot get along without a red flag, either. I'm very agreeable that way...)

Julie: Kindly forgive me my redundancy, I tend to be rather repetitive when I'm in the midst of an obsession. Enjolras will be the protector, of course. (Said that before I saw that you did, Emi XD) Jo March will be my moral support since the two of us are practically carbon copies of each other. And the one figuring out how to escape will be my own Ronnie, because he knows how to do things like that.

If you could go back in time, and ask one historical figure one question, who/what would it be?

Emi~ I'm going to go with Johnny Appleseed, but not because I have one specific question that I want to ask him🤔More because he was such an interesting person... Though while I'm visiting ANYWAY, I'll ask him which apple varieties grew best in the most northerly state he ever struck out to. Cuz y'know, orchards for Dream Houses must needs have apple trees in them, and any ol' kind just won't make it through the winter!

Julie: That has got to be the hardest question EVER. So I'm just going to go on impulse and pick the first one that pops into my head, being Patrick Henry. And I would simply ask him to tell me everything about the Revolution, and I would then sit and listen, and enjoy it thoroughly, since he was the best speaker in the history of the world...

How would you describe your personality in just three words?

Emi~ Aghh, this is hard😩😆Okay, let's give this a shot... Old fashioned, orderly, and feminine? Is that  too-I don't know, surface? Because I assure you, they're accurate :P But I don't know if they do the best job of summing up my personality. Should probably throw Scribbley in there somewhere, because words are an inextricable part of it, but comparing myself to a book character (or rather, mixing up a cocktail out of characters and comparing myself to that) might come closer than three specific words can, even WITH "Scribbley" in there :P

Julie: Oh boy... dramatic, eccentric, and stubborn.

What's one board game you secretly (or not so secretly) dread playing?

Emi~ Oh, Monopoly, hands down. I will even rather play Construction Game (yes, this is a real game!!) than this, and enjoy Farming Game compared to it... (Also a real game. For the weekend farmer, so the box states, but the genuine full-time article is also permitted to play if they can find the time to do so ;) 

Julie: Risk. I hate it. My family is the WORST when it comes to that game... horrid arguments, and it's just the most unpleasant thing ever.

What's a story you think is just begging to be made into a musical? (And which, as far as you know, has not been made into a musical yet.) 

Emi~ Mr. Popper's Penguins. I know it's been turned into a movie, but it needs to be the perfect vintagey combination of Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, you know?? Something more along the lines of the book, which was adorable and sweet and so much fun... Remember the vintage-y part, because that's essential... It looks like the 60's in my imagination, but upon further reflection that doesn't seem quite right, so that may just be a quirk of the mental picture it comes with.  

Julie: The Count of Monte Cristo. I've always adored that story, and wow, imagine the potential for dramatic, tear-inducing solos... (pleeeeeease can't I cast Aaron Tveit in the title role?? Because his voice would just be perfect for it... plus he's already proved himself perfect at playing dramatic French heroes...)

Annnnd I do believe that wraps up all of today's questions!! (And such excellent questions, you make thinking them up look easy! Which I know it isn't always, having had a whack or two at it myself :P) And speaking of which, sort of and after a fashion... There is one other small matter that must needs be brought up! Which being that, since everybody I know, and vast quantities of people I know at the very least by name have already been tagged and re-tagged for this award, I think I'll leave the nominating for another day here🙃 I know, I know, this is not very rule-biding of me, but so the matter stands :P  We must save some of the fun for next time, mustn't we?? That having been said, allow me to address the random passerby who may have just read up to this point, and say if you have even the tiniest inkling of wanting to have a go at it, please but please do!! This is what the Comments Section is for, and ooh, I would be absolutely delighted to see your answers if you happen to feel like sharing them :) See, I have even have questions down below just in case!

But anyway. Thanks again for thinking of us, girls, and awfully sorry this took such an age to get up and posted! (Life happening being always the main culprit of everything, you know.) 

It is late now, and I do believe I shall sign off on this post, put it up on the blog quickly and see if I can't go finish crocheting my amigurumi monkey a banana yet before my bed beckons too convincingly :P

Au Revoir, ye lovely people... 

Until The Next Post Comes Out Of The Cupboard At Long Last, 

~Emi

My Own Eleven Questions

• Do you have a favourite poet? If so, who is it, and which work of theirs do you like best?

• Which do you enjoy most, classic detective stories or Action/Adventure? Ie, westerns, missionary stories, and other birds clad in feathers of a similar hue...

• What is one thing/skill you learned this year that you're so excited to get to use from here on out? 

• What's one book you read within the past year or two that was so good that you're telling everybody you know about it?

• What is the most storybookish thing you've ever come across in real life?

• Which sounds more doable to you, being lost in a city where you don't know the language, or being lost in the woods with no cell service?

• What is one tradition you grew up on that you want to continue in your own home?

• What is the title of the seventh book in the third row of your bookshelf right now? (I know I'm snitching this question from somebody, but hopefully they take this as a compliment, because it's just too fun of a question to leave unasked  :P) Feel free to count shelves from either the top or the bottom, by the way ;)

• What time period of bygone hairstyles do you feel would have suited you best, and what is one updo from that time that you wish was more common nowadays?

• Are you of the camp that names their belongings, or quite the opposite? (Car, typewriter, sewing machine, that kind of Belonging.)

• Who is your favourite book hero, and why do they claim that  most distinguished position?