Here we go round the mulberry bush... Sunshine Blogger Award x 2!

Sally Silverscreen of 18 Cinema Lane and Hamlette of Hamlette's Soliloquy both tagged me with the Sunshine Blogger Award (thank you ladies!). They have some great questions so without further ado... let us to it! (Also, last time I peppered you with Bertie Wooster quotes, so this time I'm going to pile in bunches of somewhat-slightly-tying-in-with-the-topic Chesterton wisdom. Just because I can. And I still have to find good memes for my favorites -- turns out no one really makes memes with page long quotes from Manalive, alas :p -- but enjoy!)

~ From Sally Silverscreen ~

1) What is your favorite snack?

Currently a peanut butter and banana energy bar + cold milk.

2) Is there a television show episode that you like, but other people do not?

I've found out some folks believe there're inconsistencies in Death in Paradise, Season 6, Ep 7 (In the Footsteps of a Killer), but I've seen it a couple times and staunchly stand by the work of one of my favorite detective teams. So phooey! 

3) What was the last movie you saw?

A Mystery Science Theater. Does that count? If not, then Anchors Aweigh (1945).

4) Are there any blog posts that you plan on publishing in 2021? If so, what will it be?

Not sure if I'll do a blog party or just some sort of year long marathon, but I'd like to watch through and review as many Jane Eyre's as I can. Also a bunch of heavier, new-to-me period dramas (and also very familiar ones I just haven't gotten around to reviewing). Along the lines of which, I'm verrrrrrrrrrry excited as there're a bunch of interesting looking BBC things coming out soon. They're primarily set round the turn of the century and WW's I & II, and I think it'd be really fun to try and review them while they're still newish. (But that's if I can get my hands on them and realistically it'll probably be next year, since we're already in September.)

5) Which book would you tell your friends to stay away from?

I generally toss objectionable ones before getting too far. As for one I read right through: The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. It's very well written and vivid (tremendously vivid) in its portrayal of a country without the gospel. It's one I'd definitely put on a classics/great books list, but with qualifications and taking into mind who was asking for the recommendation. It sears into your consciousness. And it can be depressing. It took me awhile to work through the emotions/they still leave kind of a wry taste whenever I think of it (and this is coming from a woman who loves Crime & Punishment and Heart of Darkness).

6) Did you perform a random act of kindness lately? If so, what was it?

Possibly helping dry wine glasses after church? *ducks cause I really don't like talking about this sort of thing*

7) Has there been a moment where you’ve stepped out of your comfort zone? If you want, share your experience! 

Well, um, pretty much whenever I have to make an Announcement of Any Sort in Front of a Large-ish Group of People.

8) What was the last thing to make you laugh?

In the sense of really hard, eyes-watering, the Mystery Science Theater. In the regular round the house sense, something my two year old just said. (Seriously, small folks make some of the loveliest besties. xD)

9) Which movie scene is your favorite?

*trying to wrap my brain around this* 

Uhhh no, not going to happen. 

It all depends what mood I'm in and what time of year it is and what genre we're talking about, see? 

Well, all right, generally I consider the ending of the '04 North & South as an epitome of the storytelling art -- metaphor, theme, characters, story, romance, reticence, everything -- snowballing into perfection. But bear ye in mind, this answer is under duress. It's not? Well, scratch that then. xD (No, seriously though, I do love it.)

10) What is your least favorite Christmas song?

Of the ones that might actually pop up in my playlist and then get skipped (not the ones that make you go 'ehhhhh, ick' on the radio or over the store loudspeakers), The Little Drummer Boy. It goes on forever and... yeah, various issues.

11) Is there a theatrically released film you’d like to see?

This might (or might not) be surprising, but I really really don't go to the theater much a'tall. Oh... but(!) as aforementioned, I am exceedingly curious about the new Death on the Nile coming out with Kenneth Branagh, Armie Hammer and others (though I know how it ends and who was cast as who, so still not sure how I'll deal with that -- it has the potential to be Very Tragic :P).

~ Hamlette's Questions ~

1. What's something good that's happened to you this year?

Going to Yellowstone. <333333 This makes the fourth time and I'm so happy and thankful and love it so much and am so so glad we were able to go. (Plus we were camping with cousins! Which 'twas marvelous.) And DH took the Little Princess and I on a stagecoach ride round downtown Jackson. So yeah, pretty entirely amazing. *sighing with much happiness*

2. What was your favorite movie when you were ten years old?

Probably the 1968 Heidi.

3. Have you ever discovered you now like a movie or book that you used to dislike?

I'm trying to fill this tag out with the first thing that pops to mind. So we'll just go ahead and make this answer very Austen-y. I didn't use to like Emma at all and now generally consider it my top favorite (and I totally get it if you disagree, it took me yeeeeaaaars to acknowledge this properly even to myself, because I do indeed love Persuasion and P&P very very dearly). Speaking of which, there's also the '95 P&P (which, believe it or not, I grew up disliking and now LOVE). I'm currently toying with the idea of seeing the '05 P&P yet again to see if my opinions have changed of late.

4. How long have you been blogging?

My first post went up... October 15, 2013. Wheeewhoo... jumping beanstalks it feels like a lot's happened since then.

5. What's your favorite joke?

Oh goodness. My favorite joke? How can one pick such a thing?? *looking pointedly at the friend coming up with this* Um, well I can probably pinpoint the kind that generally makes me giggle the most outright. I don't much like sarcasm at all, but I revel in dry, witty humor of the British and Wodehouse-ian sort. I guess most everybody likes that kind, but I'll stick with it. Me loves it. <3

6. What's a movie or book that people are surprised to learn you enjoy?

Book wise, maybe Dante? Film wise, probably Midsomer Murders and murder mysteries in general. (Note: and they all come with various content advisories, so we can talk more about those later.)

7. Do you play croquet?

No, but I always find it intriguing. First on my list I'd like to get good at bowling and pool though, and tennis sounds really fun.

8. How many blog posts have you published?

This'll make 233. 

9. What's the next book you plan to read?

The Fellowship of the Ring (see my sidebar and join our read along happening in three weeks!) 

10. What's the next movie you plan to watch? 

Royal Wedding (1951) is due for a rewatch.

11. Do you want to build a snowman?

We're in a regular hot streak of 100+ degrees these days, the mercury's near popping out of the thermometer, so yes'm please! xD I'll just need my own little blizzard cloud...

~

Thanks muchly Sally and Hamlette, these were all really fun! And.... I think most everyone I know has already been tagged with this, but if you haven't done it yet, and would like to, let me know and I'll officially tag you. ;) 

In the meanwhiles, let me know if you think I should do more movie (and specifically period drama) reviews. :) Ta ta for now!