Jurassic World

My thoughts during Jurassic World, there might be spoilers, I don't know yet.

-Remember when the eggs hatching had animatronics inside? Those were the days.
-Where's Chris Pratt?
-I feel like this kid is Andy and this is the scene in Toy Story where they move.
-My doppleganger! (Judy Greer)
-Wow, my doppleganger plays moms now.
-Where are they sending these kids by themselves?
-Oh yeah, a park with DINOSAURS.
-That's a YELLOW house.
-Teenage romance is gross.
-Where's Chris Pratt?
-Accurate airport good bye where you can basically drop them off at the curb.
-Hey! Jeff Goldblum's book!
-Marital problems from Jurassic Park III, yeah, weren't great then either.
-I feel like creating a file on an iPad with the children's names all fancy like to hold at the dock for them takes more time than using a white board like everyone else.
-Wait, is Keira Knightely the children's babysitter?
-Theme Music!!! Yay! More more! I wan't more!
-Yay! More theme music!
-Where's Chris Pratt?
-Hold up, are Bryce Howard and Judy Greer sisters again?! yusssssss
-Bryce Howard's costume feels like future nurse where they throw back to old timey white uniforms, but like streamlined with ugly belts.
-Women with bobs this straight and perfect have to keep a brush in their purse, but this woman has no purse, nor pockets. Where does she even keep her phone?
-Yes, those are ridiculous shoes, I know all the stuff people have said about them.
-Where's Chris Pratt?
-This movie brought to you by product placement.
-BD Wong!!! (90 minutes later I realize he was in fact in the first one, I'm sharp.)
-This scene brought to you by Starbucks.
-Nick from New Girl!
-Nick from New Girl also has Jeff Goldblum's book!
-Guy from Bollywood Millionaire! What was that movie called? Danny Boyle directed it...
-Where's Chris Pratt?
-Oh! He talked ab Christ Pratt! He has to be coming up soon, right?
-There he is! With RAPTORS! His shirt coordinates with the raptors.
-That guy! From MIB and Criminal Intent and Adventures in Babysitting! Martha knows who I'm talking about! He's got an Italian name, like Anthony (90 minutes later I remember his name is Vincent D'onofrio).
-Not Chris Pratt evil military guy wears his knife all upsy downsy, that's weird, and seems inefficient.
-Chris Pratt wears his knife horizontal. Atta-boy.
-Chris Pratt's costume is everything. Like HEY! I'm SO COOL and not trying hard, but can you see how COOL I am and how hard I'm NOT trying?
-The raptor feeder boy looks like the cabin boy from the new King Kong (played by Jamie Bell), in that he looks like he should be at sea with that ridiculous beanie.
-Wait, did cabin boy break his leg? Why is he crawling?
-You can train me to answer to clicks, Chris Pratt...does his character have a name? Oh yeah, Owen, like my nephew, nope, calling him Chris Pratt.
-This scene brought to you by Mercedes.
-This scene also brought to you by those glass Coke bottles no one actually buys.
-Motorcycles and that muscle that's like where your armpit and your shoulder blade meet. These things should always costar in Chris Pratt scenes.
-That henley though.
-Hehe, bungalow.
-So...their relationship is based off a bad first date? She's really a great grudge keeper.
-CONTROL. The high powered female lead is OF COURSE flawed by being controlling, which in women is TERRIBLE and makes them undesirable shrews.
-Haha, Jimmy Fallon.
-I don't think those gyro things will ever be a good idea.
-How do people not get lost in the middle of that field?
-Turned off her body heat, clever girl.
-Poor overweight security guard. Somehow everyone else (besides raptor feeder) on this island is a Navy Seal and they let you guard the She-Devilasauraus.
-Let the gratuitous eating begin!
-This movie brought to you by capitalism. I could get angry at all the product placement, but let's be honest, this whole film's thesis is about sponsorship and corporate funding.
-Wow, ok, those special ops guys got real dead, like fast. Nice move showing how gratuitous all this is with those life monitor screens.
-This is kind of where my stream of consciousness just gets eaten up by jump scares and these thoughts might be out of order.
-Nice nod to the old movie with sign in the lobby of the original building and all that. For about a minute I was taken back to how awesome all those scenes were.
-Making my clothes sexier will always make my shoes more sensible.
-Also, running through jungles in humidity makes my perfectly straight hair turn into perfectly barrel curled waves too.
-Everyone seems to have internal GPS on this island and everything, regardless of terrane, is super easy to get to.
-Where did Keira Knightley go?
-Are Pterodactyls even carnivores?
-Do they starve all these dinosaurs so much that they automatically pick off anything that moves?
-Oh wow, oh wow, ok. Before just some special ops people got killed now we're picking off the common man from waves of panic hoards.
-There's Keira Knightley, oh, oh no. Oh gosh. Why? Why oh why? What? Really? You're going to toss her around. Seriously, WOW. That, wow, that was a lot.
-I feel like that kiss falls under the type of romance created in Speed. This can't possibly go well when you're not all hot and bothered bc you're both using guns.
-And nighttime. Nighttime always comes, and it's always scary.
-Motorcycles, like Harleys in the jungle, seem about as workable as her shoes.
-BD Wong, you son of a gun, why did you put raptor in the She Devil?
-Wait, why did that raptor explode? Did the She Beast throw it into a hibachi restaurant?
-Why is any of this happening?
-How has Ginger not lost her shoes in the muddy jungle, NOR slipped on super smooth and wet surfaces
-Two adults, two children in the courtyard of the park with raptors and a (not) T-Rex, seems familiar.
-T-REX!! Yay! Hey there big girl, time to do some work!
-Uh...well T-Rex is down.
-Yeah, Ginger has elastic straps on her shoes. They've been pretty good ab not showing their tricks, but they're definitely there and picking up all the mud.
-Yay! Raptor, wait, a raptor and a T-Rex save the day? That's great, but I feel like they'd still need more than that.
-Oh! Free Willy Dinosaur's going to, yep, there ya go. Done.
-Wait, why were the raptors. Charlie, Delta, Echo, and BLUE. Not Bravo? Oh, ok. Whatever.
-Ignoring the refugee scene, bc it was just so dumb.

Basically this sums up the movie for me (this is not mine, I found it online a few days ago):

Product Review: AMAZING Younique Mascara

YOU GUYS!

My friend Karen Teuscher is a Younique consultant and sent me their Moonstruck 3D Fiber Lashes to try and it's AMAZING. 
Look here for product, buy from link below.

I don't have great lashes, but I don't have bad lashes either. They're just kind of not there when I don't have mascara on and are pretty normal when I do. BUT THIS STUFF. Just look...

with

with and without

with

without 

Notes:
The process is in three steps. There's a black gel that's a super fancy mascara that the stick fibers to. The fibers are in another tube and go on like you'd put mascara, then the gel is put on again to seal the fibers. It's SO easy!

You can see how much longer and fuller my lashes are! I figured when I got this I'd use it for special occasions but I wear it every day now. I've cried with it on and it's great! I've danced and sweated for hours with it on and my lashes got a bit clumpy, but I think most mascaras would.

I'm super low maintenance when it comes to make up removal, so I just use a wipe and I will say it does take a little more doing to remove the fibers than normal mascara, but not enough to turn me off.

The gel sticks to skin more than my usual mascara, so if you get it on your fingers or your brow, you work a bit to get it off. Again, not enough to turn me off.

Application can take some finessing, meaning the fibers are little pieces of, duh, fiber, and you need to distribute them evenly and coat them well with the gel, but this is an observation, not a condemnation.

At $30 for a three month supply I figured I'd use this sample and be done and suggest that you buy this if you have the money, but that as a grad student I probably wouldn't get worked up about putting it into my budget. I'll probably be singing a different tune in a few months. THIS STUFF IS GREAT.

My friend Dom yesterday stopped me mid sentence to tell me how amazing my lashes look.

Should you try this stuff? YES. If you purchase from Karen I could get a bit (yes, of course I do, so do it!)

Go HERE https://www.youniqueproducts.com/KarenTeuscher/presenter/myparties and buy this stuff. It is great.

How I'm going to stay sane...

I just started Grad School Year Two. The worst! This is the year people gain 50 pounds, or lose 50 pounds, or lose their hair, or gain a therapist (no shame, just saying). It has very great potential to be very very rough. And Grad School Year One had such harrowing experiences as Pneumonia! Snowed In! All The Late Night Sewing In The Land! Wicked Tendonitis! I've already had such lovely Year Two experiences as Build a Vest in a Day! Stay Late On Friday of a Three Day Weekend Sewing for Saturday! Spending First Saturday On a Film Shoot!

So...what am I going to do about it? Take care of myself physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

Physically:
YOGA! I do yoga, on DailyBurn.com
I do yoga first thing in the morning because if I don't, I won't. I've done this for a week and my achey hips feel better and my tendonitis doesn't seem as bad.
Also, food. I'm going to eat it, three times a day. This was a resolution from last year of undergrad, and it's a good one.

Spiritually:
SCRIPTURE STUDY! after yoga? 30 minutes of Isaiah.
Also, Institute every Wednesday night.
Also, church, every week and all the things.

Emotionally:
NO MEN, for the semester, at least. Having a partner would make all this much easier, but I've been realizing that for the past two years the ups and downs of searching for a partner have not been great for my emotional health. I need a break. I'm on a boy diet. Not looking, not interested, leave me alone, but let's be friends!
Hobbies! I got a Kindle so I can read! And I'll go to derby and do other social things.
Friends! I have them, I love them, I want to be better friends with them. Old friends, new friends, friends are where it's at!

So that's the plan, and don't worry men of the world, maybe I'll get back in the spirit when I graduate and have more time to deal with the shenaniganery of dating.

Why I'm attractive 4.0

I have natural french tipped nails and give amazing back scratches.
I've helped dry wall a ceiling.
My hair is the softest.
I hem pants like it's my job, bc it is my job.
I can type so fast.
I make pancakes in bulk.
I'm not scared of the dark, or heights.
Cleaning kitchen floors relaxes me.
I grew up watching WWII movies and so can speak intelligently about The Dirty Dozen, Great Escape, Patton, etc etc.

Other reasons all me should be in love with me can be found here.

In case you were wondering..

about my life right now.

-I finished my first year of grad school.
-Our sleepy little summer shop put up and took down Next To Normal and it was phenomenal.
-Laura and I built two jackets for the Utah Shakespeare Festival. I'm sad not to be in Cedar for the summer for the first time in four years! but I've loved learning from Laura and watching all the movies while we tailor and I think of my lovely USFers often.
-I've been discovering beautiful PA! The woods around these parts are beautiful and I've gone walking and hiking alone and with friends recently. Sublime.
-I leave for London in two weeks! I'm so busy with work that I've barely had time to turn my mind to it! I am getting excited though! I'm doing my project on Beau Brummell and so am reading a biography and studying up on Savile Row. It will be amazing!

Other than that, I keep on keeping on as the independent, professional, LDS woman that I am! Life is pretty good. I want for very little. 

Square Toed Shoes

these are worse

than these

but these are the worst

just wear round brogues and make me happy. 

I like this guy's opinion "Wear Round Toed Shoes"
and this guy's list "11 Out-of-Style Trends You Should Phase Out of Your Wardrobe"

all of this reminds me that I need to get back to my shoe book...which will certainly be very biased and contain no square toed shoes...or I'll have a blerb in the back for other, inferior toe varieties. 

Sherlock: His Last Vow

:::Yes, I did burn what I was crockpotting bc I couldn't spare the time to turn it down during the episode.
:::That buxom Scottish vixen. I felt bad at first, then terrible, then not so bad anymore
:::I TOLD YOU Mary was a bad guy, or rather I hoped she wouldn't be...and she technically wasn't?
:::If I ever get shot I don't think my mind palace will save me, but perhaps my love for Martin Freeman will.
:::People are arguing that CBS's Elementary is more human and likable and has more room to grow, but if getting more glimpses into Sherlock's crazy childhood mind palace sociopathy and then having him kill a man to make John's life better isn't human I don't know what is. And then accepting an assignment whose goal is to kill him isn't loyalty and love, I don't know what is.
:::I have a TV with bad sound and picture so I understood almost nothing that was whispered, nor could read anything Magnussen remembered so I'll definitely have to rewatch this.
:::So...Sherlock's no longer "The Virgin"? I mean...
:::Will The Woman come back? Her episode might still be my favorite...for entertainment value. This one ranks second for emotional damage after Fall.
:::I felt bad for Martin, I mean John...so so bad. I was absolutely heartbroken, but then somehow everything turned and I don't feel bad any more? Well done boys.
:::Martin Freeman is perfection. I know Cumberbatch does well too, but I mean, come on.
:::A real Cumberbatch Christmas!
:::I thought the Rolodexes were fishy...
:::Will we ever know what "Red Beard" is?


I have no idea how this show can sustain itself bc the stakes don't seem to be able to get any higher, but I have faith in Mark and Steven.

"Dress"

I've been patterning pants among other things this semester and learned about "dress".

Dress is adding 1/2" up and out at the bottom of the front left pant curve (crotch). I've spent my fair share of time in men's dressing rooms, changing them in the dark, and discussing and washing their underwear, but after a long week "dress" just really got me. I couldn't stop giggling when my tailor quantified amount of dress. The ladies in the BYU shop should just shake their heads at how far I've fallen.

FYI: Dress is specifically on the left because the way flies are constructed more often than not makes the left side preferred, but a bespoke pair of trousers can easily accommodate right dress.

Yes, this is highly euphemistic and yes, this is the old-timey technical term. 

Sherlock: The Sign of Three

:::Best middle episode yet. I don't feel like the premiere counted as a real episode, it was so out of the norm.
:::I laughed, I cried, this is Sherlock.
:::I like Mary more and more every time I see her. She is perfect for these guys.
:::How will the series change now that they're married?
:::How will the series change now that she's pregnant?!
:::Benedict Cumberbatch.
:::Martin Freeman.
:::Whatever can the finale be about?

New (to me) Musicals: The Last Five Years, Drowsy Chaperon, & The Light in the Piazza

I love musicals, but have realized recently that I know next to nothing about the more "modern" pieces, basically anything after 1965 (and the likes of Phantom and Les Mis). This summer I really dug into Sondheim and still have a few of his to listen to/read (next is Assassins!), but now I'm working on all the others people talk about of which I know very little. To this end I started a Spotify playlist and took suggestions and am working my way through cast recordings.

I can't tell you who wrote what, or what themes or motifs are shared between composers and lyricists, but I bet you can't tell me how the House of Worth changed from Charles Frederick to Jean-Phillipe, or why 1879-1882 is so unique, so here is a (not entirely) lay person's responses to my first three "new" musicals.

Last Five Years
::: hopeful and heartbreaking
::: lovely instrumentation, accessible and light
::: I can actually sing these songs and not feel like a total hack for trying.
::: sharp, clever lyrics
::: poignant and sincere messages

The Drowsy Chaperon
::: I went on a few dates with the real Janet Van De Graaff's cousin
::: that first one has nothing to do with the musical
::: neither does the second
::: seems like Millie had a baby with R&H's Cinderella
::: what a romp
::: showy and exactly what a musical should be, by its own admission
::: seems like fun to costume :)
::: I imagined my friend Carter playing the narrator

The Light in the Piazza
::: I actually saw this on PBS years back
::: just me, or was it just a lot of screaming ballads?
::: I liked little bits here and there, but the whole thing kind of bled together
::: I did stop and think that "Let's Walk" is not bad

Sherlock: The Empty Hearse

:::I totally called that they used the kidnapper double in some way!
:::Oh John...mustache.
:::Mary is the lady cop in Case Histories!
:::I really like Mary, I hope she's not a bad guy.
:::Were those Benny's real parents? I think so...lemme check. Yep.
:::Was just flipping the switch off the bomb brilliant or stupid?
:::I think I need to watch these with other people...I have more violent reactions with other people around, but only if they're totally quite and only react to the same things I do.
:::Lastrad's looking good...and hugging Sherlock was the best.
:::Mrs. Hudson's lookin' good.
:::I thought Sherlock's being gone for two years seemed like a huge gap...then I realized I had a literal puddle of tears on my computer after the last episode of series 2 in 2012. That did take awhile!
:::I still want to know why his shirts are always so tight. I'm not complaining, but they're beyond a simple European cut.
:::Sherlock can kiss me on the cheek.
:::I need to watch this episode again, about three more time.
:::Martin Freeman is perfect, perfect.

Animated films I'd totally be down designing real costumes for

Anastasia, duh.
Rumor has it this is being workshopped in Russia, but news has been silent recently. I'd love to get my hands on it and actually make it period appropriate. Can you imagine the ghost ball fantasy?! Or the Paris costumes?! 1917 and 1927, awkward but fantastic years! Russian national dress!!! I'd die and go to heaven. Also, Rasputin's song.

Frozen
Of COURSE they're making this into a stage show. Computer animation is making leaps and bounds, but their textile rendering still leaves things to be desired. I will say Hans' satin lapels really struck a chord with me, as did Elsa's ice outfit (the most magical of quick changes!). The idea of Fantasy Norway is so intriguing and I'd love to make the women's clothes actually appropriately cut. I swear...do they even know how clothes are put together?! And all of the princely outfits and lovely rustic leathers on Kristoff and delightful winter folkwear on Anna.



Ok, that's only two...mostly because all the other Disney Princesses have been done and if I did them I'd totally mix them up! But for real, these two would be amazing! Maybe Brave as well...KILTS.

Shelby 7ish years ago...

A video popped up on my newsfeed of a friend from 2007 and I hardly recognized him, which lead to my going through my old Facebook albums. I give you THEN AND NOW!!

Homecoming 2006...Senior year. I would be at BYU in a year and wanting to get married in two...thank goodness I was not a teenage bride. Those two years did not help much. But 7 years did! (if I do say so myself). Oh the wonders of a college education in hair, make up, and costumes (and some toning at the gym).

Top 10 Entries of 2013

These are my favorite contributions to this blog in 2013, no particular order.

Nightmare Jobs
The Mill on the Floss aka I love my brother SO much
Retro, Vintage, Antique, and Extant
Cities to Live In (or rather "in which to live")
fun little Q&A (some answers have changed already!)
Watson Face
How to Catch a Wedding Bouquet
Dating
Old-Timey Love
Opening Night Dress 2013: The End

Resolutions 2014

Be fearless.
Be kind.
Be studious.
Be proactive.
Be flexible.
Be patient.
Be considerate.
Be brave.

Pride and Prejudice '95 stands the test of time

This film is approaching 20 years old people! And it is still amazing, the standard to which all other Pride and Prejudices and Austens are held. You know why? Because of reasons!

Costumes
OF course! How the characters look is one of the most ready giveaways for a film's period, the story's and the production's. Think of other period films and how they've stood the test of time, Amadeus, Gone With The Wind, Sound of Music, any old Western with pointy busts. They are beautiful yes, but scream "I was made in such a year!". Designer Dinah Collin avoids this through meticulous research and what we can only assume was a very healthy budget. If you have any eye for costume history you can tell each woman is wearing the right undergarments (you can even see Lydia's busk in one shot), the shoes and stockings are right, the cut of the clothes is accurate, and never to be overlooked, the textiles are correct. The prints of the gowns, if there are any, are very demure and period, the weight of the Bennet sisters' gowns are right on track, and the accessories down to all the laces and detailed cuffs and collars are spot on. And please, let's take a moment to recognize the milliner. Amen.

Tailoring, millinery, silhouette, and textiles.
Two guesses as to a sign men's pants fit properly...(source)

Having great research and designs is not the only thing that makes good costumes. These costumes fit. Ah, it really makes me breath easy to see a show so universally well fit. Again, this goes back to the budget, as almost all the main characters' costumes were built for them. We can see this when we look at other films that we know were rented. The spencers fit immaculately over all the bust of the women and there are no gaps from the empire waists to the bottom of the jackets. The men's tailoring is superb and the pants fit! I'm honestly hard pressed to know what was built and what was rented amongst the minor costumes because I assume the house(s) that handled this production were on a very short fit leash. The second half of the IMDB trivia is costume reuse. These costumes stand up!

I'm not saying all the costumes were great. Maria Lucas wears a yellow gown with white flowers on the front that screams 70s to me, and Mary has a terrible yellow and green number at the dining table at some point, but those are probably rented.

Hair and Make Up
Right in line with costumes, hair and make up can be a huge deal breaker. (I'm dying to see how Amy Adams' character holds up from the new Sherlock Holmes films with all her eye shadow...) What P&P gets absolutely right is the use of the actors' actual hair when possible, excellent wigs when not, and as little "make up" as possible. Lore (and imdb) has it that Jennifer Ehle tried to be helpful and thus shopped off all her hair to fit under a wig better, hence the necessity for a wig...(ugh, ACTORS! When you get a role your body is no longer your own! Don't alter it unless instructed to do so!). I'll say though, even now that I know it's a wig (or three) I'm absolutely delighted by its excellent styling and clever deceptions as I know how much of a pain disguising the nape is, and how much of a pain getting baby hairs under it can be (looking at you P&P 2005). Mrs. Bennet is the only other wig on record, but I'd guess Lady Catherine's is as well, Miss King, and possibly Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst.

Natural hair, excellent menswear, minimal makeup,
 and beautiful material. (source)

Actors whose own hair was used was excellently styled for period and character. Darcy and Jane's was dyed. I adore Kitty's hair and Lydia's is perfectly obnoxious for her. Again, not everything was perfect. For the shape and size of Susannah Harker's head I would have definitely made her 'dos softer. I get that they were going for Grecian and wanted a contrast with Lizzie...but that's an awfully small bun for hair to her bum.

the more mature characters have
the best accessories! (source)

Make up: basic corrective with a little flush and stain when necessary. I'd guess Ehle had some cake mascara and Firth's face is rather sculpted (you can actually see his jaw line when he goes in to kiss Lizzie at the end...stops before it can get the collar dirty), but there's no eye shadow, liner, or lashes to speak of. Mrs. Bennet gets a bit of rouge when Bingley comes to propose, but very appropriate. I have the tenth anniversary DVD so I'd be interested to see how this stands up to restoration....

Screenplay
Andrew Davies, you pillar of novel adaptations you. In an interview he said the opening scene with Bingley and Darcy on horseback was meant to set the active pace and tone throughout the film. You all may be rolling your eyes because it's five hours long, but it's five hours of well crafted and beautiful intrigue. Much of this is Austen's genius but of course credit goes to Davies' well crafted and highly source referenced script. It's a monster to tackle and get right. My only qualms are with "Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth" which is in the book, and if Firth had loosened up a bit more near the end I could give it to him, but you'd better not risk such a sugary line. In context it works, but not enough in the film. Also there needed to be more affection. I've come to terms with only one freeze framed kiss at the end, but even Elizabeth taking Darcy's arm as they walked on would appease me (mostly). I watch this film straight though at least once a year and every year I'm delighted and find new things about it that I can't get over.

Casting
Duh. Colin Firth (despite initial objections from directors and himself) is perfect. I'm not really going to say anything else. Flaws in Darcy are script in nature. Jennifer Ehle of course is perfect Elizabeth. Alison Steadman as Mrs. Bennet is perfect. It's all pretty great, but of course there are misses. The Bingley sisters come off rather evil stepsister-ish, and Mr. Collins is creepy when I believe he should be awkward. And the big debate for almost 20 years: Elizabeth to Jane's attractiveness ratio is not correct. I will give you this, but I think it's more of Jennifer's bar being too high and thus Susannah Harker will forever be the "ugly Jane" when really she's not bad looking and with better hair could have been much lovelier. To everyone else that balks about Bingley or Wickham's looks, they are handsome fellows. Get over it. British people see things differently.

Shout out to under appreciated Maria Lucas (Lucy Davis) who is absolutely delightful!

Locations and Production
Such great detail is paid to the locations of this film, which really inform what we think of the character's statuses. Longbourne seems so shabby on the outside, but is so cozy on the inside. DVD extras have excellent interviews with production designers about set dressing and location selection. And I'm going to say right now, I've been telling people that Pemberley in this version is Chatsworth (rumored to be the actual model for Pemberley), but it's not. Pemberley in this is Lyme Park, a much darker, less inviting exterior, but it fits with the darker Darcy. So, my bad for leading you astray.


Basically this film stands the test of time because it is just a well crafted piece of art across the board. The qualms I find with it are minor and appeal to others, so I can't say too many boos. This film is great and really nothing like it should ever be attempted again. More modern Austens can fiddle all they want, but another 5 hour production has little to improve on. I mean...I guess you can try. If you did I'd have one more P&P to add to my collection!

Even more things about me that men should find attractive*

My left hip is 3/4" higher than my right because I've carried babies on it my whole life.
I can live out of a carry on for weeks.
I don't need a hairdryer.
I shine shoes like a champ.
I have a recipe that makes 10 dozen pumpkin cookies.
I know how your pants should fit.
I can tie a bow tie, and many knots of necktie on and off myself.
I'm really great at packing dishwashers.


*If you're unfamiliar with my "Why I'm Attractive" series, it is all a joke (mostly) and other installments can be found here.

Confession: I'm not a very good reader

"I mean, I can read, of course. And I'm not suggesting you can't read out of doors."

D'ya get it? huh? huh? That was a quote from the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, which I watched last night. Guess what, I've only read Pride and Prejudice completely once (I reread parts of course). Shocked? Confused by what this all has to do with itself? Lemme 'splain...

I read the first of the Boxcar Children books in first grade and loved it, then hated the second so stopped reading outside of school assignments.

Around seventh grade I decided I was going to be pretentious and work through the British classics, starting with Whuthering Heights. Woof. Do not start your 12 year old with unabridged Emily Bronte. I'm amazed I continued after 60% of all characters died (I did the math, it's in my journal).

Amazingly I moved on and got Pride and Prejudice from a book order (remember those?!). It was paper back and had a terrible painting of blue satin and pearls on the cover with yellow writing. I underlined every word I didn't know. Words like "condescend" (thanks Collins!) and "felicity". Oh man, good times. I loved P&P and remembered that some yahoo sent it to the printer so that it read "how ardently I admire and






love you."
The last two words were on the NEXT PAGE! I had to turn the page! Ugh, the worst. Can you even imagine? Anyway, I loved it and got the '80s BBC production to watch right away, then the '95 when I realized the '80s version was not "the good one".

This was the beginning of my reading phase, and a foreshadowing of its end. I began setting reading goals for myself, and my reward was watching the film...eventually I couldn't read fast enough and so just left the books behind. BUT I did get quite a bit knocked out.

I...
read each Austen before I was 16.
read one of each Bronte before I was 18.
read a Gaskell, read a Forster, and started some Dickens and Thackery and Rand.
read more Brontes and an Ishiguro and Salinger.
read a lot of historical romances and a little dragon fiction...

I tried to keep up with each BBC or Merchant/Ivory film I found that had been adapted from a novel, but I just got lost in the films and left the books all together.

Am I proud of this? No. Have I tried to fix it? Yes, but I fail. I've come to accept that I am not a good reader. I read sewing books, Wikipedia articles, any and all historical tidbits I can find that add up to hours, but it seems my novel days are over. I have reread Persuasion and Little Women and North and South and Ella Enchanted. Part of it is that I have this idea that I've read all the good stuff. I'm sure the novels are better than the films I've read, but I know Tess of the D'Urbervilles ends at Stonehenge...I know how Bleak House and Howards End go.

I'm terrible, believe me, I know. I have this whole self-loathing thing for my bad reading habits. Everyone assumes I read because I've seen the films, or Wishbone, and/or have a pretty quick and ready knowledge of Brit Lit in general. People give me referrals thinking they've found someone with whom they can share the loveliness of their new literary find, but it's no good.

I love to read actually. When I have a good book I love to be transported and get consumed and I stop feeding myself and all of those things, but I just have the hardest time starting. Reading the first Boxcar book in first grade was actually forced on me by my mom and I was not happy about it. I remember. She made me read it, and I loved it, then it was over and I was done.

So there it is, my dirty secret. I'm not a great reader. Now you can all shun me and ignore any conversations we've had about books.

What I have read:
Persuasion, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Whuthering Heights, Agnes Grey, Tennant of Wildfell Hall, A Room With a View, North and South, The Remains of the Day, Little Women, The Great Gatsby, The Importance of Being Earnest, Pygmalion, The Catcher in the Rye

What I've started:
Vanity Fair, David Copperfield, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Gone With the Wind, This Side of Paradise, Wives and Daughters, Howards End, The Fountainhead, Catch-22

A rather old list of what I've seen can be found here.

A POST!

Yes, here I am. I finished my first semester of grad school and as you can tell I survived! I've decided I need to blog more for mental health, but in general the best way for you to keep up with my projects is to follow me on Instagram @belbcorinne. It's easier for me to snap a photo on there than compose an entry.

That being said, my semester in a nutshell...

I had a millinery class where I made a pillbox embellished with zippers, an 1830s bonnet made from two 1960s hats, a fosshape based turban, and a straw boater. This class was great bc my instructor is very loosy-goosey seat of your pants when it comes to crafting. He provided resources and advice, but at the end of the day it was sort of hat therapy for me. It's mostly hand work and problem solving which is great for my brain at the end of a long week.

I had a wig class where I styled a few wigs, photos are on Instagram. I hardly ever get to wear wigs so it was fun to go blonde and ginger for a bit! If you know me at all you know I love doing my own hair and truth be told the biggest challenge I face with wigs is being able to see the back! The motion of styling the hair on the back of my head does not translate into styling the back of a wig that's in front of me. That was a surprising challenge...

My studio class included a section on color theory in which we learned to mix any color (including black) from three warm primaries, three cool primaries, a neutral ochre and white. It was frustrating at first since we were in acrylic and I was told to do away with all my watercolor notions. Eventually I learned that that did not mean I couldn't use any water. I also discovered acrylic medium that extends your paints and makes them smoother and it was absolutely lovely! I eventually did pretty great copies of a Degas and Seargent. Pics on Instagram.

Also in studio we work on paper design projects. The first year scenic and costume students did A View From The Bridge which is a fantastic Arthur Miller, You Can't Take It With You, by Kaufmann, and our last project was to pick two plays from Thornton Wilder's The Angel That Troubled The Waters collection of three page, three character, unproducible plays. I made leaps and bounds with each show. I'm working on different mediums and different styles and have been discovering some great designers to take inspiration from. I'll scan my renderings and update my website when I get back.

I was the assistant designer on Guys and Dolls which was designed by a third year. It was a big show and I was in charge of scheduling fittings, taking notes, one build, paperwork, and was the wardrobe supervisor, dresser, and wig master for the show. This basically involved using all the skills I'd acquired as an assistant to my professor at BYU and the office and personal skills I learned at USF. By the time we got to tech it was like I had my 40 hr/wk job at USF plus my school work. Not going to lie, it got a little rough. I was sick most of the time and couldn't design to save my life during these weeks, but it's over! I whipped my dressers into shape (and the actors for that matter) and truth be told, I missed being back stage and in charge :)

Uh...what else? I'm the music director of my branch. Serves me right for volunteering to lead the music my second week. The branch is great, Institute is wonderful, and we're getting a chapel built for us that might be ready by the spring! How exciting is that? Pretty darn.

And now I'm at my sister's for the holidays and my baby niece Addie is helping me type. She's pretty cute.

What's great about my life right now

-I live in an apartment with laundry.
-The choir (as directed by me, eep) did a WONDERFUL job today in Sacrament meeting.
-I have made 3.5 hats this semester.
-I've already improved my rendering.
-I have a box of 12 grey markers in the mail, GREYS!
-We're feeding the Sisters and an investigator for dinner. Said investigator is AMAZING and just great.
-Fall in Pennsylvania is the most beautiful fall I've ever seen. If I could just plop some mountains down it'd be that much better.
-Technology means I can still keep in touch with all of my non-grad school friends!
-I have so many new and lovely friends!
-Roller derby is a thing that I go to now.
-I've started a new and consistent scripture study schedule that has already blessed me in ways I couldn't even have imagined.
-I'm in a color theory class. We're learning to mix any color using warm primaries, cool primaries, ochre and white. It's pretty legit yo.
-I've kept my room clean the entire time I've been here (ask Genevieve, she knows!).
-Walk in closet.

No pictures, see previous entry if you have a beef with my recently blogging.