I Need a Hero

Christmas break means a few things for me. First, it means sleeping in until 10 daily. Blessed Utah time and catching up on all the sleep forfeited at college. Secondly, PILES of goody plates from generous neighbors that I just can't resist partaking of (I mean, really, what's the point of hurting their feelings? It's Christmas!). This last one leads to half-hearted exercise attempts (such as Yoga or Just Dance). Moving on! Christmas break also means dentist appointments (yick) since I don't have a dentist in Utah. Not looking forward to that one.

Christmas break means board games, late nights, delicious food, fun with family, and everything lovely. But I just want to pay homage to one essential aspect of my Christmas break: Austen movies.

That's right, we Cummings girls are die-hard fans of all things Jane Austen. With 9 of us in the family, are you even surprised? We are not ashamed! It's not like the Austen books are life-changing or significant, but they're entertaining and (at times) very clever. For my part, I enjoy the movie adaptations more than reading the books. And believe me, I've seen a few! I just thought it would be entertaining to post an analysis of what Jane Austen thought made the perfect man (based on her leading male characters), as well as what makes the most vile carrier of a Y-chromosome. Here goes!



Edmund Bertram, "Mansfield Park." Edmund is handsome, serious, honest, and intelligent. He's studying to be a clergyman (about the only clergyman portrayed positively in Jane Austen's books! More on that later). He has a passionate nature but is terribly bent on preserving family honor. He's prone to burying his feelings. "Tenacious willpower!"



George Knightley, "Emma." Okay, he's a favourite (trying to use the British spelling here). Extremely rational, brutally honest, not unhandsome, a defender of justice! A trifle older, but you'd never feel that when in his company. How convenient.



Henry Tilney, "Northanger Abbey." Handsome, playful, loyal to a fault! Gives up his fortune to be with Miss Catherine Morland. Also a clergyman, which makes me think I must be wrong about Jane Austen's disdain for clergymen...we'll get to that. Tilney is always cracking jokes, which makes me think he's the one I'd be most likely to fall for when...I mean if...I were to travel back to that time. Sigh!



Fitzwilliam Darcy, "Pride and Prejudice." Wow, this picture is hilarious! The google search "Darcy" brought up millions of pictures (Duh, he's everyone's favorite) but this one was too good to pass up. Darcy's proud, clever, rich, sarcastic, but passionate. He comes around. :) Who doesn't like knowing they've singlehandedly changed a man's life? Lucky Lizzy.



Severus Snape, "Harry Potter." Whoops, sorry, make that Colonel (Cristopher?) Brandon of "Sense and Sensibility." Older! Well-established. Protective. Future death eater.



Edward Ferrars, "Sense and Sensibility." Aww...who wouldn't love that boyish grin? Edward is shy and awkward but winningly sweet. Gives up his fortune and family to follow true love. A real winner!



Captain No-name Wentworth, "Persuasion." Dashing, obviously. Made his own fortune. Defiant at times, but a true romantic?

So obviously, the perfect man is either grossly rich or gives up his fortune for love of you. He's clever, playful, handsome (duh), affectionate, and loyal. Good luck in your search.

By the way, watch out for these creepers.





(Of course I don't mean Mr. Knightley!)

Blessings

I'm sitting in the HBLL right now - I managed to snag a computer. That's an impressive feat during finals week! The seat's still warm...which means somebody was probably feverishly studying here a moment ago. They'll never know that I'm thinking about them RIGHT NOW. Haha. :)

I just wanted to take a break and write down some of my blessings. This has been an incredibly busy semester - 16 credits, working during college for the first time, applying to grad school, trying to still get good grades and have a little fun in between, etc. Looking back, I really can't believe I made it this far! I was pretty worried about my workload in the beginning of this semester. But all's ending well, hence, all is well! I just know that it was because Heavenly Father helped me and my family prayed for me (I love how dad always asks, "What can I do for you?" when I call home).



(This is for Aaron, who hates Thomas Kinkade)

Two finals down, two to go! I had astronomy at 7am this morning. Gah! Here's a little miracle: my alarm didn't go off but my roommate had set hers a little earlier than usual, so I was able to scramble out the door in time to take my test. Hallelujah!

Other blessings: this has been my favorite year of college so far. I have made some of the best friends I'll ever have, and I'm so grateful to them. Coming back to my apt is like coming back to family, because my roommates are so fun and crazy! I love them. :) This summer when I broke up with Nate I was worried that this would be a hard year for me. Then I just got a feeling that I would make all kinds of friends and have so much fun! It made me so happy then, and I'm happier now knowing that has come to pass.

I love my family so much. Everyday I think about how grateful I am for them. :) We're not perfect but we grew up surrounded by so much love, and that circumstance has blessed my life in more ways than I can number. It has given me confidence and security. It has helped me help others. I just love you all.

Blessings in disguise! Like when you pray for humbling experiences. :) Oh boy. But what those experiences create in us and out of us is more important than whatever we were proud about. So even that's a blessing, and I've learned that embarrassment can be put aside by reassuring yourself of what you know. Just pull in some Egyptian mythology. One day, when your heart is weighed against the feather of truth, all will be made right.



Haha just kidding. I don't endorse polytheism, by the way.

I have found so much confidence and happiness in myself this year. I'm not afraid to talk to people on the phone anymore, and I'm trying to create my life instead of waiting for it to happen to me. The Lord has given me experiences that have taught me to be resilient - I still have troubles (Slightly irreverent side note: Once in a father's blessing Dad told me that my future husband loved me even now and was praying to find me. I can't deny that at times since then I've thought, "Well, pray harder!" :) but you needn't worry, it's worth the wait) but I bounce back faster than I used to, and according to Sister Applonie, that's where real progress is made.

I just feel good about my life right now. There's a lot to be thankful for, and this is one of those times when I'm actually thankful and not "thank-you-I'm-so-grateful-and-blessed-but-inside-I'm-thinking-how-tough-this-is-but-I'm-being-grateful-so-that-you-will-see-what-a-good-person-I-am-and-bless-me-more" kind of times. By the way, it is really hard to type with dashes in between every word! I can't even tell you how much that slowed me down!

Time to finish a grad school app and study for church history. I just wanted to think and type. Love to you all! Can't wait to come home for Christmas!



Also, this video is adorable.