#rebeccathehistorian

[cassiemortmain]

Have you ever watched the 1994 movie adaptation of Little Women?

Yes and I love it!  My favourite version of a well loved story.  Particularly the production design, and the little mini-scenes/interludes that really help you feel as if you are there in Concord with the March family.  I don’t always like Winona Ryder but I think she was great as Jo.  And definitely a tear jerker at the end. :(

[smitchsmats]

When you get this, list 6 random facts about yourself then pass it on to 10 followers!

Wow! I’ve never been tagged in one of these before- thank you so much, Rebecca! Hope this is mildly interesting…

1. I’m an English Graduate living in North Wales, but due to the economic downturn we seem to have been stuck in forever, I’m currently working as a chef, which I enjoy a lot, actually.

2. My father is in the advanced stages of oesophageal cancer. I don’t know how much longer he has left, but he’s suffering and diminishing in front of my eyes, and I honestly wish I could take his place. My big, brave bear of a dad is shrinking into a little grey wraith and I just want him to stop hurting.

3. I’m married to my first love Adam, who I met at uni. We’re not perfect, but he fills a place within me that nobody else could occupy. Ever. We have a son, Jim, who is three.

4. I read at least two Anne of Green Gables books every month, but not necessarily in order. I couldn’t pick a favourite. The only thing that makes me sad about AOGG is reading “The Blythes Are Quoted” and knowing it’s the end.

5. My biggest love is horses, and I have an Arabian gelding named Isuleem, who is the product of over twenty years of longing and saving. He’s so beautiful - a horse of fire, Earth and air. My heart beats a little harder every time I look at him.

6. I’ve recently passed my driving test - at 29, it came 10 years later than most of my peers. I’m wondering how I survived without it for so long!!

[alpine-path-blog]

Reader's Ramble

Can we please discuss the following quote?:

“Gilbert Blythe, pouring over a text book at home, heard it [the hall being painted blue] from his father’s hired boy at sunset …”

- Anne of Avonlea, Ch. 9 (“A Question of Color”)

This is a Friday afternoon, and here it shows that the Blythe’s hired boy is still there. Personally, I find this to be kind of telling (though, in my opinion, it would be even more telling if the hired boy was still there on a Saturday). The Blythe’s don’t say to Gilbert, “Ok, you’re home now. After you put your stuff down and get a bite to eat, we need you to go outside and muck the stables or fix the fence [or something that needs to be done] so we can let the hired boy go.” Instead, they’re practically saying, “No, no no no, go study. We’ll let the hired boy do that. … Stop trying to help! That’s what the hired boy is here for!”

Can we just discuss how important, how vital, Gil’s education was to his parents? They literally paid money to hire someone to do Gil’s share of the work even when he was home!

There’s a part of me that’s saying if that’s not dedication, I don’t know what is.

[yankeecountess]

What's the difference between a drabble and a one-shot?

Hello! :oD going to post this publicly in case others are curious

To me, a “drabble” is a short-short story; how do I define “short-short”? Well, for me, that would be 1000 words or less.  Most people would probably say it should be shorter than that (500 words or less) but speaking for myself, I know I “write long” (overwrite) so I would say it’s a short-short story that you post, with a very brief and not-too-detailed plot, something simple and not too complex (unless you plan to make it a drabble series, with continuing pieces).

I would define a “one-shot” as being a self-contained story, i.e. it is the author’s intention to *not* make it a series, it’s just as it is, a single chapter story varying in length and characters and plot development, but the ultimate “goal” of a one-shot is to be a non multi-chaptered story

Those are my definitions :o) Here are some personal examples of a drabble and a one-shot

Hoped that helped!

[alpine-path-blog]

DQOTD: Is Davy a Younger Version of Gilbert?

I’ve been wondering about this. In the first few chapters that we meet Davy, he has pulled the pony’s tail, made mud pies, made Dora walk the pigpen fence (and then subsequently drenched her in water when he tried to clean the mud off her clothes), took Dora’s piece of cake, put a caterpillar down a girl’s back, and pulled Ginger’s tail.

Now, in my opinion, of all these things, I could see a six-year-old Gil make mud pies and put a caterpillar down a girl’s back.

So what do you guys think? Do you think that Davy is in some ways a younger version of Gil? Or is he his own character and Gil just happens to possibly share some characteristics with Davy?

[alpine-path-blog]

Are we allowed to submit DQOTDs or Reader's Rambles for chapters that we've already read? For example, would I be able to send one(s) in for Anne of Avonlea Chapters 1-6 (even though that was last week and we're focusing on chapters 7-12 now), or for any point in Anne of Green Gables, or for any that are a mixture of/carry over from both books?

Yes, of course! Any and all are appreciated. The six chapters a week thing is only a loose guide. In my mind, anything up to and including the current week’s chapters is fair game for a Reader’s Ramble and/or a DQOTD! For example, I was swamped with school during the Unfortunate Lily Maid chapter. I’d like to revisit it at some point! 

[smitchsmats]

The THING...

Nononononono. I am not ready for This. GGF Matthew was the most perfect being in existence. So tender and shy and supportive of his girl... And, and, and, what if this is the first time we see Marilla? Like, Anne starts her video, then is overcome and starts crying, then the door opens and there is Marilla, and Anne just weeps and says: "Oh Marilla, just let me cry... The tears don't hurt like the ache does..." Then they turn the camera off. NOoooooooooooOo!

[cassiemortmain]

The ship game

I was tagged by zip-goes-a-million, patsan and sybbelle.

Not in any particular order after the first few - my top ten ships:

Sybil x Tom (DA) - OTP of OTPs, always!

Aramis x Anne (The Musketeers)

Anne x Gilbert (Anne of Green Gables)

Bones x Booth (Bones)

Skye x Ward (MAOS)

Jackson Brodie x Louise Munroe (Case Histories)

Uncas x Alice (Last of the Mohicans)

Bel x Freddy (The Hour)

Jon Stark x Ygritte (GOT)

Danny x Lindsay (CSI: NY)

Right from the start of the movie, there was a silent bond between these two, although they barely spoke.  You could often see Uncas in the background, watching out for Alice, making sure she was safe, and she would turn to him or look at him for support or guidance.  And in the couple of times Uncas held her close to protect her from danger, it was clear how much he loved her, and you could see how comfortable Alice was in his arms, too, and how much she trusted him.  (Apparently there was more of a love scene between them in the original script, in the scene behind the waterfall, which was cut - what a shame!)

2. Have you ever read a FanFiction about 2?

No - but I have written a drabble about them, my first in that fandom.  Perhaps I should!  The Musketeers is quite new - season 2 starts tonight here - so there doesn't seem to be a huge amount of fanfiction in that fandom yet.

3. Has a picture of 6 ever been your screen saver/profile picture/tumblr?

No - my avatar on Tumblr is always Cassandra Mortmain from I Capture the Castle, as portrayed by Romola Garai (who also, of course, plays Bel Rowley from ship number 8).

4. If 4 were to suddenly break-up today, what would your reaction be?

Are you kidding me - it took you a decade to get together, and now it's over?  *picks them up and knocks their heads together*

5. Why is 1 so important?

Where do I begin!  They were the ship that first got me into the world of online fandom.  I am generation X and I grew up before the internet was around, so I didn't even know there was such a thing as Tumblr, fanfiction, etc.  I know everyone says this, but I really thought I was the only person who made up stories in my head about couples I loved!  Then, when 3.05 happened, I was so devastated I started googling around and, oh joy, I found all these people who felt the same way I do about this gorgeous couple, and who wrote stories about them!  So many creative, talented, welcoming people, among whom I feel lucky to have made some really great friends, making up a fantastic fandom I am so happy to be a part of, despite what happened to our ship in canon - of course, in my world Lady Sybil always, always lives!

I love Sybil x Tom individually, at least as they were in the early seasons - strong, smart, curious about the world around them, compassionate, willing to stand up for what they believe in and upset the status quo.  I also love them together - they are a BAMF couple with phenomenal, scorching hot chemistry - the cross-class, secret aspect of their romance is very sexy, but that's not all there is to it *fans self*.  They are also stronger together, supporting each other all the way in their drive to build a better world for themselves and their children, fighting for justice and equality for all from their home in Dublin.  And they fit so well into so many other AUs, too, including modern!  They are just my ultimate, all time OTP. *le sigh*

6. Is 9 a funny ship or a serious ship?

They had elements of comedy, sure - but in the end, they were tragic.  As quite a few of my ships seem to be *sigh*.

7. Out of all of the ships listed, which ship has the most chemistry?

Sybil x Tom, no question.  But Aramis x Anne are right up there too!  (Have you seen their kiss???)

8. Out of all of your ships listed, which ship has the strongest bond?

Sybil x Tom (again).  But also - Bones x Booth because they took so long to be together and were best friends first, and Anne x Gilbert because they grew up together.

9. How many times have you read/watched 10’s fandom?

Quite a few - I think I've seen every episode of CSI: NY at least once, some several times - particularly "Snow Day" which is when they got together. *sigh*

10. Which ship has lasted the longest?

Anne x Gilbert - I shipped them at the age of 8 without even knowing there was such a thing as shipping! ;)  And the books have been around for more than 100 years, and are still beloved today, so that beats every other ship on this list by nearly a century.

11. How many times, if ever, has 6 broken up?

Ah, this is sad - they never really got together at all - finally went to dinner, and then Jackson bailed out on Louise because he was afraid of how he was feeling.  Idiot! *slaps him across the back of his head*  The TV show has already gone beyond the books for this ship, so I hope that isn't the end of their story.

12. If the world was suddenly thrust into a zombie apocalypse, which ship would make it out alive?

If I have to choose one - Bones x Booth would make it, for sure.  Bones is supersmart and has medical training, and Booth is ex-Army, a sniper and an FBI agent, so he can handle himself in most dangerous situations.

13. Did 7 ever have to hide their relationship for any reason?

Interesting question - they were never actually a couple based on anything they said to each other - it was love unspoken, all in the mind, in the heart and in the eyes.  Clear to them, but I don't think anyone else ever saw it.  In the end, they died willingly for each other - Uncas to try and save Alice, and Alice because she could not go on without Uncas - so everyone knew then, when it was already too late. *feels*

14.  Is 4 still together?

More than ever, yay!

15. Is 10 canon?

Yes - they had their ups and downs while they were going out, but they ended up very much together, happily married with a daughter.

16. If all 10 ships were put into a couple’s Hunger Games, which couple would win? 

This has to be Skye x Ward, with all their super secret agent skills!

17. Has anybody ever tried to sabotage 5’s ship?

Yes - John Garrett screwed up Ward when he was still a kid, and turned him to Hydra when he was his first SO.  This meant that Skye x Ward's relationship, when it started to happen, was (sadly) built on betrayal by Ward of SHIELD and everyone in it, which I guess means Ward sabotaged it himself, with help from Garrett.  But I have hope Ward may still redeem himself, somehow!

18. Which ship would you defend to the death and beyond?

Sybil x Tom always - the rest of them too, because that is to me what a ship is, but if I have to choose it will always be the Bransons, my perfect OTP.

19. Do you spend hours a day going through 3’s tumblr page?

Never - I see them on Tumblr from time to time, but I never go looking for them here.

20. If an evil witch descended from the sky and told you that you had to pick one of the ten ships to break up forever or else she’d break them all forever, which ship would you sink?

I'd have to say Skye x Ward - I have really been wondering this season if there is any way back for those two anyway, so if I had to break up one ship, I'd choose them.

I tag ever-the-stormbraver, rebeccathehistorian and mimijag if you haven't already done this. :)​