Bride and Prejudice

Peter and Kelly S recently lent us their copy of "Bride & Prejudice," with the stipulation that one of us blog about it after watching it. So now they know how long it takes us to watch a movie: we saw it in three installments (usually with a pile of laundry between the two of us), and had to turn it off by 9:30 pm every time because otherwise I'd dream about it too much and not sleep well. (We have a stricter movie policy and curfew now than we ever did as teenagers.) We did push the 9:30 rule for the last installment, when the movie was nearly done and I saw Darren go for the remote. I graciously requested, "Don't you dare stop it!"

As the title suggests, the storyline is based on Pride & Prejudice. But this movie is Indian, put out by the same director who did "Bend It Like Beckham." (D & I immensely enjoyed Bend It Like Beckham, which is also one of the few movies that I and my sister-in-law Lindsay both like.) In B&P, the Lizzie character is Indian, and the Darcy character is American, which throws in immediate "prejudice" without even having to try. The movie follows the basic storyline, complete with the Bingleys, Wickham, Lydia, Charlotte, and Mr. Collins characters. Good thing, too, because -- I hate to admit this -- the Indian actors all look alike. Once we got people straightened out, we could follow the action without much trouble, and sat back to enjoy it (at least until 9:30).

But this movie isn't Hollywood; it's Bollywood. Evidently it's normal for Indian movies to feature elaborate song-and-dance numbers right in the middle of the show, just like an 50s American musical. No American movie could pull this off anymore, but the Indian approach is unabashedly sentimental. It got pretty funny after a while. Still, we watched the musical performances through, because the colors were so dazzling. Another Bollywood convention is No Kissing. The hottest they get are a few passionate hugs. I liked it during the middle of the movie, because it kept things very understated and (gratifying to my conservative tastes) chaste. But I confess I really missed the Kiss At The End.

I can't really give an opinion of how the movie is as its own movie. I don't know how believable the characters were or how well the director handled the plot: I know the story much too well. So other aspects caught my attention. Just as when we watched "Beckham," I was struck (and so Darren was informed several times) how easily the Indian family structure translates into homeschooler terms. Strong family identity, strong parental authority, and the children -- especially daughters -- trying to balance their own desires with their parents' wishes. Where most mainstream audiences would find the family hierarchy a little exotic and rather oppressive, Darren and I understood much of the conflict, and were satisfied with the resolution.

Pause.

"How's the post coming?" Darren just asked.

"Fine. I'm trying to figure out how to end it."

"How about, 'This is the end.'"

But it can't be, yet, because I haven't mentioned the one aching regret this movie brought to the surface yet again: Why hasn't Indian fashion ever caught on over here? Do you realize how classy and beautiful the traditional Indian sari is? When America finally gets the idea, I'll be in the first wave to get mine, each in a different vibrant color.

And now, this is the end.

-- SJ

Mundania VIII

* I came across a new name recently. Actually, it's not new: it evidently dates back to the 1770s. But I'd never heard it before: Richmal. It's a woman's name, and probably looks better written than it sounds pronounced. I think it's pretty cool, though. I haven't put it into the Baby Name Voyager to see how it ranks.

* Book recommendation: The Oxford Book of Humorous Prose, edited by Frank Muir. Darren got it for me for my birthday the first year we were married, and by this time it's in sad shape. It contains excerpts of humorous writing from the 1500s to the 1970s, as well as biographical sketches about each author (which are as interesting as the excerpts). You can pick it up, turn to a page at random, and read until you stop. I pull it off the shelf periodically and read it for a week or so at a time.

* We got some wonderful pictures back from our Ordination/Family Weekend. Unfortunately, our scanner won't work with our computer... probably about time we did something about that... so the wonderful pictures might be left to your imagination.

* My mother-in-law is on her way back from a week's trip to England. I'm very glad that she got to go: if nothing else, it teaches me not to give up hope. (I once was saving up to take a trip to England, and got quite a bit put aside. I used it to pay for my wedding.) When my mother -- also an Anglophile who has never actually seen the land -- heard where Miss Bev was, she expressed her excitement and joy with a succinct, "Thbbbbb!"

* I have a friend who occasionally lapses into an old habit of bad language, and such words have more staying power now that she has a three-year-old. They were at the grocery store, and her daughter was handing the items to the cashier, saying, "Here you go! Here you go!" When my friend handed over a coupon and said, "Here you go!" the cashier said, "Well, I can see where she gets that." A moment later, the little girl was frustrated trying to get something open, and exclaimed, "D---it!" My friend admitted that, yes, she got that from her mother, too. She was mortified. I thought it was hilarious. After all, it wasn't MY child.

-- SJ

Those Nefarious J's

I've lately been telling A&S stories based on characters from my childhood games. The J's were a band of villains who were always perpetrating something awful, and back then it was up to Rosemary and me to save the day. These days the hero positions are filled by Addie and Stuart, but the J's remain the same.

Why "the J's"? Because, duh, their names are Julie, Jeana, Jeremy, and John. Lest you think it too convenient that they all have alliterative names, you should know that it is a requirement of membership that inductees take on a J name. One day it will occur to A&S that their own last name is a J, which wasn't a problem many years ago when the line was created by a Roberts.

The general format of the stories run as follows:

"One day, Addie and Stuart got a call from [toy-store owner, neighbor across the street, apple-juice-factory-worker, etc.]: "Help! The J's are here and they're [playing with all the toys all over the store, getting kids to play in the street, putting mud in the apple juice, etc.]. You've got to come!"

So Addie and Stuart put on their special armor -- Addie's was red, Stuart's was yellow and blue -- and got their special swords, and jumped on their special horses, and rode off to find the J's. When they got there, sure enough, the J's were [involved in aforementioned horror]. "You stop that!" Addie and Stuart yelled at the J's.

"No! We're having fun!" they yelled back.

Then Addie and Stuart take appropriate action, which always ends with the J's getting tied up and taken to jail. The grateful store owners, kids, workers, etc. thank A&S profusely, and often reward them with a toy or candy or something "we don't have to pay for," as Addie always adds. And they live happily ever after, until the next distress call comes.

These stories have the advantage of being short, so it doesn't take a very intricate plot to keep them going. They have the disadvantage of being short, which means that the kids continuously request another one and another one and another one. I'm running out of Awful Deeds Perpetrated By the J's. Below is a a sample of the J's past nefariousness:

* Playing in the street and not watching for cars
* Going into a grocery store and breaking all the eggs
* Playing with lighters
* Convincing neighborhood kids to take a walk without adults
* Stealing the baby across the street and changing his name to James
* Playing with electrical wires (Uncle Evan the electrician came in to clean up that damage)
* Stealing Pink Bear (I'm not sure whether it's worse that Stuart's cherished friend was stolen, or that it got retrieved)

Any further suggestions are welcome. One day I will collect these stories into a volume, and subtitle them, "Adventure Stories to Edify and Instruct the Young in Ways of Safety and Kindness."

-- SJ

Update on Pictures

First, I meant to post that the pictures were (almost) all taken by Mom. Not only did she take them, but she got them developed before 6 that night. And the roll she took at church the next day is still sitting in our kitchen waiting to be taken to Wal-Mart. Now you know why Mom was in charge of photography :)

The reason for the incense is that it represents prayer (Rev. 5:8), and the time when I was prostrate on the floor was a time during the service when the congregation was praying for me via song.

--DJ

Order of Service

Sara (and Father Tim, who's off to the left off-camera) present me to the bishop.

The blur swinging over me is a censer.

I finally get to wear my stole! Hurray!

My Pastor and Me

I like serving in the church with Father Tim. He and I make a good team, because we're actually quite different. He's much more people-oriented than I am, and he loves St. John of the Cross (whose writing I can barely tolerate). But we agree that St. Athanasius is great.

3 Beautiful Women

Sara (looking gorgeous, in my opinion), Jill, and Lindsay, all on the way in to the church.

The 3 Jones Siblings

Lindsay sang a beautiful solo for the offertory (cosmic praise type - the type of song I like!), and Evan did the Old Testament reading. Thanks guys!

Dad, Mom, and Deacon Darren

Dad was one of the Scripture readers for the service. He read the section in Acts about choosing the first deacons. I was so happy that he and Mom could be down for the service!

Ordination Weekend

This last weekend was an excellent time. My whole family came down to visit, as well as Uncle Bob and Aunt Pam from Pennsylvania.

Friday was spent at one of our favorite spots, Harpers Ferry. The kids got to run up and down the hills, and I carried my nephew Tucker around on my shoulders for a while. Sara and Jill had packed a wonderful picnic lunch for us, which we all enjoyed. Addie especially enjoyed the potato chips, and I don't think anyone minded too badly that the pickles for the sub sandwiches were sweet instead of dill. (Well, I did hear one person complaining about it, but as she's eight months pregnant, I thought she was supposed to be over the pickles thing?)

Saturday was splendid! The AC in the church worked well, which was good, because we pretty much packed out the place with about 60 people. Thanks to some dedicated teenage girls taking charge of the nursery, we didn't have to worry about toddlers and babies getting tired of the ordination service (which went for 2 hours). The music was great (thanks Lindsay, Dana, Dena, and Matt!), and I really felt the Spirit of God present.

Pictures will follow.

--DJ

Office Council

At work, we have a monthly meeting of the department heads and attorneys. It's useful, but usually not very exciting, so I often write down funny things that are said to tell Sara later.

Yesterday, Chuck Hurst had a good one. Generation Joshua (the youth organization connected with HSLDA) is planning to do a Constitution Day event where students will re-enact in one day the original Constitutional Convention. As we discussed where on campus we could hold it, Chuck suggested that it wasn't any problem: we could simply rent a pavilion and hold it outside.

"Then," he said, "you can have the original in tent."

There were groans.

--DJ

A Novel Concept

The New York Court of Appeals (that state's highest court - the regular trial courts are called Supreme Courts, which is why on the TV show "Law and Order" the cases always get to the Supreme Court right away) issued a good decision this last week. Several same-sex couples had sued because city clerks were refusing to issue them marriage licenses. The Court ruled that the legislature could legitimately restrict marriage to one man and one woman.

My favorite quote from the opinion:

"The dissenters assert confidently that "future generations" will agree with their view of this case (dissenting op at 28). We do not predict what people will think generations from now, but we believe the present generation should have a chance to decide the issue through its elected representatives. We therefore express our hope that the participants in the controversy over same-sex marriage will address their arguments to the Legislature; that the Legislature will listen and decide as wisely as it can; and that those unhappy with the result -- as many undoubtedly will be -- will respect it as people in a democratic state should respect choices democratically made."

Hmm. Now there's a new idea - if you want to change the law, go to the people who make the laws and try to change it there, instead of trying to do an end run by using the court. Too bad that the New York court wasn't the one deciding Roe v. Wade 23 years ago.

--DJ

Five Years

It's the Randomizer's birthday! In the spirit of randomization, her birthday was held at a pottery-painting shop, where everyone painted little ceramic ladybugs (we've always called her "Adelaidy-bug"); her cake was a purple dragon from the local grocery store; and her gifts included the following jumbled assortment:

* Roller skates
* Dress-up tiara and shoes
* Craft lap desk
* Young Reader's Bible
* Microscope

One little boy brought her a flower, which was a good thing because he'd done it last year and Addie was in great expectation of Jackson's flower this year. The only thing she didn't get, and none of her guests' mothers even bothered to look at, was a doll and accessories. Addie doesn't play with dolls. She'd rather look at it under the microscope.

She's five years old today, and her parents are pretty proud to have her.

-- SJ and DJ

Name-Lovers' Playground

What could be more fun than a real-time popularity graph? It answers such gnawing questions as, How has the name "Mary" fared over the last century or so? Was "Jason" really the one-decade wonder that it seemed to be? Was "Horace" ever in the top 1000 names? I can spend far more time than reasonable playing with this graph, and Darren's pretty susceptible, too.

Thanks to the Voyager, I'm currently on a quest to find out about the name "Paralee," which evidently was popular about the same time "Adelaide" was. (And interesting note, "Adelaide" crept back onto the charts in 2005 after disappearing for decades. Apparently I'm not the only young mom who found it charming.)

The Baby Name Wizard: NameVoyager

It was developed by the author of my favorite name-book ("The Baby Name Wizard," Laura Wattenburg).

-- SJ

Hindsight

Darren will be ordained a deacon next weekend. Since our church is liturgical/sacramental, it's an elaborate ceremony, and a serious commitment. For weeks, Darren has been happily ordering his deacon's shirts and deacon's stoles, making out invitation lists, addressing envelopes, filling in his RSVP spreadsheet, meeting with the lady in charge of the reception, and going over the order of service to decide what music to include and who to ask for help. Watching him, I've been hit with a realization six years too late: I should have had him plan our wedding.

-- SJ