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Showing posts from August, 2011

On the Anniversary of Absolutely Nothing

Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy Once, a long time ago, an ex-boyfriend said to me in an argument, “You don’t want me. You want Mr. Darcy.” I couldn’t really deny it. At the time I thought he was being kind of harsh, but I also began to question whether I might be a little too demanding of the men in my life. But the more I thought about it, the more I came to the conclusion that wanting Mr. Darcy is not necessarily asking for too much. Matthew McFadyen as Mr. Darcy What’s wrong with wanting a man who is your intellectual equal? A man who you can have a good argument with and feel some genuine dislike for on occasion? A man who, despite that occasional genuine dislike, keeps you titillated and your interest piqued? Mr. Darcy wasn’t a perfect man. He was arrogant, snooty, moody, given to vehement outburst and quick judgments of character. What makes him so desirable is that he balances these imperfections with intellect, generosity, and eventually, one hundred percent devotion

Threefer Thursday: Three Romance Authors Worth Reading

What romance may look like. Romance is perhaps one of the most scoffed-at genres of fiction. Readers picture glossy covers featuring busty women in various states of undress, looking longingly into a tan, muscular man wearing some type of breech/boot combination. Because of this, the Romance genre is generally a reader’s dirty little secret.   Not the kind of books you take with you no public transportation, or leave sitting on your living room table for people to see. But there are three romance authors who, while not raising the genre to the heady heights of Literary Fiction (though as you can tell, that doesn’t bother me a bit), have made it respectable and written some damn good characters along the way.   Enjoy their work, and feel free to leave their non-bodice-busting covers lying around wherever you like.       1. Nora Roberts Nora Roberts           I discovered Nora Roberts by chance when I was browsing the book section at Sam’s Club and picked up one of her bo

Word Wednesday: Felicitous

fe·lic·i·tous adj \fi-ˈli-sÉ™-tÉ™s\ Definition of FELICITOUS 1 : very well suited or expressed : apt felicitous remark> 2 : pleasant , delightful < felicitous weather> — fe·lic·i·tous·ly adverb — fe·lic·i·tous·ness noun See felicitous defined for English-language learners » See felicitous defined for kids » Examples of FELICITOUS a felicitous combination of flavors felicitous accompaniment to dinner is provided by a harpist on weekends at the restaurant> First Known Use of FELICITOUS 1789 Related to FELICITOUS Synonyms: agreeable , blessed ( also blest ), congenial , darling , delectable , delicious , delightful , delightsome , dreamy , dulcet , enjoyable , pleasant , good , grateful , gratifying , heavenly , jolly , luscious , nice , palatable , pleasing , pleasurable , pretty , satisfying , savory ( also savoury ), sweet , tasty , welcome Antonyms: disagreeable , pleasureless , unpalatable , unpleasant , unwelcome Use it in a s

Book Review: The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn

Many of you have heard me wax enthusiastic about Deanna Raybourn’s Julia Grey novels. I took a risk starting this series, because after I read her novel, The Dead Travel Fast , I was somewhat disappointed. But by the time I had finished the first installment, Silent in the Grave , I was hooked on the plucky, independent character of Julia Grey. The fifth in the series, tantalizingly titled The Dark Enquiry , continues the delightful standard set by the previous four books. In this volume, Julia finally earns the chance to become a fully trusted partner in her husband, Brisbane’s enquiry agency after her brother comes to them with a little blackmailing problem. Her family’s involvement in this particular case is fortuitous for Julia, as it gives her an obvious in to the case and makes it easier for her to convince Brisbane that she can be useful. What follows is an entertaining and endearing account of starts and stops as they attempt to pin down  a blackmailer, poisoner, and a thie

Guest Post: The Ultimate Egg Sandwich

Brought to you by: Norris J. Dupre of Mostly Indignation .  Every now and then a sandwich comes along that changes your life forever. To my surprise, this happened for me shortly after I began dating my husband. He created one of the most delicious, complex, and decadent sandwiches I have ever eaten: Two eggs, two slices of toast, cheese, hash browns, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar bacon.  See how it’s made below, according to Norris’s specific instructions, and dazzle yourself and your loved ones with the sheer absolute perfection of this culinary delight.  Alrighty, here we go. I will show pics, then explain what you're seeing. The total prep time for this usually runs between 15 and 20 minutes.  These are our ingredients. I like to use a fancy multi-grain bread. Usually 8- or 12- grain. I call it "pretentious" bread, because it is a lot more fancy to me than your standard sandwich-grade wheat bread. But! It's very useful for the purposes of making t