Mindy and her sister escape into the arms of Mr. Darcy and I envision a good verbal spar with Lizzy. Just me hanging with the girls watching some good ole romantic Jane Austin.
Seemed innocent enough.
Then yesterday (Sunday) I found myself again surrounded by girls. Lots of them. Our entire Young Womens. I was sitting in on a lesson which happened to be "Appreciating the Cultural Arts".
For the first half of the lesson I had nothing to contribute as they talked about music, for which I have absolutely no talent and limited appreciation except for music that they should probably not be listening to. But just as I was about to be lulled to sleep by the constant chattering in the room the topic changed to literature and then quickly to Jane Austen.
I perked up as hand after hand shot up to eagerly share love and appreciation for Miss Austen and then the conversation turned to Pride & Prejudice. Now I was wide awake and on the edge of my seat. The energy in the room was palpable. This was nothing like the "Men's" meetings. This was unbridled sharing of feelings, with no fear.
Before I knew it my hand was in the air and I had shared with the whole room how I was in the middle of watching Pride & Prejudice and loved all Jane Austen. We bonded in that moment as they all nodded in approval.
But there is a price to pay when we blurt out the secrets deep in our hearts. (remember High School Musical?)
Today I got a call from a couple of friends. This was the conversation:
Friend: Dude what are you doing?
Me: What do you mean?
Friend: I mean my daughter came home and wants me to watch Pride & Prejudice with her. She said you said you watched it. So what are you doing?
Me: Oh yeah. I guess I might have...Well it's not that bad you know...
Friend: Dude you are so messed up. Knock it off.
Anyone want to go to Die Hard IV?
14 comments:
One big word my friend - HOMO. You need a serious man weekend, quads at the dunes, wrestilng with alligators, anything. This is serious. If you even suggest that you sat down afterwards and listened to some Barbara Streisand albums, and sewed window treatments I'm driving out there and kicking you square in the Darcy. That is all. Pull up your shorts and never talk that way again. Jeff
That last comment was from Jeff... not me!!
Don't let him fool you. He cried watching Anne of Green Gables. I can't get him to sit through any Jane Austin yet, but I will never stop hoping!!
I LOVE JANE AUSTIN! You're okay in my book!
Jeff is definitely missing out. Heather made me watch Pride & Prejudice when we were engaged. I've seen it a couple of times since. No shame here.
That was back when he'd do anything to impress me. That's when you gotta get 'em, when they're vulnerable and in love...
I happen to know that you're not the only man (and I use the term advisedly) in the family capable of enjoying Jane Austen AND Die Hard. Of course, proportion is everything; Willis, Schwarzenegger, et al, trump Jane Austen 99 times out of 100. But that 1% just proves you don't have issues with your masculinity.
As for your insecure friend in the ward, my expert adviser suggests a quid pro quo arrangement with his daughter--a Jane Austen in exchange for the movie of HIS choice. If she goes for the six-hour version, he can barter for equal time--at least two, maybe three Die Hard equivalents. What a great bonding experience!
Yeah, well you're a Thomas, are you surprised???
For the record, I've met lots of men who like the movie and/or the book (including my dad & brothers)
Case in point: Stu is re-reading it right now.
stick it to the man, Eldon!
OH - and you really should go see Die Hard IV - IT's SO GREAT!!!!!
I like that idea of 6 hours of Jane for 6 hours of shoot 'em up.
KT I just finished Middlemarch which you had recommended a while back. It was great.
I'm with you Jeff.
Brent
Speaking of Pride & Prejudice, who ever has our copy, DAD would like to have it back - he wants to watch it!!!
Eldon, whenever I read your blog I have to giggle. In high school you took a college prep WRITING class. We all knew you could talk yourself out of or into any situation. You even talked the teacher into letting you take the final for the WRITING class orally!!! She later wrote in your year book, "To the boy with the golden tongue"!
You really have a flare for writing too!!
At one point it was Madge and 4 daughters, and was forced to watch Jane Austen with them. I'm now a Jane Austen fan. We have a section of our videos called "carriages" and that is the criterion for making it to that section. It even has Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Little Princess. CARRIAGES!!
With Pride and Prejudice, we have the 6 hour version, the old black and white version, and the new one with Keira Knightly and the Mormon (Provo, Utah) version.
You can still like Jan Austen and like guy-flicks. I like a good action flick. You can like both. It's it strange,however, how you bond when they find out you watch their chick flicks?
oh I'm so glad you like Middlemarch. It's one of my favorites.
Oh and this is why we love you Eldon! You are so secure in your manhood... this is the kind of stuff that makes work time go by... and is the cause of many random outbursts of laughter that make coworkers stare... cause you are funny...
You just set the standard. I'd say you just might be Mr. Darcy himself!
Post a Comment