My even newer obsession

I've always loved Jane Austen's Emma, and it's always been my favourite of her novels. Imagine my delight when I heard that the BBC were making a new mini-series. I had hoped against hope that they would cast Richard Armitage (aka Mr Thornton from North and South) as my favourite Austen hero Mr. Knightley. However, I was devastated when they didn't, and cast Jonny Lee Miller instead. Devastated not necessarily because I had a predisposed dislike of JLM (I didn't - I'd never seen him in anything before except for Mansfield Park which I didn't finish watching), but because someone not RA was going to play Mr. Knightley.

But a year down the track, having seen the adaptation and become obsessed with it (and JLM's Mr. Knightley), I must eat my metaphorical bonnet. Nobody (not even RA) could have done it better. Jonny is my perfect Mr. Knightley, and is now my all-time favourite in the role (which is saying something because I absolutely loved Jeremy Northam in the role and thought that nobody - except perhaps Richard Armitage - could beat him).

Everybody must see the new mini-series now! Those who loved it, feel free to PM me anytime - I never get tired of discussing it!

My new obsession (and I really am obsessed this time - I made a T-shirt dedicated to it)

I was always obsessed with period dramas in general, but never have I loved any as much as the BBC mini-series of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. The book was wonderful, and the adaptation was one of those rare ones which is just as good as the book. North and South is about a young woman from tranquil southern England who moves to live in the north at the height of the Industrial Revolution. The book is basically about the relationship between the working class and the masters of the factories, and explores this point through a love story between the southern woman and a northern mill owner whose opinions constantly clash.

It's an amazing book, and the mini-series is amazing too. Richard Armitage (who I'd never heard of before this) is Mr Thornton, and he gives a brilliant performance (it helps that he is extremely hot and probably a major reason behind my humungous fictional character crush on Mr Thornton) - I am now an official member of the Armitage Army of RAbid fangirls. I must also mention that Daniela Denby-Ashe, who plays Margaret, was also fantastic, and although she seems to be overlooked a lot as everyone praises RA, without her wonderful performance as Margaret Hale, RA's Mr Thornton might not have made such an impact. Also, I must mention what is now called 'The Train Station Scene' in my mind - most romantic thing ever; and I love that the film doesn't just end abruptly and sort of brings you down gently from that emotional high, so that you're left feeling completely satisfied.

It is a crime to have not seen and read this. Please check it out and do PM me if you are a fan - can't talk about it enough!

I discovered the most awesome TV show!!

I know I'm a bit late to jump on the bandwagon (especially since it's not even showing on TV anymore), but how good are the team behind the Aussie satirical TV show The Chaser's War on Everything ?? Within two weeks of having discovered them (d'oh - six months after they were handing out autographs in a local shopping centre in my city), I owned all of the first season on DVD. Two months later, I owned both seasons of the WOE show, and also a DVD of their previous show CNNNN (which, if possible, is even funnier).

The only two drawbacks I can see are: their show has gone from mostly political satire to largely crowd-pleasing, more obvious, silly humour (still hilarious, but they were better before), and there is sometimes swearing and quite explicit sexual references which means that I have to pick and choose segments carefully when watching with family.

It's only a bonus that almost all the writers/presenters on the show are totally cute in addition to being hilarious.

Something funny I discovered today

There's fanfiction for TV commercials!! AHAHAHAHAAAA!! Just go to the TV Shows category, and it's a sub-category. I read some about McDonalds and Oxiclean - they were hilarious!! Read them now!!

C2s and World Domination

The other day, I discovered the joys of C2s. I even made one myself, for Artemis Fowl. It was a lot of fun, and I considered making a Bollywood C2, but right now, the Bollywood section is like a C2 itself, it's so small. That day, I realized something. We may be tiny, but we have the potential to grow. We, the Bollywood section, the underdog, can become as big if not bigger than the Harry Potter section if we really try. Think of the fact that Shahrukh Khan is the most popular actor in the world in terms of number of fans, even though he is virtually unknown to most of the western world. And there are many other Bollywood fans who are not SRK fans. So that must mean that more people know of Bollywood and Bollywood movies, something that has existed well before 1997's Harry Potter. So all these people must write. And must introduce Bollywood to their friends, so their friends can write. And eventually, we can take over the world!! MUAHAHAHAAA!!

Ahem. Well. What I meant to say was, if we worked together, then we can make Bollywood a big section. Yes. And you must write, because I tell you to. Heh. Here's a morale booster: D'you know we're beating the 'Bride and Prejudice' section by heaps of stories? (though to be fair, B and P is only one movie, while Bollywood is millions and I did quite like that B and P story)

All You'll Ever Need To Know About Me:

Some Random Things in No Particular Order:

I abhor the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and think it is pathetic and vastly overrated (Update: My brother, traitor that he is, waited until I was out of the country to buy the first book. By the time I got back, he had read all of the series and there was one of those - I suppose you would call them books , though they hardly deserve that distinction - books in my house. Ugh. For the record, he only read them once, and hasn't touched the book since - I can't decide if this is a good or a bad thing. Update 2: Finally exorcised my bookshelf of that book by donating it to an op shop along with some old Enid Blytons - now some other poor misguided teen can 'enjoy' it.)

My Jane Austen mania is getting almost ridiculous. I not only own a copy of every novel, the unfinished works and her juvenilia, I am now buying different editions if I see them, simply because they possess explanatory notes, introductions by different academics, pretty covers, etc.

I am rapidly becoming obsessed with Georgette Heyer's Regency and Georgian romances - she has a lovely writing style which is witty, charming and completely of the period, and yet her books are fluffier and a quicker read than Austen's. She's like Jane Austen Lite - and there's so much of her work to enjoy; brilliant!

I try to incorporate North and South quotes in everyday conversation and have irritated all my friends and family with my pathetic attempt at a northern accent

I generally try to incorporate period drama/classic lit quotes in everyday conversation, much to the exasperation of my friends and family (my current favourite is 'Badly done, (insert name here)! Badly done indeed.')

I have a pigeon figure, despite the fact that I think they are taking over the world

I brush my teeth everyday (Wiggles in-joke - but I do brush them everyday though; twice)

I've watched the Wiggles with my baby cousin and actually enjoyed it

My 'baby cousin' is now five and a half and has started school, and I still can't believe it

I obviously consider the above facts more important than my nationality, favourite food, likes and dislikes and the fact that I have a brother

I'm Australian

I love reading, roller-blading, watching a good movie...

Obviously, I love chocolate

My ideal day is one spent lazing around at home, writing fics, watching a movie, reading a good book... (unluckily for me, I can only live out my ideal day on national holidays and the summer, since every weekend is a rush.)

I have a brother

I have an absolutely terrible sense of direction

Health classes, medical shows and learning about global warming all scare me

I'm now a medical student and medical shows still scare me (not to mention my coursework, LOL - something about learning every possible thing that can go wrong with your body tends to make you a little paranoid ;-))

I can't tolerate watching Big Brother

I love the Simpsons and dislike it when people think they're too mature for it

I am addicted to watching Masterchef, lame as that is (and have even been inspired to try cooking stuff myself, LOL - I can now actually make pretty good chocolate macarons)

I'm freakishly obsessed with Jane Austen books and their movie adaptations

I'm freakishly obsessed with 19th century literature in general

I'm freakishly obsessed with period dramas from any country, although British ones in particular

I'm well on my way to becoming freakishly obsessed with Georgette Heyer's Regency and Georgian novels

I used to be freakishly obsessed with Hindi cinema

I used to be freakishly obsessed with Harry Potter

At any given time I'm usually freakishly obsessed with something

I think that little kids' television has gone to the dogs these days. The cartoons they show are getting worse and worse

I find things like mooses getting drunk funny (I've been told since that the plural of moose is meese - curious... Update: I have since been told twice - by two different Canadians, no less - that the plural of 'moose' is not 'meese' but is actually just 'moose' - curiouser and curiouser)

I have a weird sense of humour (see above)

I can be a terrible hypocrite when it comes to Hindi movies. When I'm watching with my family, I make sarcastic comments about the costume changes and sudden songs and dodgy dance moves. However, if I'm watching with non-Indian friends, nobody makes any comments if they want to stay alive

I contemplate the meaning of life on train journeys as I stare blankly out the window

I am a terrible procrastinator and I leave work to the last minute

I hate writing stories within word limits (I tend to go over them)

I hate writing stories/essays under pressure (say in an exam situation, where there's a time limit and you only find out the topic as you get there)

I cringe when I look at some of my early pathetic attempts at writing (yes, I am fully aware that the stuff I've written at the bottom of my page - which, amazingly, I thought was quite good at the time - is utter rubbish for the most part. Even though I still can't write anywhere near as well as I would like to, I hope there's been some improvement over time)

I cringe when I look at some of the drawings I did last year (can't believe I actually thought they were good at one time; and it's now been over a year since I've drawn anything, so I think all my drawings are pathetic now! Funny in a kind of sad way xD)

I think it's immoral (not the right word - but I don't like it) to kill things like moths and spiders and cockroaches, even though I hate the last two. My dad killed a huntsman with one of my slippers the other day and I burst into tears. I was hysterical before that, on account of there actually being a huntsman near me, and seeing it's guts splatter all over our deck was the last straw

Pet Peeves:

Anonymous flamers - I don't mind flames themselves. Okay, they're not so nice to receive, but at least if the flame is signed then I can communicate to the flamer. Anonymous flaming is cowardly.

People who add a story of mine to favourites or alerts, but don't review. I'm not ungrateful - I do appreciate the gesture, and it's definitely better than nothing. But it's so frustrating, because I love to know what other people think about my writing, and here is someone who has thoughts about it, evidently likes it, but won't tell me why! Feedback = love, people; so please please PLEASE just spare a few seconds to leave a review - you can't imagine how happy it makes me!

People who talk about nothing except other people who I don't know

People who are overly obsessed with make-up/jewellery/dating/fashion

People who think that everyone should be overly obsessed with make-up/jewellery/dating/fashion.

People who judge others through looks alone

Stuck-up people

Racist people

People who accuse other people of being racist when they're not

Racial stereotypes (all Asians must be smart; Aussies have kangaroos in their backyard and play sport all the time; Americans are obese, sex-obsessed people who get divorced all the time; Indians cannot have naturally light eyes; German people are evil Nazis; French people are posh snobs; African people are uneducated and poor; etc. ...)

People who put me into a stereotype (just because I wear glasses and like to read Jane Austen, they don't have to act all surprised when they find out I like Hindi movies and Meg Cabot books as well)

When North Indians make fun of South Indians and vice-versa

People who don't know when to leave you alone

Smart people who rub in the fact that they're smarter than you and make you feel stupid

People who make fun of Bollywood movies (or just Bollywood in general) after having seen one or none of them

When people ask me, 'You speak Indian at home, right?' THERE IS NO SUCH LANGUAGE AS 'INDIAN' (I have answered this question far too many times)

When you cry and everyone crowds around you and asks if you are OK (obviously, if I cry and nobody asks about me, I'll complain about that too - you can't win ;-) )

Spiders

Cockroaches

Movies that have over-mushiness/swearing/adult themes in them that embarrass me when I'm watching with my family

Overzealous fans who bash other people just to make their idol look better.

Favourite Books: Emma by Jane Austen, Middlemarch by George Eliot, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Persuasion by Jane Austen, Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell, Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy, Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, Ruth by Elizabeth Gaskell, Sylvia's Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell, Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne, Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer, Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer, A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer, The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer, Romancing Mr Bridgerton by Julia Quinn, Sylvester by Georgette Heyer, Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer, Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer, Faro's Daughter by Georgette Heyer, Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers, Have His Carcase by Dorothy L. Sayers, Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers, Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn, These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer, Cotillion by Georgette Heyer, April Lady by Georgette Heyer, Pistols for Two by Georgette Heyer, Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer, Bleak House by Charles Dickens, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte, Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell, The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery, More than Love Letters by Rosy Thornton (a wonderful loosely-based modern 'North and South'), The Call of the Wild by Jack London, Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome, Regeneration by Pat Barker, A Room With a View by E.M. Forster, The Lord of the Rings series by J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, all Roald Dahl books (especially Matilda and The Witches), a lot of Enid Blyton books (although it's become unfashionable to like her - and rereading her recently, her writing wasn't really that great; but I loved her books as a kid, and they're what got me into reading), Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta, Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta, Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty, all the Harry Potter ones, all the Artemis Fowl ones (except for the fifth and seventh), the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik (alternate history of the Napoleonic wars in a world where both sides have an air force with talking dragons - absolutely brilliant and compelling read), the Travelling Matchmaker series by Marion Chesney aka M.C. Beaton (a cute and funny Regency series), Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, 2 States by Chetan Bhagat, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the Rowan of Rin series by Emily Rodda, City of the Beasts, Kingdom of the Golden Dragon & Forest of the Pygmies by Isabel Allende (they're three separate books), some of the earlier books by Meg Cabot (first 3 Princess Diaries, Teen Idol, All American Girl, her two Regency novels), Holes by Louis Sachar, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli.

Fictional Character Crushes (I'm a loser, I know - especially considering how extensive this list is):

Jane Austen Characters: First and foremost Mr Knightley (just reread Emma and watched the new mini-series (which is amazing, btw) - he is now my favourite Austen hero; swoonworthy in an understated way). In bold because the mini-series made me rediscover my love for him, and now my crush is on par with that for Mr Thornton. And then Captain Wentworth, Colonel Brandon and Henry Tilney (who is almost a male Lizzy Bennet - handsome, witty, charming, loves to laugh). Somewhat like Edward Ferrars and Mr Darcy (yes, that's right, Mr Darcy is far from my favourite Austen male). Downright dislike Edmund Bertram (Edit: alright, alright - I don't hate him. After rereading Mansfield Park and watching the lovely Jonny Lee Miller's portrayal of him, and writing a fanfic from his POV I have developed a bit of a soft spot for him.) I also have a tiny literary crush on Robert Martin from Emma, and think it would be very nice to live in Abbey Mill Farm. Have a bit of a girl crush on Elizabeth Bennet - she's so imperfectly perfect - and I'd love to be as witty and funny as her - the most charming heroine in literature, IMO. Also, if I were a guy, I'd probably be head-over-heels in love with Emma Woodhouse from Emma. I used to hate her, but I find I'm much more forgiving of her flaws now, and she's now actually my favourite Jane Austen heroine (and Emma/Mr Knightley are my favourite Jane Austen couple).

Elizabeth Gaskell Characters (ie. North and South, plus the other books she's written): Mr Thornton (he's probably most like Captain Wentworth, because he's a self-made man who's extremely intelligent, hard-working, considerate and loyal, and as an added bonus, he's also rich (and incredibly hot - although this may only be in my head)! Although like Captain Wentworth he's quite cold and aloof to the woman he loves after she rejects him, unlike the good captain, he does not try and rebound with some pretty airhead, for which I like him better) Played perfectly by Richard Armitage (excuse me as I swoon) in the BBC mini-series of N&S. In bold because it's my most major fictional character crush yet. Henry Lennox isn't bad either - I actually liked and felt sorry for him in the book, but they make him such an asshole in the mini-series that it's sort of tainted the view I had of him when I first read the book before seeing the series. I also really like Jem Wilson from Mary Barton - he's such a sweetie - he really deserves better than Mary, who is kind of annoying. I really liked Mr Farquhar from Ruth - he sounded like a lovely man and perfect for Jemima (although I admit, my lip curled a little when he was relieved, a la Mr Collins, that he hadn't revealed his feelings to Ruth before he found out that she was an unmarried mother; I also didn't like how he moved on to Ruth from Jemima, and then rebounded back to Jemima once he found out Ruth's past). Oh dear, I read over what I've written and I've made him sound horrible now - but apart from that, he really is great, and he is truly a man of action - he redeems himself after for always sticking up for Ruth, her son and the Bradshaws when they're going through tough times. Roger Hamley from Wives and Daughters is also very nice - although I can't really forgive him for liking Cynthia over Molly at first - but Roger's much, MUCH more likable than Edmund Bertram from Mansfield Park whose love life follows a similar pattern. I also have a very soft spot for Philip Hepburn from Sylvia's Lovers, but I don't know if that's because I've got a crush on him, or just simply because I identify with him so strongly. I felt so sorry for him all the way through and thought he deserved way better than Sylvia (in fact, I think if he could have loved Hester, she would have been way better with him).

Georgette Heyer Characters: Sir Waldo from The Nonesuch (he's just lovely - hardly any character flaws but still feels like a rounded, real character; I like how different he is from the typical cynical rake Heyer hero), Sir Gareth from Sprig Muslin (he's another Waldo-esque 'nice' hero - well-mannered, kind, friendly, etc.; he also has a dry sense of humour which I adore), Freddy Standen from Cotillion (he was so different from all the other Heyer heroes; a dandy with a heart, not particularly handsome, witty or clever, but practical, sensible, generous and so kind-hearted - he really is a darling), Adam Deveril from A Civil Contract (he's an idiot for ever falling for the airheaded and selfish Julia, but he's kind, gentlemanlike, responsible and has a lovely sense of humour; and he always treats Jenny with kindness and respect, though I feel sad that he doesn't love her as she does him, and maybe never will), Lord Cardross from April Lady (he has a very similar way of dropping dry one-liners to Sir Gareth - I just love this! And his love for Nell is mesmerising, and as he only said terrible things to her from jealousy and hurt which were not at all unfounded, I forgive him), Charles Rivenhall from The Grand Sophy (I found him a fascinating character; and I love how for once it's the male protagonist who re-evaluates his relationships and the way he lives his life - so glad he finally ditched the awful Eugenia), Sir Richard from The Corinthian (yep, he's one of the cynical, bored heroes, but at least he doesn't seem to be a rake; it's lovely to see his love for Pen blossom), Vidal from Devil's Cub (he's inexplicably sexy and I feel guilty for liking him when he has such a blasé attitude towards killing people in duels and ruining girls' reputations), Alverstoke from Frederica (okay, he is the typical cynical rake Heyer hero, but he has a wicked sense of humour, and the good taste to fall for Frederica), Ninian Elmore from Lady of Quality (in ten years he'd be a lovely 'nice' Heyer hero; he's very young but so cute, and his protectiveness towards Lucilla is adorable), Perry Taverner from Regency Buck (he can be rather silly, but he's adorable and so full of life; and I liked him much better than his annoying, bossy and slightly stupid sister Judith or the one-dimensional and misogynistic Earl of Worth, the actual so-called hero of the novel), Beau Brummell as portrayed in Regency Buck (am I allowed that, as he was actually a real person? Well, I liked Heyer's portrayal of him a lot - he was very clever and funny; and I believe most of the stuff he said in the book were things he actually said in real life) and Charles Audley from An Infamous Army (I liked him a lot in Regency Buck as well, but he had much more depth in AIA, being the hero; also, I don't at all like Perry Taverner in AIA, but Judith and Worth both grew on me).

Julia Quinn Characters: Where has Colin Bridgerton been all my life? LOL... I love that for once the hero isn't a dark, brooding, angst-ridden type, and that even though he has his own demons, they're the regular, relatable, totally believable (and yes, not always calculated to make him more likable) kind. And I can't decide whether I find his being constantly hungry and always eating copious amounts of food (though of course remaining miraculously slim) more hilarious or adorable - it makes him seem a lot less intimidating than your typical brooding Regency rake hero ;-).

Dorothy L. Sayers Characters: Well, there's really only one, isn't there, and that's Lord Peter Wimsey. I really do love him, and I love that he takes advantage of his 'faintly foolish'-looking face and occasionally acts like an idiot and does his 'bally-fool-with-an-eyeglass trick' so that people underestimate him and lower their guard to make his detecting more effective. Now that's dedication to the cause, and probably takes a lot of humility. You'd never see Sherlock Holmes doing that - he has far too much vanity; everyone has to know he's a genius and feel stupid and slow when they're around him.

George Eliot Characters: I do love Will Ladislaw from Middlemarch, even if he wasn't as well-drawn as others - he randomly turns up and falls in love with Dorothea, and we're not really sure why, except because Dorothea's awesome and she's already taken. But my standards are fairly low in classic lit - a man with a passion, and I'm there! I also loved Fred Vincy, even if I was irritated with him at times; he's so full of life - there's something irresistable about him - you can't stay mad at him. He's like a redeemed Frank Churchill who you can't help but like. Lydgate was not really to my taste as a crush-worthy character (probably mainly due to his taste in women and his prim, wishy-washy Victorian notion of what his ideal woman should be), but I did identify with him strongly, and felt with him when he went through all his troubles. Dorothea annoyed me at the start of the novel because she seemed so pompous, and seemed to look down on anyone who didn't deny themselves and be as 'pious' as she was - but then she grew up and grew wiser, and by the end of the novel I had a total girl-crush on her. She is an amazing character. I also liked Mary Garth quite a bit, and amused myself finding Austen parallels with her - she's like a plain Elizabeth Bennet in the situation of Jane Fairfax who is childhood friends with Frank Churchill and loved - unrequitedly - by Mr. Knightley. Okay, now I'm confused too...

Charles Dickens Characters: Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities - although he doesn't appear very much, the book is worth reading just for him - I love him so much. He's second only to Mr Thornton (tied for second place with Gabriel Oak). Funny how everyone seems to like the alcoholic misanthrope (Sydney) over the good man and loving husband and father (Charles Darnay). I also found Monsieur Defarge strangely attractive, though I don't think I was supposed to. However, I had an oddly persistent mental image of him as Richard Armitage as John Thornton, from some description of him early on in the book. Weird as this is, I also loved Guppy from Bleak House - even though his obsession with Esther was meant to be kind of creepy, and it was, I still liked him. I probably would have had a crush on Mr Jarndyce if he hadn't been so old - he was lovely, and I really enjoyed reading about his unselfish love for Esther. Woodcourt was alright, I guess, but I found him a bit boring to be honest - but I've heard that in the series he's 'even swoonier than Richard Armitage in North and South' - so I'll reserve judgement until seeing the series.

Bronte Characters: I really sympathised with and liked Heathcliff in the first half of Wuthering Heights, but really hated him in the second half. I have quite a big crush on Hareton Earnshaw, also from WH - he was the character I sympathised with the most. I quite like Mr Rochester as played by Toby Stephens in the recent BBC mini-series of Jane Eyre , but am not crazy about him in the book. St John Rivers is kinda creepy in the book, but I actually sort of like him in the mini-series. I quite like Gilbert Markham From The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - he's a bit sulky and immature, but is true-hearted and devoted to Helen, so I can forgive that (haha, coincidentally he is also played by Toby Stephens in the BBC miniseries - worth seeing just for Toby's overall gorgeousness and the dreamy northern accent (which I think may be the same or similar to Mr Thornton's)).

Thomas Hardy Characters: Gabriel Oak from Far From the Madding Crowd. Loving, patient, down-to-earth and eternally constant - what's not to love? I love the mini-series where Nathaniel Parker portrays Oak - he's fantastic in the role, although he didn't really look like my mental image of Oak (which perhaps unsurprisingly, uncannily resembled Richard Armitage). As for other characters from FFTMC: I can't stand Troy, and Farmer Boldwood is old, creepy and obsessive. I'm reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles at the moment, and I've got to say, I really despise both Alec and Angel so far - won't say more for fear of spoiling it, but Alec is manipulative, creepy and cruel and Angel is pathetic, hypocritical and spineless. Honestly, Tess deserves far, far better than either of them.

E.M. Forster Characters: George Emerson from A Room With a View - however, while I liked the book a lot and did like the characters, I was left wondering why exactly George and Lucy fell in love with each other; there wasn't too much development of this, because for most of the book they were already in love. I did feel sorry for Cecil when Lucy broke off their engagement, even if he was totally irritating at every other time (I believe this was exactly how Lucy felt too).

Twilight: LOL, just kidding. I hate this book and everything in it. I suppose you could say I have an anti-crush on that human mosquito, Edward Cullen - he's boring and has no personality. He's a creepy stalker, way too possessive, over-protective, sexist and manipulative and I don't see what is so interesting about him except that he's 'beautiful'. Give me that great rough fellow without a grace or refinement about him (ie. Mr Thornton) anyday.

Lord of the Rings/Silmarillion/Hobbit: Faramir, Beren and to some extent Pippin (mostly because of (puts on fake Scottish accent) MUSHROOMS!) and Frodo

Artemis Fowl: ARTEMIS FOWL II!!

Harry Potter: Young James Potter, young Sirius Black (I think Richard Armitage would have made a fantastic Sirius - just the right age, very good-looking, a great actor), young Remus Lupin (yes, I'm obsessed with the Marauders) and to some extent Ron Weasley. Also, having recently discovered the wonderful world of Harry/Draco slash, I have quite the crush on fanon!Draco at least.

Disney Characters (or other awesome characters from Western animation): Probably pretty predictable, but Beast/Adam from Beauty and the Beast (I know a lot of people prefer his beast form and think he looks weird as a human, but I personally love him both ways; I just wish we could have seen some of his quirky personality in addition to the lovey-dovey stuff when he was in human form), Aladdin from Aladdin (street smart, adorable, has ambition - you can almost overlook the compulsive liar thing), Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog (I think he might actually be my favourite - I love his character growth over the course of the movie and the way his love for Tiana doesn't come out of the blue but is built on a solid foundation of mutual trust, respect and admiration - plus he's gorgeous), Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid (although it kind of annoyed me that he was holding out for perfection and reluctant to marry Ariel because she had no voice and therefore couldn't prove she was his dream girl), Flynn/Eugene from Tangled (he's kind of awesome in every way - but I would have liked to see know a bit more about his past), John Smith from Pocahontas (yeah, he's a bit annoying when he's condescending to Pocahontas, but he grows up a bit and learns to be more accepting; and I adore the 'If I Never Knew You' song as well as the preceding scene), Phoebus from The Hunchback of Notre Dame (I love his wry sense of humour and his strong sense of honour), Captain Shang from Mulan (though there's a running joke in my family that he was so pissed off that Mulan was a girl because he's gay and had a crush on her alter-ego 'Ping'; I like him for his awesome badass song, 'I'll Make a Man Out of You' which kind of completely redeems him for being such a sexist douchebag until Mulan proves her worth - AGAIN - by... oh, just saving frigging CHINA for the second time), Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty (the first Disney prince with a personality, IMO - he's cute and fun-loving and has a sense of humour), Tramp from Lady and the Tramp (okay, this one's a little weird because he's - literally - a dog, but I think he's awesome; if he were human, he'd be a Flynn Rider-esque figure - man of the world, living on the edge, adorable), and I know he's not a Disney character, but Dimitri from Anastasia just HAS to be mentioned (I love the bickering love-hate relationship he has with Anastasia and the way he's so stupidly noble and proud that he won't even tell her he didn't take the reward money).

BBC's Robin Hood: Guy of Gisborne (coincidentally, played by Richard Armitage) - a very intriguing character. Not completely evil, made up wholly of various shades of gray. I also think Allan A Dale is quite lovely. I thought Robin was cute for about two episodes, and then his cheeky chappie routine started to annoy me.

BBC's Merlin: Prince Arthur - gorgeous in a rather unconventional way, despite or even because of his prominent nose and crooked teeth. He's extremely charismatic, and even when he's being an arrogant prat, he's lovable. Deep down, he's a good guy, and underneath the macho act you often catch glimpses of the noble and great king he will become. I also think Merlin himself is adorable - with his lovely sticky-outy ears, pale skin and messy dark hair; he's very cute in a kind of goofy, geeky way. I should probably add here, that for the first time I've become a slasher - Merthur forever!!

Eli Stone: I'm of course madly in love with Eli, although at times he's so blind about his own feelings that he infuriates me - I want to bash him over the head (despite the aneurysm, LOL) so that he finally realises he loves Maggie. I really like characters like Nate and Matt, but I don't crush on them (although oddly enough, I found Sam Jaeger, who plays Matt, really unexpectedly attractive in the S2 DVD extras - I still have no idea why; maybe it was the glasses).

Dexter: Dexter, of course! Well, kind of - I think he's a really compelling character, and I find it very interesting to follow his journey. I didn't find MCH attractive at first, but he's grown on me. And... yeah, that's about it. There are so many pretty women on this show, but not that many attractive guys. There are many characters I do really like though (Batista, Masuka, Lundy, Boyd).

The Big Bang Theory: Omigosh, Sheldon!! His idiosyncrasies and mannerisms are adorable, not to mention hilarious. I also have quite a crush on the actor who plays him, Jim Parsons (he has the sweetest smile, and the most adorably dorky laugh - Sheldon rarely smiles or laughs on the show, so this love is reserved for the actor). And personality aside, he's got that whole tall, gangly, prominent Adam's apple-y, sexy geek thing going. I of course ship Sheldon/Penny (the most popular ship for the show, but sadly non-canon and very unlikely to ever become canon).

That '70s Show: Eric, hands down, by far my favourite - he is so adorable (and I love Topher Grace in pretty much everything I've seen him in, so go figure). Eric/Donna OTP! The other guys, especially Hyde and Fez, are hilarious too.

Favourite Actors:

Shahrukh Khan (a very versatile actor - this guy can do anything: loverboy, (quietly or loudly & embarrassingly) patriotic, teacher/mentor-type, annoying 'stud', nice guy, ambitious career guy, dumb cop, third wheel in love triangle, avenger, psycho stalker, REALLY psycho stalker, ghost, snobby superstar, the list goes on. I really, REALLY like him - I have watched some of his really crap early 90s movies just because he was in them. I also checked out the TV series that made him famous, Fauji - it was great, a lot better than I was expecting from Indian TV of the 80s)

Richard Armitage (a British television actor who played Mr Thornton in N&S. Inspired me to check out some of his other work (which is more than the other period drama leads did) - loved his episodes in Vicar of Dibley and have thoroughly enjoyed the first and second series of BBC's Robin Hood (apart from the last two episodes of Series 2, of course). I saw his episode of George Gently, and wished he'd had more screen time. I saw and loved Sparkhouse and adored his character in it, and wished we could see more of Carol and John's relationship instead of the "passion" between Carol and Andrew, which I just didn't find convincing (but then I've never really bought Heathcliff and Cathy either, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised). I've also seen The Impressionists, and can highly recommend this (as someone who knows next to nothing about art, I truly enjoyed it from start to finish) - a real treat. I've seen clips from Cold Feet, Inspector Lynley, Miss Marple, Marie Lloyd & Moving On and I have watched series 7 of Spooks. I also saw BBC's modern Macbeth with James McAvoy to watch Richard as Macduff (for all the five minutes he was onscreen - what a rip-off!). Gosh, I haven't been this obsessed with an actor since Shahrukh Khan...). Also really excited to see him as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit!

Jonny Lee Miller (what can I say, but 'Mmmm, yes, now!' - and that's not just me being perverted; it's actually a quote from the new Emma mini-series, in a totally innocent context - but delivered by JLM in an utterly swoon-worthy way. After Emma, I've since watched both seasons of Eli Stone (great fun, loved heaps of things about it; but preferred S1 to the more angsty S2), The Flying Scotsman (eminently rewatchable), Trainspotting (the book was better, but the film was great too), Plunkett & Macleane (full of plotholes but great fun), Mansfield Park (awful adaptation, good as a standalone film, JLM was a great Edmund - actually made him likable, and reconciled me to the character in the book), Endgame (he has a small, but very important role and gives a great, understated performance), Hackers (godawful special effects, lame plot, pathetic villains, but still great fun to watch somehow, possibly because of the great young cast), Melinda & Melinda (boring - almost fell asleep; JLM did well with what he was given though), Mindhunters (another one that's full of plotholes, but which moves along so fast that you don't care. I was never bored, and it kept me guessing until the very end as to who the murderer was, so it succeeded, but I don't really see myself watching this one again), The Escapist (was alright, I guess - pretty one-note and repetitive after a while though; JLM looked great, and it was fun to see him with Mrs Weston aka Jodhi May, but that's about it), Dead Man's Walk (quite liked it as a whole despite some of the cheesy Western cliches, absolutely loved Jonny's character; plus he looked so gorgeous even when perpetually covered with a thin layer of grime), Byron (I loved this one; JLM was amazing as Byron, managing to make him at the same time sympathetic, scary, repulsive and yet magnetic), Love, Honour & Obey (possibly the worst movie I've ever seen - nasty, smug, unfunny and one of those movies which was probably more fun for the actors in it than for the audience watching it - utterly awful, and the only part worth watching was Jonny's karaoke scene at the end, which is up on Youtube anyway), Dracula 2000 (not as crap as I'd expected it to be - it was silly and the gratuitous violence got pretty dull, but Jonny was gorgeous in this one, Justine Waddell - who I really like - was in it, and the twist at the end was very interesting), Meat (a made-for-TV movie he did before even doing Hackers - I liked it, although I preferred the more optimistic first half to the depressing second half; but I've never really been a fan of the whole 'outwardly tough but inwardly vulnerable street kids' plot), Afterglow (he was good, I suppose, and of course great to look at; but I found the film as a whole boring, pretentious and pretty pointless - people on IMDB are calling it a 'masterpiece' though, so maybe I'm missing something), season 5 of Dexter (which was very promising until the finale which fell flat; but JLM was a very good antagonist, very creepy, yet magnetic, just as he was meant to be - btw, Dexter with or without JLM is a very very good show; well worth watching from the start), and National Theatre's screening of Danny Boyle's Frankenstein (JLM was mesmerising as the Creature; I loved the childlike quality he brought to the role; made his Creature seem so vulnerable and endearing). I have Smith, The Pardoner's Tale and Complicity as well, but I haven't seen them yet, and kind of don't want to, because then I'll have run out of his work. If I get really desperate, I'll watch Aeon Flux which I've heard is REALLY crap). I have seen (or own and am planning to watch) literally everything he's been in excepting all the bit parts he did in various TV shows in the early 90s, and now I feel a bit sad because I've got nothing left.

EDIT: I've deleted all the other Bollywood actors - I haven't watched a Hindi movie in about two years (with the exception of Aisha which I watched because it was a modernisation of Jane Austen's Emma). I've sort of gone off them, and so I removed all those actors. Couldn't bring myself to delete Shahrukh Khan though - he was what brought me into three years of tremendous fun watching Hindi movies.

Favourite Actresses:

Romola Garai (the perfect Emma Woodhouse - she totally won me over very shortly into episode 1 of Emma. I also thought she was perfectly cast and was wonderful as Cassandra from I Capture the Castle. I have a vague memory of seeing her in Daniel Deronda, so perhaps that deserves another look. I also own Atonement on DVD, and will get around to watching it when I finish the book (which I tried to read twice and gave up on - but since I spent good money on it, I will read it - and watch the DVD eventually). I'll be looking out for her work now)

EDIT: Deleted all the Bollywood actresses.

Favourite Book Quotes:

EDIT: Got rid of some of the N&S quotes, because I realised I was quoting half the book.

'In Mr Thornton's face, the straight brows fell low over the clear, deep-set earnest eyes, which, without being unpleasantly sharp, seemed intent enough to penetrate into the very heart and core of what he was looking at. The lines in the face were few but firm, as if they were carved in marble, and lay principally about the lips, which were slightly compressed over a set of teeth so faultless and beautiful as to give the effect of sudden sunlight when the rare bright smile, coming in an instant and shining out of the eyes, changed the whole look from the severe and resolved expression of a man ready to do and dare everything, to the keen honest enjoyment of the moment, which is seldom shown so fearlessly and instantaneously except by children. Margaret liked this smile; it was the first thing she had admired in this new friend of her father's.' - Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South

'She had a bracelet on one taper arm, which would fall down over her round wrist. Mr Thornton watched the replacing of this troublesome ornament with far more attention than he listened to her father. It seemed as if it fascinated him to see her push it up impatiently, until it tightened her soft flesh; and then to mark the loosening - the fall. He could almost have exclaimed - "There it goes, again!"' - Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South

'He shook hands with Margaret. He knew it was the first time their hands had met, though she was perfectly unconscious of the fact.' - Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South

"Oh, my Margaret - my Margaret! no one can tell what you are to me! Dead - cold as you lie there, you are the only woman I ever loved! Oh, Margaret - Margaret!" - Mr Thornton, North and South (for the record, she's not dead)

"I know she does not care for me. I shall put myself at her feet - I must. If it were but one chance in a thousand - or a million - I should do it." - Mr Thornton, North and South

"I dare not hope. I never was faint-hearted before, but I cannot believe such a creature cares for me." - Mr Thornton, North and South

"You look as if you thought it tainted you to be loved by me. You cannot avoid it. Nay, I, if I would, cannot cleanse you from it. But I would not, if I could. I have never loved any woman before: my life has been too busy, my thoughts too much absorbed with other things. Now I love, and will love." - Mr Thornton, North and South

'Yes! he knew how she would love. He had not loved her without gaining that instinctive knowledge of what capabilities were in her. Her soul would walk in glorious sunlight if any man was worthy, by his power of loving, to win back her love. Even in her mourning she would rest with a peaceful faith upon his sympathy. His sympathy! Whose? That other man's.' - Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South

"Take care - If you do not speak - I shall claim you as my own in some strange presumptuous way - Send me away at once, if I must go - Margaret!" - Mr Thornton, North and South

"I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even at the worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine." - Mr Thornton, North and South

This is the part where everyone dies of shock - I'm going to now list favourite quotes not from North and South. (Bear in mind that ATOTC and TToWH quotes are done from memory and may not be exact)

"I wish you to know that you have been the last dream of my soul." - Sydney Carton, A Tale of Two Cities

"For you and for any dear to you, I would do anything. (sic)...think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you." - Sydney Carton, A Tale of Two Cities

"I would rather have your friendship than the love of any woman on earth!" - Gilbert Markham, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

"And I pray one prayer - I repeat it till my tongue stiffens - Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you - haunt me, then! The murdered do haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always - take any form - drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!" - Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights

'It was no wonder that the lookers-on were perplexed as to the state of affairs between Jemima and Mr Farquhar, for they too were sorely puzzled themselves at the sort of relationship between them. Was it love, or was it not? that was the question in Mr Farquhar's mind. He hoped it was not; he believed it was not; and yet he felt as if it were.' - Elizabeth Gaskell, Ruth

'For, in a passionate fit of grieving, at the impatient, hasty temper which had made her so seriously displease Mr Farquhar that he had gone away without remonstrance, without more leave-taking than a distant bow, she had begun to suspect that rather than not be noticed at all by him, rather than be an object of indifference to him--oh! far rather would she be an object of anger and upbraiding; and the thoughts that followed this confession to herself, stunned and bewildered her; and for once that they made her dizzy with hope, ten times they made her sick with fear.' - Elizabeth Gaskell, Ruth

'She imposed very strict regulations on Mr Farquhar's behaviour; and quarrelled and differed from him more than ever, but with a secret joyful understanding with him in her heart, even while they disagreed with each other--for similarity of opinion is not always--I think not often--needed for fulness and perfection of love.' - Elizabeth Gaskell, Ruth

"And at home by the fire, whenever you look up there I shall be - and whenever I look up there will be you." Gabriel Oak, Far From the Madding Crowd

'They spoke very little about their mutual feelings: pretty phrases and warm attentions probably being unnecessary between such tried friends. Theirs was that substantial affection which arises (if any arises at all) when the two who are thrown together begin first by knowing the rougher sides of each other's character, and not the best till further on, the romance growing up in the interstices of a mass of hard prosaic reality. This good fellowship - camaraderie, usually occurring through similarity of pursuits, is unfortunately seldom superadded to love between the sexes, because they associate not in their labours but in their pleasures merely. Where however happy circumstance permits its development the compounded feeling proves itself to be the only love which is strong as death - that love which many waters cannot quench, nor the floods drown, beside which the passion usually called by the name is evanescent as steam.' - Thomas Hardy, Far From the Madding Crowd

"You can transmute love, ignore it, muddle it - but you can never pull it out of you." - Mr. Emerson, A Room With a View

"I do not know whether it ought to be so, but certainly silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way. Wickedness is always wickedness, but folly is not always folly." - Emma Woodhouse, Emma

"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other." - Emma Woodhouse, Emma

"Respect for right conduct is felt by everybody." - Mr. Knightley, Emma

'He had been in love with Emma, and jealous of Frank Churchill, from about the same period, one sentiment probably having enlightened him as to the other.' - Jane Austen, Emma

"I cannot make speeches, Emma. If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. But you know what I am. --You hear nothing but truth from me. --I have blamed you, and lectured you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it." - Mr. Knightley, Emma

"I am losing all my bitterness against spoilt children, my dearest Emma. I, who am owing all my happiness to you, would not it be horrible ingratitude in me to be severe on them?" - Mr. Knightley, Emma

"Oh! I always deserve the best treatment, because I never put up with any other." - Emma Woodhouse, Emma (She's kidding, people - well, sort of, LOL...)

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." - Henry Tilney, Northanger Abbey

"Oh! I am delighted with the book! I should like to spend my whole life in reading it." - Catherine Morland, Northanger Abbey

"I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible." - Catherine Morland, Northanger Abbey

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?" - Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

"Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast." - Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice

"Such squeamish youths as cannot bear to be connected with a little absurdity are not worth a regret." - Mr. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

"Is not general incivility the very essence of love?" - Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

"We have all a better guide in ourselves, if we would attend to it, than any other person could be." - Fanny Price, Mansfield Park

I wonder if anyone bothers to read these profiles? If you have, well done. Having helped to fill up the Bollywood section (it's now past 140 stories), I feel it is now my duty to turn my attention to my new obsession, North and South, which sadly has only a few stories. I hope all N&S fans will contribute - I think we can soon reach the level of the Jane Austen category if we really try.

It's official - I've moved on from Richard Armitage. My little fangirl heart is currently captivated by Jonny Lee Miller. Yes, I'm fickle that way, and now I'm almost afraid to watch any more period drama in case anyone dethrones Mr Knightley. I'll always love Thornton and RA, but just not at the fangirl level anymore.

Just recently discovered and raced through The Big Bang Theory - and reckon that if Jim Parsons had been in more stuff (not just bit parts and the odd commercial here and there), that he would be my next object of fangirly adoration. But TBBT seems to be his most significant work to date, sadly - but I will be keeping an eye out for more of his work.

Okay, am over Jim Parsons and TBBT (which is getting quite crappy in S4), and am now fangirlishly obsessed with Topher Grace of That '70s Show and the inexplicably rewatchable Win a Date With Tad Hamilton; he is also IMO in the only part of Valentine's Day worth watching. And he was great in In Good Company. But sorry, Topher, I couldn't sit through Spiderman 3, even for you.

Okay, so Topher Grace was a fleeting crush as well - I'm back to Jonny Lee Miller and Richard Armitage (at the same time - unprecedented!). Loved JLM in Frankenstein, and RA in Strike Back (yeah, I'm behind with his work; haven't even seen more than S7 of Spooks), and I'm so excited about RA being in The Hobbit!

And now I have a fangirl crush on... (wait for it)... absolutely nobody. It's a strange and disturbing state of being, and I hope won't last long. Sandy Welch, Y U no write more period dramas, and BBC, Y U no commission them?? (and yes, I have discovered memes)