Na Na Na Na Na Na YEAH!

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a huge fan of Jane Austen. I've got copies, sometimes multiple ones, of all her works. I own all the DVD adaptations. I even have some of the fan work and mashups like Seth Graham Smith's "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." If there's something out there that smacks of Austen, I've probably got it in my house somewhere.

Naturally, I'm a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice. Its my favorite work of hers, and I think its a brilliantly written novel. For me, there isn't much in this world that's as fun as cracking open my incredibly dog-eared copy of P&P and rereading the exploits of Elizabeth Bennet. I love her humor and wit. I love her mistakes and her ability to learn with humility. She's a great character.

About two or three months ago Sakura came over, and knowing I am a huge fan, he asked me if I had seen the new YouTube series based on P&P. I hadn't. Naturally, I was a little leery of an online adaptation of my favorite book. I thought there was no way that anyone could make the book as engaging on screen as it is in print. I love the movie adaptations, but none of them, up until now, really spoke to me.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries has changed all of that.

This is Lizzie Bennet, and I'm a little bit in love.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is one of the most wonderful adaptations of any book I've ever seen. And I've seen plenty of them. Its part of why I am so critical of movie/screen adaptations of great books. They normally ruin the original. I loved Jurassic Park before I read the book. Gone with the Wind is a great movie, but it will never compare to the original writing. Even the recent adaptations of books like Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) and The Hunger Games (Susanne Collins), while wonderful, and really close to the original story, leave a sense of wanting when it comes to viewing versus reading. Not so with the fabulous LBD.

The whole premise of this adaptation is that Lizzie is a graduate student in Mass Communications and is doing a vlog about her life as part of her final project. I love this premise, because it gives the viewer, immediately, a solid reason as to why Lizzie would be recording the craziness of her life and family for all of mankind to view. After you deal with that idea (and its used well throughout the storyline- not just as a set-up for the series) you can dive right in to the awesomeness that is LBD.

The characters are amazing. I love how the creators of the show Bernie Su and Hank Green have managed to keep the show, despite the pantings of the fandom (and there's a surprisingly huge fandom) focused on Lizzie and in a more peripheral way, her family. This isn't about Lizzie and Darcy or about Jane and Bing Lee (great name, right?). The creators got it right- this video series is all about the girl making it. And as an added benefit, you get to see a wonderful cast pf characters, the ones you loved so much in the book, come to life in ways you never imagined.

I won't spoil what happens in the series for you, because I know you're going to trust my judgement of all things Austen and go check it out. You should, really. Even if you go on a marathon watch, you've only lost six hours, and really, that's like watching Lord of the Rings in its entirety. You can do it. But I will say this- it is seriously addictive. When I first picked up the channel on You Tube (you can click here to go there when you're done reading here) I watched the first few episodes, decided it was too much fun for the girls to miss out, so I stopped, waited for them to get home from work, and then spent the evening in front of the computer with them watching the series up until we ran out of videos. We skipped dinner, ordered pizza and ate in front of the television. That's huge in our house. The only other time we've done that was when we streamed election results this last November. From then on, the girls and I watch the newest updates as soon as we can. When the girls started missing some because life gets you busy sometimes, I started watching on my own. And then I discovered what geniuses the creators of the show really are.

There are tumblr accounts. There are twitter accounts. (Go to this page to get them all) Lydia has her own channel on YouTube. Charlotte's little sister has her own channel, too. Heck- Lydia's cat Kitty Bennet (see what they did there?) has its own Twitter account. Weeks before you even see some characters they start popping up on tumblr and twitter, they follow Lizzie's videos. Its amazing and intricate and smart. Pemberley has its own channel, twitter feed. It blows my mind the amount of time that they creators of the show spend working these little trans-media tidbits into the show. Last week there was a fandom explosion. I won't tell you what its about, I'll let you catch up on the series, but there were rumblings of what was going on in the comments on Lydia's channel days before the video that dropped the bomb was released. But if you don't read YouTube comments, you wouldn't know. I didn't. Until I heard. Until I went to find them myself. And I was mind-blown again. So mind-blown, in fact, that I immediately called Sakura to see if he had seen/heard it yet.

This is a series made to be enjoyed by an internet savvy generation. Can you just watch the LBD videos and enjoy the series? Oh, absolutely. They write it with those people in mind. But when you get down to brass tacks, there is so much more there for a person who lives on their computer. Like me. Like most of my friends. I've never experienced something like this- a form of entertainment that is so interactive and exciting. As an experience, its incredible. I get up every day and like the fan geek that I am, I check the channels, I check YouTube, twitter and tumblr. I check it throughout the day to see what's happening. I subscribed on Facebook. I'm obsessed- something no other adaptation has been able to do to me. Do I love the Hunger Games? Sure, but I don't check the fan sites. I lost the obsession with Potter like that days after it started. But for me, LBD is going about this the right way. I can't get enough.

What's even more amazing to me, is that the show's creators, the actors, the producers are all so open about what they do and why they do it. There's hangouts on YouTube and live chats via twitter and Facebook. The people who created the show listen to the playlists that fans make, they look at the fan art. They listen to the joys and sorrows of the fans. They think of things I would never have thought of...when Darcy asks Lizzie to the theater they actually know what's playing in SF at the moment of the airing, what's on in neighboring cities and they even have head cannon answers that make sense within the storyline, even if they aren't playing. The crazy thing is, you'll never know...it never comes up in the story. But they have that answer for you, just because you might ask. I love that.

Even if you don't care how revolutionary and wonderful the adaptation is, the story itself is enough to keep you happy. The execution is amazing. In a vlog, we know we won't see everyone...so how do you deal with that in an adaptation?

Meet Mrs and Mr. Bennet, as portrayed by Lizzie and her bff Charlotte. Its genius, right? The use of costume theater is an amazing idea, and one they use to great effect. Especially with Bing Lee, Darcy and Caroline, who you don't see on camera until much later in the series.

The dialog is fun. The lines are witty. And there is still an amazing amount of original Austen left in there, just in case you're a Janeite. The way the characters are developed and adapted for modern times is great. They're completely believable. The actors inhabit those characters completely. I've even seen on a behind the scenes video somewhere that the actors, for the most part, use their own clothes for the shoots. They are the character they play.

I can't recommend this series enough. I truly can't. But if you don't want to take my word for it, check out these articles about the series:

The Guardian calling it the best adaptation ever. Seriously.
Buzzfeed calling the series YouTube's hidden Masterpiece Theater
Mrs. Magazine discusses how great it is that the series is Lizzie centered here

Those are just a sampling from new sources (The Wall Street Journal even covered the show in January!)

Beyond my trying to convince all of you there's nothing better to watch than this series, I have to express the joy and admiration I feel every time I interact with this series. Yeah, yeah...maybe its just lonely housewife talk. Maybe I'm a huge geek. But in a world where I am increasingly irritated every time I open Facebook or Twitter or whatever social media platform I'm on it is simply wonderful to have something to look forward to. I like knowing that even though the war (its not a debate anymore) about gun control still rages online, even though I still get spammed with Jesus posts on Facebook, despite the fact that I can't get through a day without seeing some stupid, cryptic, passive aggressive post somewhere I can count on Lizzie and her world to make me smile. Even when the series gets dramatic (believe me, it does) there's something sadly real about it, something human, and it makes me relate a lot more than I do when I'm looking at my friends posting about how they need (another) new iPhone but are too broke to get it yet. Is that sad? Yeah, probably. But the truth is that the LBD has managed to create a show that taps in to the essence of what makes us human, fallible and ultimately lovable.

Have you ran into the LBD yet? What did you think? If you haven't, go check it out. Let me know how you feel. Even if you aren't an Austen fan, you'll thank me.

AGxx

Note- the title for this post is the last line of the outtro to Lydia's videos.

Second note- obviously I don't own any of the articles, photos or people I've mentioned. I do not work for the news sources I cited. My opinions are the only thing I possess.

Tonight We Discuss Agony, Irony, Friendship and Fun

Today was a wonderful, exciting, action packed day.

I registered for school today. It was at once the most awesome thing I have done in a long time and the most frustrating and terrifying.

We got up this morning and went to breakfast, its a Tuesday morning tradition in our house to have breakfast together. After breakfast Oscelot had a doctor's appointment. While she was there I was going to zip over to Local CC to see what I needed to do to get registered. I had already looked at the site online. I knew I was going to have to apply. I knew I would have to talk about financial aid. I was aware they might need my transcripts. I was also prepared to take placement testing if they needed me to.

I wasn't prepared to feel totally lost. When we got to the school (Kitten was with me) I went and checked in with Student Services. They sent me upstairs with a little purple slip a bit like a hallpass, and told me there was someone upstairs who could help me. This was a lie.

There was someone upstairs. But she did not help me. I went to the desk and was met by a surly looking Asian chick about my age, possibly younger. I handed her my slip and told her they had said downstairs that she could help me. Our conversation went a little like this:

Me: They said you could help me get things sorted out
AC: What do you want?
Me: To go to school
AC: So you want an information packet?
Me: No, I want to register for school.
AC: Have you filled out an application?
Me: No
AC: well here's a computer password, they're case senstive. You can use the computer over there to do it. Then you'll need to get your transcripts or placement testing or both and deal with your financial aid. Then we'll get back to you.
Me: Um, so, the transcripts...If I wanted to start over, couldn't I just take the placement tests and, you know, start over? Do I have to transfer my credits?
AC: We don't do that. You have to use your old credits.
Me: Why?
AC: Because if you've already gone to school we need to see it.
Me: So couldn't I just give you the transcripts and start over
AC: No.
Me: Why?
AC: You need to fill out an application first. You can use the computer over there to do it. Then you'll need to get your transcripts or placement testing or both and deal with your financial aid. Then we'll get back to you.
Me: So, is there, like, a chance I won't get accepted?
AC: No. We're open enrollment.
Me: How long before I hear anything?
AC: Your transcripts will take at least three days and then we need at least a week to process them.
Me: Before I'm accepted?
AC: Before we can enroll you in classes.

Throroughly confused, I wandered over to the computer and applied. Once it was in I tried printing off a transcript request form from the computer. Nothing happened. I went and asked her timidly if I was allowed to print from the computer, since the printer behind me wasn't working. She told me to use the printer behind me. I ended up writing the information down. We left, after I swiped some study guides for the placement tests.

I tried not to collapse into a state of nerves from this exchange. I have mentioned, frequently, I don't like strangers. I really, really don't like strangers who are grumpy. Especially when I am forced to talk to them because they have something I need. They scare me. I was indeed scared by the AC.

After picking up Oscelot we went to State U, where I was last enrolled, in an attempt to get my transcript. I discovered I was encumbered (this means I owe the school money for something) So I went to the payment office to deal with it. The lady at the window asked me for my "M Number" I told her I didn't know what that was. I offered my SSN. She told me no, she had to have my M Number. Then she asked when I last attened school. I admitted it had been 5 years. She made a comment about me being in "that old system we used to have"

Cue me waiting for 15 minutes while they find my M Number, which apparently was assigned to me when they got the new system, even if I didn't know it. When I finally got my staggeringly large encumberance figure (okay, $180 but it felt big to me) I left, since I didn't have that in my pocket. Feeling defeated I plodded back to metered parking where the girls were waiting. Kitten cheerfully packed me off to my old high school so I could get those transcripts.

They've completely redone the inside of the building. It didn't even look like my school anymore. I got my transcript request. Then I had to go back to the truck because they make you pay for them in high school, aparently. Then I had to traipse all over the building to get a receipt, because apparently the school has one person solely dedicated to giving out receipts and the lady who did that was out to lunch. (apparently, this isn't uncommon. It was when I was in school) while they were breaking into her office to get my receipt I looked in on the principal, who was nearby. Friends, he looked my age. I wanted to die. Here's this guy who can't be more than five years older than me, sitting in his office in a school mascot hoodie, while I waited to get my transcript receipt so I could go back to community college. Wow. I'm a loser.

I also noted as I stepped back out into the sun that the school is now air conditioned. I made a snide comment about it as we drove off. Oscelot, the darling, looks at me incredulously and says, "You're school wasn't air conditioned?" No, dear heart, it wasn't. I'm old. We were lucky to have heaters that worked in the winter.

Back to State U because apparently Kitten had $180 laying around. After getting my encumberance paid and traisping off to more offices to make sure they knew I wasn't in debt anymore, we headed back to Local CC and I went back to the first floor in a terror, waiting to get my purple slip to go upstairs and have the AC yell at me again.

Turns out, the nice lady who helped me out this time tells me, my transcripts will be processed tonight. If I fill out my FAFSA (the priority deadline is July 1, sweetheart) and do my online orientation tonight or tomorrow, I could enroll for classes as soon as next week. All we have to do is wait on my student aid report. Lovely. I stammer quietly:

"So it doesn't take a week to process my transcripts?"
"No., who told you that?"
"The girl upstairs"
"She doesn't know what she's talking about. Here-I'll give you everything you need."

And she did. AC is a dirty, dirty liar. Kitten says I should cut her some slack since she deals with people and the same questions all the time. Personally, I think this means she should be more patient. Since she ought to know that some people are going to come in feeling uncertain and needing a little more guidance.

Maybe that's just me. When I got home I filled out the federal student aid form. It looks like I might qualify for some grants, which is awesome. I might be able to do this without completely financially decimating myself. Hooray, for once, for being poor. I can get help paying for school.

Things are looking up on the school front.

My first night learning to supervise at Casa Beuno went well. We're also starting some contests for new menu releases, and I always do well in those. I also make more money. I think its because I try harder. Either way, I'm excited about it, and I am looking forward to the next month or so.

Also, it looks like we might be able to find tires for less than $600 for our truck. It makes me feel better. I mean, that's a lot of money, but it feel a little more managable than $900. Stupid truck tires. They're so expensive. Its like they are lined in gold or something. Ah, well. If you need them you need them.

Things are not shaping up as well for me getting out of town in the next two weeks. This is a huge downer, because that means it will probably be after the fourth of July before we get a chance to go and do anything. Not good. I need out of town. Now. I'm so sick of the sight of Middle of Nowhere that I want to scream. I get this way a few times a year. Normally, just a little day trip our of town will fix this. I need to have a day to get away and have fun. Its annoying that money is the only thing preventing this. Really really annoying. It looks as though I will have to work harder, be more charming, and be friendlier than usual, so people want to tip me so I can buy truck tires so I can get the heck out of town.

Edited to note: I was having a friend conundrum last night. I got some good advice from the Lifeguard. I am not a 15 year old girl. I am better than that. Thank you, friend, for reminding me. I expect better from myself too.

In a more interesting aside, for my buddies who are my age, a coworker set me onto a website that totally has be giggling. Its called yeahflashback.com and it has pictures, rather like the lolcats, that are of old stuff from the 80's and 90's. If you ever wanted a dream phone, played with Lincoln Logs or chewed Dr. Pepper or ouch! (hubba bubba) bubble gum, this site is going to make you laugh. You should go check it out.

I'm also adding a new link in my blogroll. Her name is Bunny Low-Browski and she is a non-local rollergirl who blogs. I love reading her stuff, she's a funny, quick witted girl. I have to admit, I also love that she uses the word fuck prolifically. Because it seems natural to her. If you are a derby girl, or you know one, or you love the sport, this is a great read. If you're wanting an insight into the mentality of a great player who has an interesting outlook on her sport, this also something you will want to read. Honestly, I'm hoping you'll go check her out, at least once, just because I think she's cool.

I think that's all I'm able to bore you with tonight. Subscribers, leave me a dang comment. I want to know who you guys are. :) I like friends.

Take a moment this week to try and do something you've wanted to do. If you can't, confront a fear of yours. I'll be interested to hear from you, how it goes.

Have a great night.
I'm off to try and actually get some sleep.

AGxx