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I put ‘Emma’ on my 30 Before 30 list because I have a life goal to read as many of the ‘classics’ as I can tolerate – especially those classics written by women about women. I had high hopes for this novel; I have always heard such wonderful things about Jane Austen. It was my first Austen since I had been forced to read ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in high school literature class and I had a vague, reminiscent feeling of enjoying that novel. Turns out, that feeling of enjoyment would not be carrying over into ‘Emma’.
As I first started reading the story, I had a cartoon-esque lightbulb go off in my head and all I could think was, ‘Silly girl, this is the same story as Clueless!’ I got all excited like I had made some conspiracy-like discovery – but turns out Amy Heckerling did actually consciously base her movie on Emma. Observe.
Emma Woodhouse is a very proper, very popular, very wealthy and beautiful young girl. She is the head of her household, lovingly caring for her father – a hypocondriactic older gentleman. See the similarities between her and the fabulous Cher? Of course you do.
Every year about this time, many people go rushing about making gads and gads of resolutions to carry them into the New Year. Well, I don’t. I don’t ever keep my resolutions – but I do respect the need to start the new year on an improved foot. Instead of resolving to ‘lose ten pounds’ or ‘drink more water’, I take some time to look back on myself and my year’s experiences. I sit down – have a nice long think – and decide what I have done right, what I could have handled better, and how I can be a better person/friend/sister/wife/employee/daughter in the coming year.
There has been a severe lack of posting here on Wonderpug Graphics. I know, I know … but this has happened resulting from two main events:
1. Site Update: I have been working to update the look, feel, flow and functionality of the site. I wanted my blog and my portfolio site to be incredibly more integrated. And I wanted the look and feel to more directly relate to my own personal and ever-changing design aesthetic. This, of course, meant a ton of work on my end and took eons longer than I expected. PS> While we are on the topic – what do you think about the changes?
2. New Opportunities: I have recently started a new job, and you know how that goes. First you have to make the decision to leave the old job. Then you have to deal with the fallout from everyone around you who has an opinion about you leaving said old job – whether it be good or bad. Then you need to reconfigure your whole life to work within the new job schedule and needs. And the whole time you need to be able to sit alone with yourself and be able to honestly say, ‘I have made the right decision.’
I have it on good authority that you all have missed me tons and tons on my petite abscence, yes? You did, didn’t you? Yes? Good, good! You see pally-pals, I was off vacationing – that may not have taken me to fair Paris or jolly old England – but did happen to take to take me to several ports of foreign locale, namely Belize, Mexico and Honduras. And out of all the fabulous things I did while abroad, one of my favorites was getting a chance to chill with some new friends – some very friendly and welcoming Honduran monkeys. Now, although I was only able to secure a stamp in my passport from the American customs officials {customs is very stingy with their stamping!}, I have nonetheless officially completed another item in my 30 Before 30 list! Seven items down, twenty-three to go!
After hitting and passing my two year anniversary, countless excuses from me, and countless jokes about my excuses from my husband … I am finally, finally legally and in all aspects, an official Mrs. That’s right hotsteppers, I have visited the DMV and you can officially call me Mrs. DeMatos. {Applause now}
Cuddling with my pug, my oversized coffee cup and a new book is one of my most favorite pastimes. I read anything – from Clancy to Capote; autobiographies or romance – I just love a good book. Ninety percent of the time I am able to recall a books’ characters and plot when asked, however, some novelettes just float into the back recesses of my brain and are lost in the abyss. That is why I wanted to document my literary journey – so I could A) remember all that I have read, B) be prepared at the drop of a hat when people are itching for recommendations, and C) recall my thoughts on a novel and be able to share them + my favorite quotes – ten, twenty, thirty years down the line.
The Count of Monte Cristo is a well-known, well-read, many times adapted story. It was released in France in 1844 via a newspaper serialization series by Alexandre Dumas, and has since been displayed on the stage and on the big screen many times – with it’s latest version being released in 2002. However, even Dumas’s version was not original – in reality, there was a true, living ‘Count’ although not exactly as portrayed by Dumas. Dumas took the essence of the story from a collection of old police case files, exaggerated it, enhanced it, and renamed it ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’.
I admit, this story is nothing if not exciting. But this is not a tale of love and happiness and light. This is a story of revenge and the evilness of man. Edmond Dantes (aka the Count) – throughout a large portion of the tale – exacts revenge on those who have wronged him. And in the large sense they had it coming.
