18th Century England

I am not much of a history buff, but I really enjoying watching British movies or TV drama set during the 18th century.  I'm not sure if it's the accent, costumes, or just their way of life during that period that intrigues me.  I especially enjoy watching all the Jane Austen classics, from Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility to Emma.  Yes, I am a helpless romantic! A little less well known Jane Austen novel is called Persuasion and it is perhaps one of my favorite novels of hers.  General plot of Persuasion, from Wikipedia:

More than seven years prior to the events in the novel, Anne Elliot falls in love with a handsome young naval officer named Frederick Wentworth, who is intelligent and ambitious, but poor. Sir Walter, Anne's father and lord of the family estate of Kellynch, and her older sister Elizabeth are dissatisfied with her choice, maintaining that he is not distinguished enough for their family. Her older friend and mentor, Lady Russell, acting in place of Anne's deceased mother, persuades her to break off the match.

Now, aged 27 and still unmarried, Anne re-encounters her former fiancé when his sister and brother-in-law, the Crofts, take out a lease on Kellynch. Wentworth, now a captain, is wealthy from wartime victories in the Royal Navy and from prize-money for capturing enemy ships. However, he has not forgiven Anne for her rejection of him...and he still has hidden feelings for her...

I love the story line!  Women, during this time, only worry about getting married to a notable husband and a distinguished family. So it makes me melt inside when the heroine in the story gets to marry the man of his dreams for love AND wealth! 

Recently, I have been watching another British drama on PBS called, "Downton Abbey."  OMG. I love this show!!!  There is not a single moment in this series that does not make you wanting to see more.  The story details life in a rich family, as well as the butlers and maids who serve them.  Season I is done, and they will show Season II on January 8th on PBS. I can't wait!  Full episodes of Season I are available on pbs-video.org so watch it!!       

  

Shocker!

Did you guys know that Judge Judy is NOT a judge? Well, she WAS a family court judge but have since retired back in 1996. So technically, she no longer a judge. On her show, "Judge Judy," although she is referred to as the judge, she is only acting as an arbiter. The court officer who stands by her is acting as a private security guard. I feel cheated. I feel like I've been tricked.

Rome (HBO)

If you haven't seen Rome on HBO yet, rent it on DVD. The 1st season is out with a 6-disc collection. I was never a history buff, but I can't stop loving this show!! I can only describe this series with one word, "EXCELLENT !" Defiinitely one of my favorites, very enjoyable to watch. Beware though, it is a rated-R movie with excessive violence, nudity and sexual scenes...not really meant for kids. But the storytelling of ancient Roman history is incredible. You'll find it impossible not wanting to see more.

Desperate Housewives

I love every Sunday night's Desperate Housewives! The show has a plot that draws me in like a magnet, and every episode never fails to do just that. The storyline gets more and more interesting every Sunday. This is, by far, one of the best TV shows I've watched. If you are a fan of Desperate Housewives and have been missing a few ones here and there, watch the April 27th show, which is supposed to be a "recap" of all that has happened since the premiere. And boy, there are a lot that has happened! A lot of secrets have been revealed!!!

"chasing" chinese sitcoms

It has been half a decade since I last watched one of those Chinese sitcoms produced by HKG's TVB. Back in the days, I used to "chase" those sitcoms day in and day out, especially those with my favorite idols in them. But this has slowly stopped. My parents are still big fans of these sitcoms so every once a while, when I'm at their house and the TV is on, I am able to catch a few scenes here and there. Even with only 20 minutes, I understand why I have slowly stopped watching these sitcoms years ago: choppy, overused storylines and bad acting by the same bad actors. Overall anaylsis of watching Chinese sitcom shows: A waste of time.

However, this weekend, I did the unthinkable -- I wasted half a day Saturday, "chasing" a brand new Chinese sitcom. The story took place during the Qing dynasty and life in the Royal Palace. There are men who want to make it big in their careers; there are women who want to be selected to be the King's wife; and there are those who just want to live a safe life. Scandalous and full of schemes, no one is innocent. Everyone is in the Royal Palace for a purpose and no one is to get in the way. The story is surprisingly good. In fact, good enough to fish me back into the business of "chasing" Chinese sitcoms!

Aggh, today is finally Thursday! This week seems really long. I guess whenever we get a short week at work, we mentally think the days will go by fast. But reality is that the anticipation for the weekend simply makes the waiting even longer than it really is. A hard concept to comprehend, but the truth indeed.

I don't know if you've been watching the gameshow Jeopardy!, but I've been catching it everyday after dinner for the past couple of weeks. This is this one guy on it who has been champion for 27 straight days. Yep, 27 days! They used to have a 5-day limit, but the gameshow has since lifted that rule. He has won over $800,000. It's really amazing how minute and how obscure some of the details this guy knows. First he's fast with the buzzer, and second, he knows every subject from A to Z. I totally think that he might be a genius! The gameshow hosts should definitely bring back some of the previous 5-day champions to compete against him. I wonder when will he lose, and who will dethrone him? That would be so interesting!

On a side note, here are some more hearts for you. These I found along the Embarcadero during my daily lunchtime walks. I'll upload more next time... meanwhile, enjoy!

Survivor

I am addicted to watching CBS's "Survivor- All Stars." I find myself religiously tuning in every Thursday night at 8pm to watch this show. I don't think I have had a following to any show other than the news. I never really watched one entire series of Survivors before. They already had 7 seasons. I've watched episodes here and there, but never in its entirety. So, I don't exactly know why I have such a strong interest in this one -- maybe because it is the last season where they brought back the old players back from previous seasons to do this one show. They are down to the last 6 people now. There is this one Chinese girl there who was sure to be on the chopping board and get voted out tonight, but she won immunity (which means she can not get voted off). Good for her. Not because she's Chinese I'm rooting for her -- but I'm glad she won because the other 6 people hated her and wanted her out. But against all odds, she proved herself and won herself immunity. HA! It's almost like "TAKE THAT!!" I don't think she will last, but at least she got through this round!