So on my drive back to Dubuque this morning I gave myself the job of picking a topic for my Top Ten list tonight. I came up with all sorts of random (and sometimes awkward) ideas. I made it all the way back without coming up with a good topic. And then at lunch it hit me. Britain.
I'm currently re-reading 13 Little Blue Envelopes and I just got an email from my boss who's visiting London with her family right now. In fact, her 2 kids are staying in the room she and I shared 2 years ago. I've long been obsessed with lots of British things. Narrowing it down to just ten was difficult, but I think I've got it. (Well plus a few honorable mentions.)
10. Train/bus/underground travel--I love the trains. I want more train travel in the midwest. Also I just love the double decker buses. But I think I loved the tube the best. It's geeky I know. Whatever. This is my top ten list.
9. Roald Dahl--The Witches, Matlida, The Twits. I adored Dahl's stories as a kid. And his adult short stories? Those I read in college. Those suckers scare the shit out of me, but I love them too. I'm not much of a scary story person, but these just suck you in. You were warned!
8. British YouTubers-- charlieissocoollike, nerimon, johnnydurham19, kickthepj, hexichordal, rhymingwithoranges, iianardo and one more who will show up later in this list. John and Hank may have gotten me started on YouTube, but the Brits got me obsessed.
7. Jasper Fforde-- If you haven't read any of Fforde's work I implore you to stop reading this post right now and go find one of his books and read it. Currently he's got 3 different series. I really love Thursday Next, but I think his new one Shades of Grey might be my favorite.
6. The British Library-- I don't often cry in public. The exhibit there made me do just that. There is just something about standing just a plexiglass window away from Handel's Messiah with his hand scribbled lyrics. Or Jane Eyre opened to my absolute favorite passage ("Reader, I married him.") I mean good lord. Then you get to the Magna Carta. This English, history, and politics major was so overwhelmed, in a good way.
5. WineGums-- I bought them as a joke gift for the girls when I was in London thanks to this video. I made the mistake of trying them. I fell in love. Ate theirs and had to buy more to bring home.
4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail-- If I have to explain why this is on the list, we can't be friends. Seriously. I mean it. Deal breaker right there.
3. BBC Pride and Prejudice-- Colin Firth. Jennifer Ehle. Colin Firth. Colin Firth. The pond scene. Colin Firth. Am I right?
And tied for first....because I simply could not choose between these two are....
1. Doctor Who and Blue Skies-- When your songs comprise more than half (26) of my iTunes 50 most played songs (15 of the top 25; with no other artist claiming more than one song in the top 25), you deserve to be at the top of my list. Also, when I own 1.8 days worth of episodes of a show in iTunes that I can't watch live on my tv (BBC America is too expensive to pay for!) and own 2 albums of music written about the show, and watch a spinoff online as well, you deserve to be at the top of my list too. I'll leave you with 2 of my fave Doctor Who scenes and a fave Dave video.
This one still makes me tear up. I shall always love David. He will always be my Doctor.
But I love Matt too. This is why.
And one of the many Dave song's I love: (and one I might not have linked before)
Honorable mentions: Phillip Pullman, Emma Thompson, Johnny Lee Miller, Wimbledon, slang, Harry Potter, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
I'm currently re-reading 13 Little Blue Envelopes and I just got an email from my boss who's visiting London with her family right now. In fact, her 2 kids are staying in the room she and I shared 2 years ago. I've long been obsessed with lots of British things. Narrowing it down to just ten was difficult, but I think I've got it. (Well plus a few honorable mentions.)
10. Train/bus/underground travel--I love the trains. I want more train travel in the midwest. Also I just love the double decker buses. But I think I loved the tube the best. It's geeky I know. Whatever. This is my top ten list.
9. Roald Dahl--The Witches, Matlida, The Twits. I adored Dahl's stories as a kid. And his adult short stories? Those I read in college. Those suckers scare the shit out of me, but I love them too. I'm not much of a scary story person, but these just suck you in. You were warned!
8. British YouTubers-- charlieissocoollike, nerimon, johnnydurham19, kickthepj, hexichordal, rhymingwithoranges, iianardo and one more who will show up later in this list. John and Hank may have gotten me started on YouTube, but the Brits got me obsessed.
7. Jasper Fforde-- If you haven't read any of Fforde's work I implore you to stop reading this post right now and go find one of his books and read it. Currently he's got 3 different series. I really love Thursday Next, but I think his new one Shades of Grey might be my favorite.
6. The British Library-- I don't often cry in public. The exhibit there made me do just that. There is just something about standing just a plexiglass window away from Handel's Messiah with his hand scribbled lyrics. Or Jane Eyre opened to my absolute favorite passage ("Reader, I married him.") I mean good lord. Then you get to the Magna Carta. This English, history, and politics major was so overwhelmed, in a good way.
5. WineGums-- I bought them as a joke gift for the girls when I was in London thanks to this video. I made the mistake of trying them. I fell in love. Ate theirs and had to buy more to bring home.
4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail-- If I have to explain why this is on the list, we can't be friends. Seriously. I mean it. Deal breaker right there.
3. BBC Pride and Prejudice-- Colin Firth. Jennifer Ehle. Colin Firth. Colin Firth. The pond scene. Colin Firth. Am I right?
And tied for first....because I simply could not choose between these two are....
1. Doctor Who and Blue Skies-- When your songs comprise more than half (26) of my iTunes 50 most played songs (15 of the top 25; with no other artist claiming more than one song in the top 25), you deserve to be at the top of my list. Also, when I own 1.8 days worth of episodes of a show in iTunes that I can't watch live on my tv (BBC America is too expensive to pay for!) and own 2 albums of music written about the show, and watch a spinoff online as well, you deserve to be at the top of my list too. I'll leave you with 2 of my fave Doctor Who scenes and a fave Dave video.
This one still makes me tear up. I shall always love David. He will always be my Doctor.
But I love Matt too. This is why.
And one of the many Dave song's I love: (and one I might not have linked before)
Honorable mentions: Phillip Pullman, Emma Thompson, Johnny Lee Miller, Wimbledon, slang, Harry Potter, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
DAVID will always be WHO's Doctor???? That'd be me..I'm a die-hard David fan, you Matt-lovin' flip flopper!! That is all.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Colin Firth will always be the one-and-only Mr. Darcy in this girl's heart. :D *SQUEE!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever had Monty Python Holy Grail Ale? I actually can't say I'm wild about it, but there is something so novel about drinking it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Holy Week always makes me want to watch Life of Brian.
You bunch of Anglophiles! I love it. Roald Dahl's stories are the greatest - I bought a huge collection of his (adult) short stories and have been savouring them because there's nothing like reading one of those badboys for the first time. The Man From the South is a long-time favourite - I still can't believe Tarantino put a reference to it in Four Rooms having nicked it from a secondary source.
ReplyDelete@Nicola, that one and The Landlady have always creeped me out. And I am a proud Anglophile :)
ReplyDelete@Manda, liking Matt does not mean that David isn't my doctor. And let's remember who introduced you to David in the first place??
@Katie I haven't had the ale. And now I shall be shunned but I haven't seen all of Life of Brian. I know. Sorry. :(
Um, you should rent it. And watch it after Good Friday services.
ReplyDeleteOf course I agree with most of your list. AND I pass the Monty Python dealbreaker with flying colors.
ReplyDeleteSo in Jane Slayre, it's "Reader, I buried him"! THEN she marries him.