The Squeee

This is the final post in this year's series of highlighting the Pagan holidays. It has made me think more about the days in question, even if I haven't exactly done anything in particular to celebrate them. For a Pagan, I'm seriously secular! ;) Today, we celebrate Samhain , which is also known as the Pagan new year. The time between now and the Winter Solstice is a never-never land of sorts, because the new year doesn't start tomorrow morning, it starts in December. The lore says that on this day, the God draws his final breath. He is to be re-born in December, but meanwhile, he's indisposed, so to speak.

Oh, I really couldn't resist the temptation of that title. Sam Neill has been in a few scary - or at least they're meant to be and probably are to some - things, so I thought it would be a good idea to come up with some suggestions for a Sam-tastic Halloween movie marathon, for those who are game! If you choose to watch any over the weekend, you'll have to report back what you thought of them - deal? :) Horror both on earth and in space, weird and spooky events, evil beings ... He sure has done a lot of different things over the years, the horrifically bad ones omitted. After all, we're supposed to be scared by the events depicted, not by how bad the production is. ;) In reverse chronological order:

Still haven't seen the final episode, but here's something I found at the local Co-op with which we could always our sorrows now that Spooks has finished: I have heard some spoilers. Bad things happen, apparently. No likey. Expect a post about the final series at some point when I've seen the last episode.

I'm looking for nominations in these categories: 1. Tall, Dark and Handsome and 2. OMG that VOICE!! ♥ The nominated peeps should preferably be actors, but I'll accept musicians as well. It's for a list. Like Amazing Gaze: Top 5 Brilliantly Breathtaking Blue Eyes . Darling Richard Armitage is a given on both of them, of course. ;)

So, I've been thinking about giving the blog a facelift for a while now, and only over the weekend, I realised which colour I fancied switching to. And then things kind of came together a bit. This is the result. If you're using a feed reader (such as, but not limited to, Google Reader , which is a tremendously good idea for keeping up to speed with all the blogs you follow, just a tip), you'll have to actually - gasp - click through to the post to see. But anyway. Whatcha reckon? Yay or a nay? :)

This is totally lifted off a flyer I picked up when I was on said tour this Saturday just gone. It's a fun event, and you get to learn a lot not just about Jane Eyre '11, but also bits about '96 and '06, as they were all using Haddon Hall for Thornfield Hall. Tickets are selling fast, and this is the last of these you can attend this year! My recommendation would be to dress warm, but not too warm, as you do walk around quite a bit. Costumes from Jane Eyre '11 on display at Haddon Hall Sunday 23 October 2011 10:30 am If you would like to know more about what happens when a film crew takes over Haddon Hall, why not join us for our special "Behind the Scenes" tour? Stroll through the house and find out which rooms were used in which scene. Haddon Staff, involved with the filming, will share anecdotes and trade secrets with you. There is also the opportunity to visit parts of the house not normally open to visitors. Enjoy this unique experience f

If you would like to see some footage from See Film Differently's Jane Eyre premiere at Haddon Hall, there's a little film here: Both the Squeeze and I completely managed to evade being captured on film, apparently, despite me wearing my "Team Edward Rochester" t-shirt. Nice to see the bit with Cary Fukanaga (doesn't he kinda remind you of Johnny Depp?), as that seemed to be cut off when we were actually there, due to some terrible lag in the system. Also, there's an event on next Saturday, which I'm hoping to attend. And yes, I know, I still need to type up about the screening. Things got in the way, I'm afraid. Considering making it a Sunday Matinée post, which means it's still a few weeks in the future, as it's currently occupied by the German travel diary. Or maybe I'll reschedule. We'll see. P.S. If you want to live in a place that inspired Charlotte Brontë, Thornton Hall in Thornton near Bradford is up for sale , for th

So it appears our favourite doctor in outer space is gay. If you thought of McCoy or someone else who isn't Simon Tam of TV series Firefly or movie Serenity , then you thought of the wrong guy. :P Sean Maher has come out, after 14 years hiding in the closet. He's had a partner for the past nine years and they have two children together. I knew about the kids, he mentioned them on Twitter (he's @ Sean_M_Maher by the way) before, but didn't know their origin.

My other favourite pair of blue eyes :) (I know, it should be "pairs of eyes", but that doesn't sound as catchy as a title.) There are some people whose gaze catches you and makes you stop and think "oh my word" and then you wonder how on earth it's even possible to have that particular shade. Tonight's installment will be blue eyes. Beautifully blue, brilliantly breathtaking blue. There are of course many a good-looking actor out there with blue eyes, but I'm interested in the ones where you look at them and can't help but notice their eye colour specifically . So without further ado, here's my top 5:

Or rather, have you heard of the campaign launched by some fans of Richard Armitage, to have his project about King Richard III come to fruition? If not, you really ought to check it out. :) There's a petition to sign and everything! Back in August, there was a "King Richard Week", which I forgot to mention at the time, as my parents were visiting so didn't have much time for computers. Thought it would be good to have a reminder about the project now, and perhaps find some more supporters. :) Richard Armitage has been talking about wanting to do a project about Richard III for some time now. He wants to do something historically accurate, because William Shakespeare ... well, he was paid by a Tudor, and seeing as how they defeated the Plantagenets (or something like that), trying to downplay the defeated king meant getting a paycheck. Here's the king himself to tell us what was going on, thanks to Horrible Histories :

Today, we celebrate the Autumn Equinox in the northern hemisphere, the time when night and day are in perfect balance. We're heading toward winter now, meaning nights will be longer than days, but there is no need to fear the dark. There is a need to be slightly concerned about it, if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) - or "winter depression" as it's also known. (I got mine off mum, because the bleedin' thing is hereditary. Cheers, mum!) Take some vitamin D and use a light box for half an hour (or even 10 minutes) in the morning . The morning bit is really important: you're trying to stop the production of sleep hormone and get the body clock to realise it's daytime - using it at night won't work! Using it at all will really help, and also going out for a bit during the day time. Ain't no lightbulb like the good ol' sun, after all! As the days are growing shorter and the cold starts to creep in, I don't just get tired,

Here's something you probably didn't know and probably wouldn't have guessed: I'm a closet R.E.M. admirer. Not a fan, per se , because a lot of their music doesn't really take my fancy, but you know, plenty of it does. Now, the news has broken that the band are splitting up after 31 years: "To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." R.E.M. When I found out that they were coming to Nottingham a few years back, we instantly got tickets. The arena was a little peculiar - the Nottingham Forest football stadium! - and it really didn't lend itself very well to a concert. The acoustics left a lot to be desired, at least where we were sitting. Still, nice to see them live. Now there won'

Ahh, we're spoiled for choice all of a sudden! 2011 is apparently the year to really be a Thomas Anders fan. :) First, the release of album Two by Anders | Fahrenkrog back in June, then Hits & Raritäten came out on 9 September (review to follow soon), followed by the long-awaited release of Strong outside Russia on the 18th. Granted, "only" as an MP3 album, but I don't care. Main thing is that it's finally available. Which is really ironic, because only today, I received the Oriflame edition, recently ordered from someone on eBay as it was the cheapest place to get it. And then, I turn on my computer and find out that HEY, GUESS WHAT? D'oh. Went straight to Amazon.de, and got a message about geographical restrictions. Was about to have a hissy fit until I remembered to check Amazon.co.uk and there it was - and as it's on the UK site, it means my gift certificate balance is available = free stuff!! Actually, I was looking for the tracklisting fo

The first trailer for Wuthering Heights (2011) has arrived, and boy, doesn't it look dreary? It's like it's got "emo" written all over it. Suits you , sir. It's out 11 November 2011 in the UK and some time in 2012 in the US.

ZHE FIRST OF MANY!! (Possibly. Maybe. Hopefully?) If I can find inspiration, instrumental songs and time, that is. :) This one's about Guy of Gisborne from BBC's Robin Hood - Richard Armitage - and how he's unlucky in love. Based on "Lucky Guy" by Modern Talking. Or, actually, this is the instrumental to the "Ryan Simmons" version, but let's not split hairs. In retrospect, should've stuck with what I did originally, and have it as "you are no lucky guy", because "you are unlucky, Guy" sounds a heck of a lot like "you are a lucky guy". Ho hum, never mind. And for the next attempt at something like this, I'll prepare more beforehand ... and hopefully come up with better lyrics. ;) Not used to making fanvids, so it's as it is. Hope you enjoy it, anyway. Happy weekend everyone!

In the news today: The most recent adaptation of Jane Eyre was number three in the UK box office during its opening weekend. Well done! I think it was really well done considering out of the four cinemas in Nottingham (that I know of, anyway), only one is actually showing it - Showcase. Broadway will be showing it, but not until the end of the month. If that's the case here, what's it like in other parts of the country? #3 is well done! :) Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Johnson are billed to star in next year's adaptation of Anna Karenina . Haven't we known about Keira Knightley playing Anna Karenina for months now? Jude Law is to be Karenin and Johnson Vronsky. Speaking of adaptations, Joanna Trollope is apparently set to write a modern day re-make of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility . It's set to publish late 2013 and is a part of HarperFiction's attempts at giving all the Austen novels an update. I'm just slightly puzzled as to why this

In the review of Jane Eyre (2011) , I mentioned that there were a few things I would have a separate rant about. This is that post. It will contain lots of spoilers, it will be ranting. Readers of a delicate disposition might want to look away now, even though I don't use the F word once. This is in some sort of chronological order and might be edited if I can think of more things after posting. Ready? Here we go.

So, we finally made it to North Lees Hall outside Hathersage in north Derbyshire. ( Previous post about this day is here , by the way.) We drove up to the house, parked on the side of the field where other people were parked, tried to get an overturned sign to stay up in the wind (it wouldn't), and walked up to the old house. First impressions, aside from fangirly glee of being somewhere where Charlotte Brontë had been and been so inspired by, was that the house itself is rather on the small side, but wow, the views of the Derbyshire hills from there are extraordinary! How's this for a view? The reason behind going to North Lees Hall in the first place is of course that it's one of the buildings that inspired Charlotte Brontë to write about Thornfield in Jane Eyre . In fact, the description of Thornfield Hall does ring true with North Lees (which also, as it happens, was the ancestral home of the Eyre family), with a tower and turrets and the surroundings, nestled

We interrupt the Jane Eyre -centred week with an important announcement! For those who remember the 1990s and in particular, a British comedy show called The Fast Show , and to those who enjoyed it as much as I did - good news! There's some deal with Foster's (the beer brand) to bring the show back ... on the internet, at least. It seems the whole gang has come together for it too, aside from Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley in Harry Potter ). I would say "Which is nice", but I'm disappointed he won't be in it. The Fast Show was a sketch show mainly made up of catchphrases, but it was absolutely hilarious. I have all the three series on DVD, including the Christmas Special and the live show. For those who have never seen it, look them up on YouTube.

I love the richness of detail in Jane Eyre . Charlotte Brontë weaves Jane’s inner life and her outer surroundings into a tapestry of emotion, physical sensation and contrast. The themes that run throughout the story are both subtle and strong, resulting in a coming-of-age / gothic horror / love story / portrait of integrity that I return to again and again. One theme is that of insight and blindness. Brontë describes many of her characters’ eyes in great detail. Take this quiz to see if you can match the eyes with the character. Who has: