On being nocturnal

Uberfacts on twitter tweeted "People who stay up later at night are likely to be more intelligent than those who go to bed early." Thus, empowering(?) me to write this post about being nocturnal, and the persecutions that come with not being a jolly morning person.

In theory, I get it. I get the whole "daylight is the time we get our stuff done". But to the famous white man in a curly white wig who centuries ago came up with, "The early bird gets the worm", I have to say "Nay good sir, the early bird doesn't get to lay in bed, play with his iPhone, listen to music, check his email, and sip coffee. The phrase sucks!" This is why the lives of night owls like myself are open for public shaming. I can rise and shine. Just not at the same time. Aside from having "hating-life"-mornings to deal with when between the hours of 6 and 10 a.m., I’m just trying to get my bearings in a world that is at least 3 shades too bright and won’t stop making loud, unfriendly noises.

Then there always a Miss/Ms/Mr/Mrs. I-go-jogging-at-six-every-morning who will be like, "Geez, long night last night?" Um, well. All of my nights are long, morning people. Not because I was out clubbing, but my brain seems to be over-active at the hours between 11pm and 3am. It's the time I want to talk, to read, to blog about the meaning of life, to jump on the bed, to make tea, to catch up on Downton Abbey, to eat pistachio nuts, to keep track of  #GoslingWatch on twitter, to play with my cats (also nocturnal animals), and to cry over The Pianist soundtrack. (Not to mention the 25 other things that keep me up at night.) That doesn't mean that I'm trying intentionally to stay up past my bedtime, it means I'm a prisoner to my own internal clock.

Yes, I have accepted that society demands of me a relatively early start time. And yes, I have given myself over to the idea that I will be running on society's schedule, and not my own. All I ask is that morning people, be kind to night owls. We're not usually this grumpy. (We might just be a bit more intelligent than you.)

I should marry Bruce Wayne. He's definitely a night person.

Hollywood in the trenches

I always love drama and romance in a WWI backdrop. I'm actually learning more about shell shock, mustard gas, trench rats, the battle of Somme and the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, than I did in my modern history classes back in high school. I feel so enriched! Plus, I love these period piece films because of the military costumes and posh frocks. I mean, I was having a huge fashion meltdown recently, while watching Downton Abbey season 2:
"OMG, Mary's beaded dress, and gloves, and the whole outfit OMG."
"OMG, Mary's red dress at dinner."
"OMG, Mary's black dress with sheer sleeves."
"OMG, wow."
"OOOOOOOOOHHHHHMYGAAAD, Mary's OTHER black dress and jewels!"


Movies I've been watching that inspired this post: 
War horse (2011)
Atonement (2007)
In love and war (1996)
Legends of the fall (1994)
A very long engagement (2004)
Joyeux Noël (2006)
Now, can we all let out a collective *sigh* at how hard it must've been to have a loved one away at war - in a time with hardly any communication? It just makes my social-media-addicted-heart break.

Sources: empireonline.com, imbd.com, google image search

Countdown to Downton

I love period piece British films and series. I don’t know what it is exactly, but women love anything British. British accents, corsets, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jude Law, Hugh Laurie, war, forbidden love, and the clothes. THE CLOTHES. Period piece British films is my BFF! I adored Elizabeth, Marie Antoinette, Shakespeare in Love, The Dutchess, The Young Victoria, The King's Speech, Amazing Grace, Pride & Prejudice, and Sense & Sensibility (Hugh Laurie is the best part of the movie). Check out Keira Knightley's filmography, love it! 


I seem to have a long history of dreaming of being a young Victorian or Edwardian woman men would fawn over, while I sat on a fainting couch having tea. Yet I wouldn't marry anyone because I was a "challenge" and no man had yet to spark my intrigue. Until one day, I would meet a witty, intelligent and passionate missionary, or someone like the visionary politician William Wilberforce who led the abolition of slavery, and he would change my life and of course, lives of many others.


Now, how did I get on this topic? Hmmm.. Oh, yes. Downton Abbey reruns was on. And naturally, I love the series, and am really looking forward to season 2!