My Ginsu knife is bigger than yours.
I am truly a wicked person. When I happen to want a moment by myself there is one phrase I can utter that will send my kids running down the hall, weeping, whaling, and gnawing on the carpet. It goes like this, “Hmmm…I think I’m going to sit down and watch Pride and Prejudice.”
“The horror!” “Oh the humanity!” “[Dang] them all to [heck]!” “Rosebud.” and “Soylent Green is people!” can almost all be heard sung in wretched harmony, after such an announcement. It is this simple phrase that not only gets me a moment of solitary peace, but chromosomal verification that I truly do live in a house full of boys.
I’ve reached an impasse, as Edward would say, in the case of Twilight. I thought for sure, the mention of watching this newly acquired film, would be just one more weapon in my arsenal of fear-causing sentences. I was wrong. As I’ve mentioned before, I did let my boys watch it with me when we bought it, just to satisfy their curiosity and to gain a better understanding of their mother’s obsession with all things Twilight. They understand, accept, and welcome it. Isaac has gained a better sense of what’s right and wrong because of it. This is evident when he asks, “is he a good-pire or a bad-pire?” Douglas shows his support as he asks which vampire is the strongest, fastest, or whatever. Reed’s just waiting to see some werewolves.
I suppose I won’t need to hold my breath for the day that Douglas asks, “how great is Mr. Darcy’s estate?” Or for Isaac to ask, “Who was prouder, Mr. Darcy or Elizabeth?” Or for Reed to ask, “Do you think Lydia has truly ruined her family in her disregard for propriety?” No, I don’t foresee that. Pride and Prejudice will always hold a leverage like no other. A weapon sharper than a Ginsu knife, and a bomb bigger than the big one.
Comments
But your post reminds me of a story my husband tells. When he or his sisters or brothers said that they were too sick to go to school his Mom would say, "OK, but if you stay home you have to watch Gone with the Wind with me." If they were really sick they were subjected to such torture. But often, they would not even try to fake sick because watching Gone with the Wind was such a horrible awful thing to have to do in their minds!
I love Pride and Prejudice! I haven't seen it for years though. I wonder what my kids would think?
And I have to say, I think Matthew McFadden is as cute a Darcy as Colin Firth. Although Mr. Firth will always reign supreme, the fight/rain scene with Kiera Knightly and Mr. McFadden is fabulous. Thanks for putting both photos up...
I hope your boys will watch P&P someday -- considering what effect it has on girls, it is probably something good to have seen.
And if I have boys, I'll probably use the same tactic to get some 'me' time, especially since it repells my hubby, too.
-Mandie (Payne) Green
1. Climbing tall trees
2. A car wreck
3. Super strength
4. Baseball
5. An all-out battle to the death, complete with shattered mirrors and a bonfire.
6. Deer "hunting"
7. The promise of werewolves to come...
If P&P had all that, I bet the boys would watch it too. ;)
If I could get my kids to watch Twilight, it would be playing at my house more.