A turn about the room

You guys, you guys! I went to Jane Austen camp! I am totally not kidding.

Backstory: I love Jane Austen. Pride & Prejudice is my favorite book ever, hands down. I've been to her cottage in Chawton and seen the tiny writing writing table where she worked. I've been to her burial site. I geeked out in Bath on the gravel walk, where a key scene takes place in Persuasion. I love her.

So a couple of weeks ago, when I saw on Twitter that my alma mater, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, was hosting a four-day conference for the 200th anniversary of Pride & Prejudice, I thought about it for 24 hours -- to just, you know, pretend to be an adult and make rational decisions -- and then signed up.

I was a little worried how scholarly it would be. Indeed some of it was. Two or three professors just about read directly from their papers on things like "the Lockean education" and "the networked novel" that went over my head. And I wondered if I had made a mistake in coming.

(The video here is me dancing the Duke of Kent's Waltz!)

But then there were fabulous discussion groups (even though we had a bit of a Catherine de Bourgh in our group, which appropriately was in the posh octagon room redubbed Rosings for the event) in which we talked about the book in-depth. And other panels on topics such as P&P as a precursor for romance novels, a post-Colonial look at P&P using Sri Lanka as a test case, how costumes help detail character in the 2005 movie. One participant brought some books from her impressive P&P collection, including an edition with the lovely Hugh Thompson illustrations. I have the peacock illustration on my Nook cover, a tote bag and a T-shirt. But to hold the book in my hands? Unbelievable.

And the friends I met were super fun, including a teacher from Virginia, and a mother and her 11-year-old daughter who has read more Jane Austen than I have. All so great.

But the best part -- the best part -- was that we learned to dance ... in preparation for the ball. A ball! The steps were hard to remember, but no one cared. Well, the caller might have cared. I felt bad for him, and the patient dance enthusiasts who were there to help us look good.

The ball itself was fab. Historical drinks from a local bartender who loves that kind of stuff, a silent auction, live music, the dancing itself, whist (easy peasy!). The music even stopped when "Mr. Darcy" and "Caroline" showed up. All in all, just so lovely. (Edited to add: Lots of people had period dresses, many didn't. I was lucky in that I was a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding years ago and the dress was PERFECT for the ball.)

Now there's a Jane Austen ball here in Alexandria that I may go to and another workshop and I've joined the Jane Austen Society of North America, so this is now a slippery slope. And UNC is planning on doing a Jane Austen camp every year. Next year is on Sense & Sensibility. I'm on the fence about going -- but mostly just because I don't know the book as well as P&P or Persuasion. But I'm definitely leaning toward going!

You can read more about the camp here and see some of the collector's P&P books here. I'll leave you with a slideshow of more pics from the weekend: the Rosings room, dance lessons, the ball and the lovely dance book they made for us.

My girl Jane

My fave cover of my fave book.
Source: Archive.org

Monday is the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice." If you haven't read this book, WHY THE HELL NOT? It's only been my favorite book ever since, oh, about ninth grade. 

I remember it very clearly. The teacher was out or something or for some reason we spent like four days watching the 1980 TV adaptation of the book. And I was lost and gone forever. The frisson of excitement whenever headstrong, opinionated Elizabeth goes up against headstrong, opinionated and rich and handsome Mr. Darcy. The obligatory ball scenes. The turns about the room. After finishing the series, I immediately read the book. And I've done so a million times by now. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." Opening lines are so key to drawing readers in and P&P's is my absolute favorite. It's been used so often, it's a cliche by now, but reading it in print every time I open the book (I own several copies, digital and print), it's as fresh and fun and comforting as ever: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." Funny, clever, sly. You go into the book knowing this is more than just boy meets-cute girl.

The chemistry between Darcy and Elizabeth is off the charts. Every scene they're in, you want to yell: JUST KISS ALREADY. But of course, back then, that would've been the ruin of them both. But this is one of my favorite scenes:

[Darcy to Elizabeth:] "There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil—a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome."

"And your defect is to hate everybody."

"And yours," he replied with a smile, "is willfully to misunderstand them."

JUST KISS ALREADY.

And then, and then, there's the proposal scene where she spurns him. (Him: "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." Her response -- and I'm paraphrasing here: "Oh, hells no.") And then the visit to Pemberley, which is my favorite part of the book, because Darcy's being all nice, and Elizabeth is all: "What the eff? Why's he being so nice? And WOW he has a great house." 

But when they do finally get together, it's just so squee-worthy, because finally they can talk about their feelings. Which has my favorite line from the whole entire book, which I've bolded below.

Elizabeth's spirits soon rising to playfulness again, she wanted Mr. Darcy to account for his having ever fallen in love with her. "How could you begin?" said she. "I can comprehend your going on charmingly, when you had once made a beginning; but what could set you off in the first place?"

"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun."

I mean, damn. That is why Darcy is my fictional boyfriend. I seesaw between Darcy and Mr. Thornton from "North & South." They're similar in many ways: rich, handsome, taciturn, arrogant, spurned at first by a self-righteous heroine. Sometimes Thornton has the edge, because he's a self-made man, where as Darcy was born into his wealth and status. But really thinking on it, Thornton I love mostly because of the miniseries -- and actor, ahem. But Darcy. There hasn't been an iteration of Darcy that I haven't loved, which leads me to believe it really is the character not just the person playing him, that I love.

Three Darcys: Matthew Macfadyen (2005), Colin Firth (1995),
Daniel Gordh ("Lizzie Bennet Diaries," 2012-13)

And Elizabeth, jeez. I aspire to be like her. Who doesn't? That's all there is to say.

So, thanks, Jane Austen, for writing my favorite book ever. 

Me at Chawton, where Jane lived for a few years.
This is the tiny writing table where she revised/wrote many of her books!

The year in review

With 2012 over, I thought I'd do my own "best of" list. Not everything here was released in 2012, but I did see it this year and since this is my list, I'll make my own rules.

Books

Code Name Verity. Two awesome, distinct heroines in World War II Britain. I mean, it's totally right up my alley. I love the structure of this book -- I think to say more would spoil it. But it's witty and touching and I got sniffly on the bus when I read it so I'm sure people were like, What's up with her? Here's the book trailer (which, btw, I enjoy book trailers; this one is really cool.)

The Fault in Our Stars. I've written about this book before. It's about two teenage cancer patients, but it's not a cancer book. Funny, poignant and sad. I cried and cried after reading it and then couldn't settle into a new book for days after -- always a good sign of a great book. I want to read it again, but I dunno if I can handle it.

Bitterblue. A fantasy-ish book that's part of the Graceling series, so you should probably read "Graceling" first. That book is good -- about a medieval-ish kingdom in which some people have particular gifts. Bitterblue is set 10 years later, centering on a young queen. The part I find really interesting is its focus on how the queen's kingdom tries to recover from its horrific recent past.

Music

The Civil Wars. I want to say some celebrity on Twitter -- Sophia Bush or Scott Porter or someone -- mentioned loving the Civil Wars, and so I checked 'em out. And boy did I fall in love. Haunting harmonies and emotional vocals. LOVE. And I was all, Man, next time they come to D.C., I'm totally going to see them ... and then they decided to pretty much call it quits. Sigh. Just my luck.

Helen Jane Long. She's filed under New Age on iTunes, I think, but her instrumentals are just lovely. Quiet and relaxing. I like to listen to it at night before I go to sleep. Which sounds like a backhanded compliment, but I don't mean it to be. I want to get one of her songs on sheet music and learn it, even though I don't have a piano readily available.

Movies

The First Grader. This movie is streaming on Netflix. Go watch it. It's about this elderly man in Africa who enrolls in elementary school so that he can learn to read. Sniffles abound. Seriously. Sniffles. If you need more convincing, Naomi Harris, who stars in "Skyfall," co-stars here. Such a tearjerker of a movie. But heartwarming too...

Avengers. The one-liners and cadence of Joss Whedon's script and Marvel together means, dang, I loved this movie.

Lincoln. Mostly it's because it's like "The West Wing -- Civil War Edition." Plus it inspired and/or capped my family's exploration of Virginia's Civil War history. We recently toured the "White House of the Confederacy" in Richmond, then Petersburg's battlefield site, then followed Lee's Retreat to Appomattox and ended at Appomattox Court House to see where he surrendered.

Drama

Nashville. My favorite new show of the season. I can't remember the last time I liked Hayden Panettiere -- wait. Yes, I do. I liked her in "Remember the Titans." But she's good here, really -- and of course so is Tami Taylor, er, Connie Britton. Plus the music is awesome. I would've put the soundtrack up in the music category, but I just got it and I don't want to put it on the list without repeat listens at this point.

One Man, Two Guvnors. Okay this isn't a TV show, it was a play on Broadway, but it was fantastic. Quite possibly the best play I've ever seen. The first time I saw this farce -- about a big lunkhead who has to balance have two masters -- I thought it was hilarious. Then next two times just slightly less so -- mostly because you realize where the improv is and where the scripted bits are. But you also see how hard the cast works to make the scripted bits seem unscripted.

Downton Abbey. Watch Season 3 starting Sunday on PBS. No spoilers, but there are some WTF moments. That's all I'm saying. I agree with this review that says that whereas the second season was wobbly but ended strong with the Christmas special, this one is the opposite. Still highly watchable and addictive. Season hasn't even premiered here yet and I've already watched it twice....

Pop culture fail

So as much pop culture as I consume, there are still lots of things that pass me by. And then I get that look I usually give other people. The one that says: "What do you MEAN you haven't read/watch /heard [fill in the blank]?!" I know, I know. So for every person who doesn't recognize Dan Stevens from "Downton Abbey" in that pic from the last post, there are just as many times when I can be just as pop culture clueless. So here, things that I need to get into but haven't yet. Go ahead, be horrified -- but don't let your face stick like that.

Web series

With the except of "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog," I don't watch web series. Which is ludicrous given how much time I spend with my laptop open. But I can't ever figure out their schedules, and the production quality isn't always up to snuff, which can drive me crazy. Plus, I have a total second-screen mentality, so what would I do if watching on my laptop? In truth, I can watch YouTube on my TV, but I'm going to blame my already busy TV-watching schedule for missing these two series especially: "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries" and "The Guild." Both seem right up my alley -- Pride & Prejudice! Geeks!  -- and yet, I can't sit down to watch them. Maybe it's that they seemingly have so many episodes already that, even though they're short, it'd be like me trying to watch all 10 seasons of, I dunno, "Smallville" or something.

Books

Y'all know I love my YA. Even before I rediscovered that genre, I generally read Austen paraliterature, mysteries and the occasional romance. As big a bookworm as I am, I just cannot deal with mainstream chick lit (inevitably the girl is late 30s, either divorced with a kid or longtime singleton and works in PR) or actual literary fiction (inevitably too depressing and/or Full of Meaning). So, no, I haven't read "Gone Girl" or classics like "The Catcher in the Rye." But I just finished Henry James's "Washington Square." And next on my list is the non-fiction World War I book "The Guns of August." They gotta count for something.

TV

This is the big one. The one that garners the biggest reaction when I confess: I've never seen "The Wire." Yes, I know it's amazing. Yes, I know it helped revolutionize television drama. Yes, I know it was filmed in Baltimore -- just up the road. I read somewhere that "The Wire" is like "War and Peace": Everyone says you should read/watch it, but hardly anyone actually follows through. I just don't know that I want to invest my time in several seasons of bleakness, so this one has moved down ... and down ... and down on my Netflix queue.

But you don't have to take my word for it....

Butterfly in the sky.... God, didn't you love "Reading Rainbow"? It was one of my very favorite shows growing up. The episode about New York City at night? Awesome! The one where LeVar takes us to the set of "Star Trek: The Next Generation"? Unforgettable! I always wanted to be one of those lucky kids who got to spend a few seconds talking about a book they loved.

Now the last few weeks have been sometimes stressful, sometimes fun but super busy, so haven't had much to talk about. So when that happens I'm just gonna do a BYDHTTMWFI (see blog post title) about the things I'm into lately. Bottom line: They're all cool.

Books

The Raven Boys. I'm a huge fan of supernatural TV shows, but for some reason supernatural/fantasy books are a really hard sell (Harry Potter excluded): weird names, silly-sounding places, dumb powers. But Maggie Stiefvater's "The Raven Boys" -- about a group of boys searching for a lost Welsh king in Virginia, of all places -- is great. Love the characters (Adam, a book version of Matt Saracen = swoon), intrigued by the Welsh mythology, liked the prose. Now I have to wait for the next book. Argh.

When the Game Was Ours. I generally knew Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are basketball icons but never knew much else about them. This book tracks not only their careers but also their rivalry -- and how it made each of them a better player. Loved this book. Loved.

Movies

Pitch Perfect. Go see this movie. It's like a cappella meets Bring It On. The story is run-of-the-mill: Anna Kendrick (my love for her knows no bounds) is an alterna-girl who joins a ragtag a cappella group seeking glory. But it's exactly what I wanted: cute and fun and musical. Though, warning, it's gross in parts. Now I wish I could sing. It is a-ca-awesome.

The Art of the Steal. Fascinating documentary about the Barnes art collection that was outside Philly (kicking myself I never saw it when I lived there) and now is in a new home in the Philadelphia Museum of Art -- despite the fact that the original owner explicitly said his collection should never leave its home or be part of the museum. Ever. Interesting because of its look at art and who owns it and how it's acquired-- the politics behind it. I must say, I'm conflicted about going to see the collection at some point. On one hand, it's amazing art. On the other, well, just watch the movie....

TV

Bomb Girls. A Canadian show on the Reelz channel about women working in a Canadian munitions factory while the boys fight in World War II? Sold. Duh. The clothes! The hair! The drama! It's like "Homefront" (an old fave) without Jeff (Kyle Chandler) and Ginger, a.k.a. The Best Couple Ever.

Downton Abbey. This third season? Trumps the second season by far. Squeee!

Hope you check these out. But you don't have to take my word for it....

What I will and won't read

A small part of my Jane Austen retellings/sequels collection. (Credit: Me)

I've talked a lot about my penchant for YA books over adult books. But I just realized that there are certain tropes or aspects of a plot that I'm particularly drawn to -- those things that all I have to do is read the synopsis and I'm all: SOLD.

Some of these I look for in TV shows and movies, too, though I'm more able to suspend my disbelief for TV/movies than for books. I'm not a big fantasy book person, for example, but I'm willing to go along with, say, "Merlin."

Anyway:

Book turn-ons

Victorian England + swoony couple
 = gold. (Credit: Barnes & Noble)

• Victorian England.
• Edwardian England.
• Regency England.
• Okay, just England.
• Dystopia. Except post-natural-disaster societies, because those just scare me. (Read: "Ashfall." Or don't because it might freak you out and/or depress you.)
• Retellings of "Pride & Prejudice," "Sense & Sensibility" or "Persuasion."
• Jane Austen stories but from an alternate perspective -- like P&P from Darcy's POV or "Persuasion" from Wentworth's. Swoon. 
• Sequels to Jane Austen books. (Do you sense a theme here?)
• Mysteries in which the heroine and hero butt heads but ultimately join forces to solve the case (and fall in love because obvs they're meant TO BE). See Deanna Raybourn's Julia Grey mysteries. Brisbane is my non-Austen book boyfriend.
• A teenager with a tragic past that she/he somehow overcomes.
• Road trips.
• Ghosts or demons. This one applies mostly to YA fiction.  Not a supernatural romance fan.
• Motley group of disparate personalities who band together.
• Continuing series that involve different characters in each book. See the "Pink Carnation" romance series by Lauren Willig. Addicted.
• I'm a sucker for nonfiction books on: basketball, World War II, Jane Austen.

Book turn-offs

• Angels. Ugh. Demons, I'm apparently okay with, but angels and seraphims, etc., are a whole other ballgame.
• Fairies/fae. I like the show "Lost Girl," which involves fae, but I cannot read books about these magical folk.
• Depressing stories. This from the girl who loves "The Fault in Our Stars." But rarely do I want to read sad books.
• Chick lit books that involve middle-aged -- divorced or "spinster" -- women who usually work in PR or some kind of communications job. Too close to home? Who knows. 
• General fantasy books. I'll admit: I hated "Wrinkle in Time" and "The Hobbit" in school. Still do.
• Alternating perspectives. Not my fave literary device. Rarely do I enjoy it. The most recent is probably is the awesome "The Scorpio Races" and "Winter Town." 
• Supernatural twists on classics. "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" was novelty fun. I'm not that interested in reading others.
• Horror. I'm not huge about reading scary books. Who wants to be scared before going to bed? 

So there you go. If you find a book that incorporates every one of my turn-ons, let me know! Although maybe I should branch out and read different things....

Hey, guess what! I love the U.K.

A little weird, right? For a Filipino chick to love the UK as much as I do. To paraphrase badly from Jane Austen, I can't tell you exactly when or where I fell in love with England -- I was in the middle before I knew I had even begun. But there it is. And I'm so so sad I didn't think about going for the Olympics. I'd've seen any obscure sport just to be there. My bad. 


But how much do I love thee? Let me count the ways....

TV/Movies

When I travel to foreign countries, I like to watch their TV shows. In Spain, we watched an "American Idol"-type show and, oddly, German soaps. In the Philippines, I watched Filipino game shows, and Hindi and Korean soaps. It's like a anthropological study of a culture's viewing habits. 

In many ways, I prefer British television over American. Fewer episodes mean more streamlined story arcs and less filler episodes. Their shows are edgier and well acted. My sister got me an all-region DVD player so I can buy and watch British DVDs. Besides obvious faves of "Doctor Who" and "Downton Abbey," I do love these shows (with links to some fun clips):

"Spooks" > "24"  (Credit: BBC)

• "Spooks" (American name: "MI-5"). A spy show that just ended this year after 10 seasons. So good! Great stories and actors. As intense as "24." Season 2 through 6, with Rupert Penry Jones,  above center, are particularly good. Matthew Macfadyen, in season 1 and one or two eps of Season 2, was awesome too. My boyfriend Richard Armitage was in Season 7-9. But as much as I love him, Spooks was fading fast by that point. It's on Netflix, so check it out.
• "Miranda." A new and yet old-school sitcom. Y'all, I'm not a sitcom person. I don't like "Modern Family" or "Community." Yes, I KNOW. Nor am I a fan of physical comedy. But Miranda Hart -- who plays a socially inept single woman who constantly gets into awkward situations (hello, overidentify much?) -- is so freakin' funny. Sadly this hasn't aired on American TV -- but it should (BBC America, I'm looking at you)!
• "Gavin & Stacey." Another great comedy, this one focuses on a couple (she's Welsh; he's from Essex) on a whirlwind romance that brings their two crazy families together. Smart and funny and heartfelt. Gold. 
• If you have not seen "Attack the Block," please do so now. About teenagers in a council housing block who end up battling aliens, this movie has heart and an edge. And if I adopt some of the language or syntax of a TV show or movie, then I really like it. Believe. <-- Movie reference!

Music

Rizzle Kicks = good start
to the day. (Credit: Amazon)

Lately I've been really into Brit hop.  Tinie Tempah might be my current favorite rapper, and I want him to make it big here; check out "Till I'm Gone," with Wiz Khalifa. The Rizzle Kicks have been likened to the Gorillaz but I like them even more; my fave is "Down With the Trumpets." And Dizzee Rascal is another rapper I love. You might have heard a little of each of these already: Tinie and Rizzle Kicks were sampled in the Opening Ceremonies medley, and Dizzee performed "Bonkers," with what might be one of my favorite rap-lyrics-turned-life-philosophy ever: "Some people think I'm bonkers, but I just think I'm free..."

Books

Anything set in Britain, I'm bound to read, no pun intended. Jacqueline Winspear has a great mystery series (Maisie Dobbs) set in the years between the great wars. And I'm a sucker for any Jane Austen sequel or retelling ("The Other Mr. Darcy" actually changed my view of Caroline Bingley). 

Food

My kingdom for a place in Washington that serves a good full English breakfast. Eggs, tomatoes, potatoes, sausage. YUM. I'd give two kingdoms for Wagamama to open that long-promised DC location. When you go to London, check out the chain pan-Asian place. So freakin' good, especially the chicken katsu curry -- what I always order when I go. And I'd give three kingdoms for a Hummingbird Bakery to open up here, too. Their "American" cupcakes make me shun all other cupcakes (seriously, I won't eat another cupcake for weeks after I go to Hummingbird, because I know they just won't match up.)

This weekend, my sisters and I are basically doing a New York is the New London kind of birthday weekend. We'll be going to the London Candy Co., which sells imported British food (what up, McVittie's biscuits -- I'm comin' for ya!) and then seeing James Corden in "One Man, Two Guvnors" on Broadway. He co-wrote and co-stars in "Gavin & Stacey," and, oh, also won a Tony for OMTG. Can't wait to see it again.

And in conclusion: Cupcakes.

Hummingbird cupcakes. Drool now. (Credit: me)

Resistance is futile

So, I love to take surveys. At the movie theater this weekend, I was bummed the Nielsen lady didn't ask me if I wanted to do a survey. One of my favorite survey questions is, basically: Do you often tell people about the things you like? The answer is ALL MY YES. I'm big on evangelizing. When I like something, I love it and I love to tell people about it. ALL about it. So here are the things I proselytize about these days.  (By the by, my posts won't all be written in this format. I'm just feeling list-y.)
 
1. World of Joss Whedon. When someone asks "Who's Joss Whedon?" my heart dies a little. And then I say: "Uh, 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'? 'Angel'? 'Firefly'? 'Dollhouse'? 'Dr. Horrible'? 'Serenity'? 'Avengers'? Where I get a much of my lexicon?" "Bitka" -- from a throwaway joke in a Buffy ep -- is still a word my sisters and I use frequently instead of the b-word. Anyway,  Joss = great filmmaker/writer/hell, even songwriter. He was doing vampires before vampires were cool, my "Twilight" friends (Angel & Buffy > Edward & Bella). So go watch "Buffy." You won't be sorry. You will, however, laugh, cry and gasp. 

Happy sighs.
(Credit: Amazon)

2. "North & South." See my previous post about Richard Armitage. My sister tried to convert me on this period drama a few years ago and I didn't listen. But, boy, she was right. In a nutshell: It's "Pride & Prejudice" -- with cotton! And the hero, Mr. Thornton (a.k.a. my all-caps BOYFRIEND), is quite possibly better than Mr. Darcy from P&P. Yeah. You read that right. And I've had a Mr. Darcy complex since like 9th grade... Sa-woooooooon.

Age becomes them:
West, left; and Sawa
(Credits: CW, Zap2It)

3. "Nikita." My flavor-of-the-month conversion. I pick a show every summer to catch up on and this year it's "Nikita." And I'll be honest: It's not my fave spy show ever. That'd be the first 5 seasons of "Spooks," better known as "MI-5" on this side of the pond; go watch it.  And "Nikita" is not perfect: There are plot contrivances aplenty (of *course* Nikita somehow escapes the thick metal handcuffs in the nick of time) and the first season is a very slow burn. But stick with it and second season is a blast. It's "Alias" -- another cool spy show -- minus that show's silly Nostradamus-like mythology. Plus, Shane West is easy on the eyes, so you forget the plot holes  ... and possibly the plot entirely. And as a recurring bonus: Devon Sawa, another former young actor who, like West, has grown up.

I heart this book. So. Much.
(Credit: Amazon)

4. Young adult literature. I'm a late convert myself thanks to The Hunger Games. When I was young, I stuck to Nancy Drew Casefiles, BSC, Sweet Valley and Sunfire/Sweet Dreams teen romances. But the YA books today are original, smart, funny and touching, and I just keep finding more to love. To start your reading list: "The Truth About Forever," "Jellicoe Road," "Sweethearts," "The Fault in Our Stars." That's in order from lightest to heaviest, btw. TFiOS will destroy you.

5. "Doctor Who." I'll admit I'm only a contemporary fan (I haven't seen the original show). But this reboot -- particularly seasons 2 through 5, the David Tennant years -- is, to use a word from the S1 Doctor, fantastic. Now my usual caveat for it: You have to wade through a few episodes of the first season before you see it as more than a kids' show, which is basically who it's geared toward. After the creepy two-parter of eps 9 and 10, though, you'll be in it for the long haul.

Okay, that's it. Get out there and become true believers. If you try any of these, lemme know what you think. Also, what do you guys try to convert people to? I need some new obsessions...