Thursday, March 24, 2011

“Spring has sprung!” said the bumble bee.

"Sweet April showers 
  Do spring May flowers."  
 - Thomas Tusser,  A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie.

"In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
  When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
  Sweet lovers love the spring." 
 - William Shakespeare, It was a lover and his lass.

"And Spring arose on the garden fair,
  Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
  And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
  rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."
 - Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Sensitive Plant. 

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold:  when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."  
- Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.

"A little Madness in the spring 
 Is wholesome even for the King."
- Emily Dickinson

"Don't you know what that is? It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! It seems to you that mainly what you want is to get away; get away from the same old tedious things you're so used to seeing and so tired of, and set something new. That is the idea; you want to go and be a wanderer; you want to go wandering far away to strange countries where everything is mysterious and wonderful and romantic. And if you can't do that, you'll put up with considerable less; you'll go anywhere you can go, just so as to get away, and be thankful of the chance, too."
- Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Detective.


Which quote do you prefer? My favourite is, without any doubt, Mark Twain's!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

The Silver Wattle

International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day is marked on March 8 every year. It is a major day of global celebration of women. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements.
The first IWD was observed on 19 March 1911 in Germany following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. The idea of having an international women's day was first put forward at the turn of the 20th century amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to protests over working conditions.
Events are scheduled to take place in more than 100 countries around the world on March 8, 2011, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.  
In the United States, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be "Women's History Month", calling Americans to mark IWD by reflecting on "the extraordinary accomplishments of women" in shaping the country's history.

The mimosa (technically, the Silver Wattle) is the symbol of the celebrations of Women's day in Italy and Russia.

[Taken from Wikipedia]

Thursday, March 3, 2011

From Gentleman to King

Sunday, February 27, 2011: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded the golden statuette for Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role to the fabulous Colin Firth.
I think he fully deserved it and earned it with a really nice, clean, professional and elegant interpretation of Bertie/Prince Albert, Duke of York/King George VI in "The King's Speech".



Colin gave one of the best acceptance speeches of this year's Academy Awards: 
"I have a feeling my career's just peaked. I'm afraid I have to warn you that I'm experiencing stirrings somewhere in the upper abdominals which are threatening to form themselves into dance moves, which joyous as they may be for me, they would be extremely problematic if they made it to my legs before I make it off stage.
And he concluded: "Now if you'll excuse me I have some impulses I have to tend to backstage."
Simple and funny!
He partied so hard that he forgot his award in a bathroom, but fortunately an attendant handed it back to him. 





I have a soft spot for Colin Firth since my mum introduced me to his wonderful role of Mr. Darcy in BBC's Pride & Prejudice (1995). And like this character, he has such gentlemanlike manners... 
I cannot but wish him to continue this flawless career in the best way possible!!!



At home studying "History of English"... March 3, 2011 on Twitpic

At home studying "History of English"... March 3, 2011 on Twitpic