Tuesday 28 February 2012

Book Club - Mansfield Park



I had heard this title mentioned many times, but had never read it, perhaps because the title is just the name of a place and didn't really incite me to read it.  But being in the library one day  I noticed a book of "the complete collection of Jane Austen" or something to that effect, and seeing as I'd never read Mansfield Park, I decided to give it a go. 


It is now, quite possibly, my favourite Jane Austen novel ever! Or at least a very close tie with the classic Pride & Prejudice.  It is a very long read, but what a great read!   

The book centres around the main character of Fanny Price, who is taken from her very poor family in Portsmouth to live with her wealthy aunt, Lady Bertram, and her family at Mansfield Park instead.  Miss Price is incredibly shy and finds it difficult to fit in with her upper class cousins.  She also misses her brother, William, terribly.  Her cousin Edmund takes compassion on her and makes sure she has ample supplies to be able to write regularly to her brother.  Throughout the years Edmund takes special care of Miss Price and they maintain a close friendship. 

Fast forward a few years.  Miss Price is now 18, and has developed into a well mannered young lady, while her older cousins, Tom, Maria and Julia Bertram are out in society and living it up.  Add a few new characters - Mr Rushworth who soon becomes engaged to Maria Bertram, though mainly for his money and status, and brother and sister, Mr Henry Crawford and Miss Mary Crawford, who stay with their sister at the nearby parsonage -  and things start to get interesting.  There soon follows a series of love triangles, as well as deeper insight into the true desires of Miss Price's heart, which even to the reader she is too afraid to openly admit.

The subsequent adventures include a proposal, followed by a lengthy courtship, but Fanny cannot bring herself to go against her heart and her better judgment.  She is returned by her uncle, Sir Thomas, to Portsmouth to live with her family again for a time in the hope of showing her what she could be returning to if she refuses this proposal.  But even this difficult time won't persuade her - although she does begin to consider it's benefits.  Eventually the truth comes out and her decision is proven to be a good one and she is able to return to Mansfield Park.

I think I love this book because I feel I can relate a little to Fanny Price - I was rather shy growing up (hard to believe, I know), or at least quiet at most times.  I was also the youngest of my sibling and cousins.  I can't really compare myself to the goodness of Miss Price, she has principles and standards which she lives by so well, but that is something that I do admire in her.  And it was this goodness that caused others to fall in love with her, even if it was not goodness they were looking for at first.  I would hope that someone would love me primarily for my goodness one day.

After reading Mansfield Park, my favourite Jane Austen hero now would have to be Edmund Bertram - what a guy!  Aside from being rather blind in matters of love, he is a man of good principle and treats Fanny with such tenderness and kindness.  A real sensitive guy.  Not afraid of admitting when he's wrong, and saying sorry.  Aside from a few follies that come with youth and infatuation, there's really nothing bad to say about this guy!

I have to say, although I loved reading this book, the ending was a little bit of a let down!  It is quite a long book, and the whole way builds up to something great, and you hope and wait for Fanny's deepest desires to be realised and for her to be told by the man she loves that he indeed is in love with her.  But alas, Jane Austen, after all that building up, simply states as narrator what inevitably happens and book comes to a bit of an abrupt end!  I really think for the readers she should have treated us by using his direct words.

What are your thoughts?

Friday 24 February 2012

Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm

Today is Estonian Independence Day!  When I worked at Centrelink International it was nice and convenient, because the International Wall of Friendship was right outside my work, so for Independence Day I used to dress up in national costume in my morning break and go down to the flag raising ceremony where we also sang the national anthem, "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" (I don't have it memorised though - shame on me!).  Just my little way of showing my national pride.  I was pretty excited to apply for and receive an Estonian passport a few years ago, so I am officially a dual citizen of Australia and Estonia.  

My mother took my brother and I to Estonia for 3 months when I was 6 years old, and in 2009 I decided to go back on my own.  It was great as I was able to once again attend the 4-yearly song and dance festivals, "Laulupidu" and "Tantsupidu."  The Laulupidu in particular is very important to the history of Estonia in keeping their national identity alive and even in achieving independence.  If you want more information ask my mum and she will gladly make-- er, let you watch her "Singing Revolution" DVD.


 (You're looking at a combined choir of over 30,000 people!)


As well as seeing the song and dance festivals, I was able to visit some old family sites as well, such as the farmhouse where my grandmother, Selma Falkenberg, was raised.  This was also a very special experience for me.



I would love to go back again and explore the country even more.  It was an awesome experience!  Thanks to my cousin, Jana, for being my guide, interpreter and friend!

Sunday 19 February 2012

The 3 Year Plan

Some months ago, when I'd decided I was going to do something exciting this year, I also decided what I would do after that exciting year was over and voila! I had a two year plan!  I haven't planned that far ahead since my 18-month mission...which was less than two years, so...I've never planned that far ahead since starting a uni degree!  Which I finished 6 years ago, just to paint the picture.  My two year plan was this:  1. Go to Japan to teach English January 2012 - January 2013.  2. Return to Hobart and commence 1 year TAFE course (or "polytechnic" as it's now called), Diploma of Laboratory Technology in February 2013.  I guess you could say I had a 3rd year planned:  2014: Get a job in science!

But alas, when it became apparent that I would be leaving later than planned, and thus returning too late to begin the course, my two year plan fell apart.  All I had was a 15 month plan, followed by 10 months of random time-filling work, and then maybe the course, but by then I was hoping to have moved on from my home town of Tassie.

So tonight when I happened to come across this blog (thanks Lisa!) about overseas language courses, I decided to explore the idea.  You see, I love languages, I would love to know lots!  But the two I want to learn fluently the most are Japanese and Estonian, which - as most of you probably know - is my mother's native language.  I'd love to pass on this part of my heritage to my future children, as it is very important to me.  I started teaching myself a few years ago and can form random sentences such as "Kas see on puu?" (Is this a tree?), but not any real skill.   In 2010 I decided to visit the motherland (more to come about this soon), and loved it, and being there just 3 weeks I found my skills improved and thought how great it would be to stay 3 months or something and especially to do a course there.  But the course I looked at just seemed so expensive for just a few weeks!  I gave that idea a miss pretty quickly.

But tonight I thought it seemed like a rather grand idea, as I would love to go back soon and would need something to do while I waited to do my course in Feb in Hobart (similar courses I've looked at on mainland Aus all take 2 years...no thanks!).  And perhaps my desire to do that seemed to make the cost of it insignificant compared to the benefits.  So I've decided to pencil in a summer Estonian course for 2013 after I'm back from Japan.  Way to live it up, right?

This makes the months until my next plan, the Diploma of Laboratory Technology, seem not-so-long and bearable.  The diploma will give me hands on technical experience in many fields of science, making me (finally) employable!  The feedback I've received from recent applications is my selection criteria is fantastic, BUT...I have no technical experience and graduated quite some time ago now... so I'm hoping this fixes the problem.  Then I can finally make use of my science degree!! Woohoo!!  I love science.  I really do.  

So that makes my 3 year plan as follows:


2013: Estonian Summer Language Course + a bit more travel


As for my plans for 2015, well...I'll let you put the pieces together...






Okay a little too far perhaps...but hey - a girl can dream!  Maybe in a few more years...

Saturday 4 February 2012

Book Club - The Screwtape Letters

It's been a few months since I read this one, so I'll try to remember as best as I can.  My first impression about this book is about the way it was written.  I understood that it was composed of letters between the devil Screwtape and his newbie nephew, but I didn't realise that the book consisted of only Screwtape's letters, and not the replies.  Hence the title, I guess!  You can kind of guess some of the things that Wormwood would have written in his letters by the way that Screwtape replies, so I don't feel the book lacks anything at all by being written in this style.  In fact, it helps keep the reader focussed on the important part - Screwtape's advice.

It takes a bit of concentration to keep on track, I mean you need to apply to law of opposites.  The "enemy" is in fact the good guy, God, and "Our Father" who is spoken so highly of by Screwtape, is in fact Satan, the devil.  Once you keep on track with this though, it is a very interesting read.  It points out the subtle ways in which we are tempted to turn away from God - perhaps, ever so slightly - which we don't usually stop to think about.  It's a real eye-opener to the Christian reader who's trying to follow the Saviour and really wants to improve.  Just read this book and you'll have plenty ideas of what you could do better!  Having said that, it shows the capacity for repentance as well, so it's not too depressing.

I like way the ending turns out, the way it should turn out in good versus evil.  It was also interesting to read a bit about how C. S. Lewis felt about writing the book.  He actually states that he did not really enjoy writing it, due to having to live and work in the mindset of Screwtape, someone completely opposed to God and all things good, who instead wants to tear us down.  Certainly not an uplifting feeling!  But I'm glad he did because it was a great read.

What are your thoughts?

Wednesday 1 February 2012

Achieving the Impossible. REALLY!

Time for an update from where we left off.  Last time, I had just achieved an astounding 2 mins 31 seconds Call Handle Time (CHT) at work, one second off my goal.  Which in itself was a pretty amazing thing.  I mean, CHT was something I had been struggling with for months, and was not even close to 2:30.  But once I believed impossible things, it suddenly just happened.  

Well on the magical date of 25th January 2012 I really did achieve the impossible.  Remember, this is only 10 days after I decided to believe the impossible.  On checking my stats the next working day I looked and thought "Let's see...2:24....okay cool....no, WAIT!! 2:24??! That's, like, WAY under 2:30!!!"  I was 6 seconds under my goal!!  I HAD ACHIEVED IT!!!!!  Whoa.  And to make things even more exciting, my average for the last month was 2:57, i.e. under 3 minutes.  That's NEVER happened to me before!

Now check this.  Today my team leader says to me "Mari-Anna, have you checked your stats for Monday?" (They had just come out today).  
"No, I was just about to..."  I replied.  
"Well have a look...and make sure you don't fall off your chair!"
I eagerly checked my stats.....come on......hurry up and load.......oh seriously, what's taking so long??!!
And then I saw it.

2:17.

Believe. The. Impossible.