How Will I Know If He Really Loves Me (in Jane Austen’s world)

He asks your opinion about his house/grounds/etc.
He tells you secrets about his family.
He tells you nothing but the truth (even if it’s hard for you to hear).
He wants you to improve your character (b/c men of sense do not want silly wives).
He praises you to his family/friends/tenants/etc.
He (secretly) helps your family out in a time [...]

Things I Learned from Jane Austen

Reading novels is quite harmless for a young lady.
It is possible to read too many novels. 
Taking long walks is an enjoyable pastime.
You never know what fine gentleman you will meet during a long walk.
Clergymen can be quite handsome and amiable.
Clergymen can be quite irritating and judgmental.
You do not need wealth or connections to marry [...]

A Little Tribute to Heath Ledger

By now most of you, esp. those in NYC, would have heard about the death of actor Heath Ledger.   You can still see him this summer as The Joker in The Dark Knight with (the ALWAYS wonderful) Christian Bale.  Instead of speculating on the personal stuff (which has no correlation w/ someone’s talent), I’d like to take a few [...]