Friday, December 31, 2010

Auld Lang Syne from the Scottish Parliament

This is really neat. Even old Sean Connery, himself!

Happy New Year, Sassenachs!

Just wanted to throw out a big, ol' HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all!!

I hope the upcoming year is full of good things for all - especially good, Outlander-related things!

This (very old & terribly scanned) photo was taken during my 2000 trip to Scotland. It is a "Drovers Pass" and they used to drive cattle through it. Tell me that doesn't warm your wame? It was taken during a day trip to Loch Lomond and Lock Fyne...and the Inveraray Castle in Argyll.

My wish for 2011 is that you - and I - get to plan some travel to Scotland - and experience the magic for ourselves. If you build it...they will come.

And if Diana writes it...we will read it. (Lord John and the Scottish Prisoner, anyone?)

Happy New Year, indeed!

Monday, December 27, 2010

Outlander Chat Tonight

Hey y'all - we're a bit snowwwwwed in here in New Jersey - but luckily, that won't stop us from having Outlander chat tonight! 9PM Eastern! See you then!

East Coast Winter Storm - Take 2

Last night at 11PM:













This AM at 8:00













After a visit from Mr. Snowblower:













 My front door this AM: 

















  My front door now:

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Dodge Revolutionary War Commercial

OK so there's a car or three in the middle of this thing... but I still found it to be pretty cool to watch. (And I saw a pretty tasty candidate for Black Jack Randall, too!)

East Coast Winter Storm

Wow - Tracey and I were supposed to go to a family party today...and you know what that means. OUTLANDER VIDEO. Wine-laden Outlander video at that! COMMA HOWEVER - we are both being battered by this crazy East Coast storm.... so we are now considering Skyping later. Hope everyone had a great holiday - and I hope all you East Coasters are all safe and sound in this crazy weather! Stay tuned...

Here it comes:















2 hours in:













5 hours in:

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas, Sassenachs!

Check out this tremendous read about George Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas and surprising the Hessians who had celebrated a bit the night before and had no clue what was upon them. These men crossed a river full of ice in small boats at night....and then marched 9 miles - on foot - in a driving snowstorm....to defeat the Hessians in Trenton. Absolutely humbling. I will now shut up about the snowstorm that's headed our way here at the New Jersey shore today.

I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas (even if you don't celebrate - I'm still sending you gobs of happy Christmas spirit!) from My Outlander Purgatory. The best of wishes from our family to yours!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

"A Tribute to All the Brave Souls Who Fought and Died Defending Scotland"

One of the greatest things I have seen on the internet in a long, long time. Many thanks to Lolly S. for commenting about the music of Albanach on the last post. They're tremendous!! And thanks to HeatherMac320 on Youtube. Awe-inspiring video. Hear Hear. Check out her youtube page. Girlfriend loves herself some Scotland!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Great Scottish Bands

I've been youtubing a bit today... Haven't had a free moment for a few weeks... and a change of schedule afforded me that luxury today.

So what have I been doing? Listening to Scottish bands. Old habits... yeah yeah. Enjoy.

Travis - "Why Does it Always Rain on Me?"  This is one of my playlists songs. I hear it when Jamie's at Helwater... and Geneva has just made her proposal... and you know he's just like "Oh come ON! WHY canna I ever catch a BREAK?!?" PS - Hot Scots; gotta love 'em. There's even a kilt. Melt. <3



I'll put more songs in other posts. Too many youtube clips make for a very slowwwww blog. :)

Colonial City in Context Walking Tour Philadelphia

This sounds ridiculously cool. I'm thinking MOP may have to plan something in the Spring. Although geez... 10:00 - 1:00? I hope they stop for lunch! ;)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Methadone List: My Own Personal Brand of Heroine

Heroin...Heroine...get it? :)

OK... I have some questions for ya:

1) I just picked up "Green Darkness" by Anya Seton - again. I suppose the third time's the charm because I'm finding it pretty intriguing. My question is: Has anyone read this book??  There is a character who is reminding me of Frank. And I'm dying to pick someone's brain.

2) Has anyone read "The Winter Sea" by Susanna Kearsley? It's getting 5 stars on Amazon - but from only 15 people...so who knows. It's about the 1st Jacobite rising in the early 18th century - and a woman in modern times who is writing about it. Historical Romance, y'all. Again - I'm intrigued.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Outlander Chat Tonight

Chat tonight - 9PM Eastern - Tracey most likely willna attend - or will be super late - but I'll be there!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Food from Fiction

You all MUST go and read this wonderful post - "Food from Fiction - Voyager by Diana Gabaldon" on IslandVittles.com. You won't be sorry. You can almost taste the food right there at your computer. Seriously. And who can resist a little Jamie and Claire dinner conversation?! Not me!!

Voyager Musings

SPOILER ALERT: Dinna read unless you have read VOYAGER. 

So lately I've been reading bits and pieces of Voyager while waiting in my car at the school parking lot in the frigid temps. And I have a few things to say.

1) Ever been reading Outlander and all the sudden - Jamie makes a comment - and you hear it in your head like Mike Myers in "So I Married an Axe Murderer"? And then you have a good, hearty laugh to yourself because it's so completely and utterly ridiculous? Because I do.

2) I have never been THAT big a fan of Bree (lordddddd the bitchiness) but I think a novella from her perspective - during the time her mother was gone in Voyager, while she was doing her own research and planning her trip to the past - would be verra, verra cool. This came about because Claire told Jamie that Bree knew about him.. and he was somewhat verklempt... and I wondered what was going through Bree's mind once she accepted the fact that Jamie was her father. She found the info about the fire.... and started planning her trip to the past... And while I realize she loved Frank as her one and only Father, don't you think there was a part of her that was proud as hell to be the daughter of THE Jamie Fraser? A man who lived in a cave for 7 years and gave himself up (for all intents and purposes) in order to get money to the people of Lallybroch? I would just love to get inside her brain at that point of her life. She must have been very taken by the mere idea of him - which would have been so romantic since he was 200 years old (give or take - I'm not being literal).

3) How friggin HYSTERICAL is it when Claire is on the bed in the brothel - totally wrapped up in blankets - hears a knock on the door - expects to see someone who is about 5 feet tall - sees no one - and then discovers that Mr. Willoughby is crawling toward her on his hands and knees? How effing HYSTERICAL would that scene be on film? Oh my god I almost tinkle whilst thinking about it. (Did I just put "tinkle" and "whilst" right next to each other in a sentence? Yes, yes I did.)

4) OK so duh -  I KNEW something was up in Voyager when everyone gave funny looks and said odd things about Claire being back (Ian in the brothel, for example). But holy crap - I am just realizing that Mr. Willoughby kept saying "FIRST wife! FIRST wife!" Ho. Ly. CRAP - HOW did I MISS that??? I mean - I noticed it - but it didn't give me any kind of revelation, like it clearly SHOULD have now that I read back. HOW did I NOT say "Oh my god - Jamie is MARRIT!!!!!" What a moron I am! Are you a moron, too? Please say "yes". I'd feel a lot better.

TREMENDOUS Review of THE EXILE in USA TODAY!

Check out this tremendous, high profile review of The Exile on USA Today!!!

PS: Dear USA Today:  "Frasier... really?"  (said with a head tilt).

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Updated Photo of Angus MacFadyen

This photo of Angus MacFadyen (middle - brown blazer) was taken on Saturday on the set of the "Sugar" film in Venice Beach, California. Look at his cute little ponytail. ROBERT the BRUCE, y'all!!!!

Monday, December 13, 2010

Outlander Chat Tonight

I am not able to attend chat tonight but Tracey will be there and I'm sure she'll have plenty to say about casting, CARTOON casting and the like. I will definitely stop in if I'm home before it ends! Have fun!!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Film Suggestions

I keep forgetting to post some film suggestions from My Outlander Purgatory friend, Carla. She knows her stuff, let me TELL ya!

Older films/series:

North and South - BBC Adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell novel
Dorian Gray (2009)
The Buccaneers (1995)
The Governess (1998)

Upcoming Releases:

Red Riding Hood - March 2011
Jane Eyre - March 2011

Monday, December 6, 2010

Outlander Chat Tonight!

Outlander Chat - 9PM Eastern - I'm thinking we MUST discuss some of the FABULOUS casting suggestions everyone has been making since my post about Angus MacFadyen - and anything else you feel like discussing! See you there!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

ANGUS MACFADYEN in Outlander?!

Y'all need to SIT THE EFF DOWN because I have to tell you something VERRA cool, Sassenachs.

OK so I told you I'm working with Village Entertainment on the blog for the SUGAR film which starts shooting TODAY - in about a half hour, to be exact.

I just got an email that ANGUS MACFADYEN - aka ROBERT THE BRUCE from BRAVEHEART -  recently signed on for a role. Angus MacFadyen - from Glasgow, to be exact. The man ROCKED in Braveheart. Can you imagine how great he'd be in Outlander?!?

I'm thinking MURTAGH, y'all. Originally I'd have said Angus is too attractive to play Murtagh. But once The Exile came out, and we got a look at Murtagh... Well... do y'all remember my reaction? "Murtagh...you're pretty smokin'!"

So here is my question:

Who do YOU see Angus MacFadyen playing in Outlander??