Time Turner
No, I’m not blogging about Harry Potter (and only those of you hip to the Pottster will understand the title of this blog). But I am going to talk about time.
Not how to manage it…God knows I know zip about that.
But about time periods.
I’ve been reading a lot of historical romances lately, going back a bit to my roots. Now, by a lot…I mean like three or four in the last year. It takes me quite some time to read a book and I don’t go through that many. I told you last week about the Elizabeth Hoyt book that I read and enjoyed and previously, I’ve crowed about Betina Krahn and Jo Beverly and Virginia Henley. Yet as I was thumbing through my monstrous TBR pile today, trying to decide which book was next up in the queue, I wondered if I had to go back in time and live in a period of history before my birth, what time period would I choose?
I love the Victorian time period. Not in England, though. I mean, I know the period was named for them, but the British were a tad too stuffy for me during the reign of Queen Victoria. I wouldn’t, however, have minded living in that era here in America, especially at the turn of the century when so many things were changing and progressing.
Still, they wore corsets.
And there was no air conditioning.
And sweat shops. There’s just nothing good about sweat shops.
Then I’ve dreamt of medieval times. Knights and ladies and chivalry and jousts. Though, honestly, I’ve read about jousts and they were very bloody and gory and I’m quite certain I never would have wanted to see one. And they had plagues. Lots of plagues. And no one bathed regularly. And women were chattel. Maybe not.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Colonial period in America. It was, on one hand, genteel and progressive and exciting, but on the other hand, bloody and repressive. And women were still chattel, though they dressed it up a bit better. I miss reading historicals in the Colonial period. Anyone other than me and Leslie remember Cynthia Wright?
The fact of the matter is that I’m spoiled. I like air conditioning. I like modern medicine. I like being able to own my own property and vote and you know, be free. Jumping up in time to after things like penicillin and suffrage, you get into sticky wickets of time…the Roaring Twenties, for instance, just before the Great Depression and the Fifties…when there were no civil rights for so many Americans.
I’ve decided on the Regency.
Okay, women couldn’t vote and there was no modern medicine as we know it, but if I have to pick, I think I’ll go with the period of Empire-waisted dresses and no corsets and gay parties and simple, country life. Yes, I’m talking the Jane Austen version…because really…
Doesn’t he just say it all?
So, if you had to pick another time period to live in, which one would you choose?
(BTW, I’m probably not going to be around a lot today. I needed a Disney day. I’ll be back tomorrow after the land of the Mouse has unfrazzled my nerves and swept me away into fantasy and I’ve eaten a churro in Mexico. Or better yet, imbibed one of those pretty three-layer Mango, Lime and Strawberry Margaritas in Mexico. Of course, we’re headed to EPCOT. See you all in the real world on Thursday!)
I want to go to the Land of the Mouse.
I would live in the time period of Eve Dallas- that is to say in the future. Sorry, I am waayyy to spoiled and opionated and self-sufficent to go back to any time period. I like my luxuries.
Comment by ev — April 9, 2008 @ 7:45 am
I wish I was at the land of the Mouse today too! It has been way too long since I’ve been to Disney.
I’m with Ev about living in the future, in the time of Eve Dallas & Roarke. I like all of the modern luxuries and love the idea of an Auto-chef and voice activated everything. I just don’t think I could go back to a time when there was no indoor plumbing and a/c.
Comment by Liza — April 9, 2008 @ 8:22 am
Hey, hey, hey…no cheating. The future is not an option in this little poll!
(We’re packing up the car and I had to stop in and say good morning!)
Honestly, I almost thought of that, too…but who knows what the future will be like? What if we’ve used up all our natural resources and we have no power and the future is like…I don’t know…Planet of the Apes?
Comment by Julie Leto — April 9, 2008 @ 8:31 am
LOL Julie! You’re the first one besides me who has made mention of my issues with historicals (sex between people I know haven’t bathed in …ever? ewwww). Yeah, I’m strictly a contemporary gal.
But to LIVE in a historical time period? Does this count? I’d always–always–wanted to live around WWII. That seemed to be such a patriotic time period. I love the big band music, Sinatra, The Andrews Sisters, Bogey and Bacal. And plenty of modern conveniences.
(And I won’t be able to see answers until this evening either. Julie, your excerpts have somehow managed to get PlotMonkeys blocked on my PC at work. Possibly some naughty words? So my blogging here has become severely restricted!)
Lori
Comment by Lori Borrill — April 9, 2008 @ 9:26 am
I love the Regency period too. Of course, the one from Jane Austen’s books. I do believe they wore corsets during that time period too though. Not to ruin your fantasy. And I could be wrong.
Amanda
Comment by Amanda — April 9, 2008 @ 9:57 am
Yes, Amanda, let me have my fantasy regarding corsets. At least they weren’t cinching their waists to ridiculous proportions…you couldn’t see their waists with the Empire gowns!
Lori, I have no idea…that love scene probably included a few choice words. I’m sorry! I didn’t think about getting blocked! I’ll talk to Walt (Walt?) and see if there’s anything we can do.
Love WW2, too. I’d love to see more historical romances set during the early part of the last century.
Comment by Julie Leto — April 9, 2008 @ 10:10 am
Hello Plotmonkeys and Jungle Crawlers,
I missed you guys yesterday. I had computer problems and I’m still not sure if it’s fixed yet or if this e-mail will even go through. But I’m going to give it a shot.
I must agree with Julie, if I had to choose a time period I would probably go with the Regency. IF I HAD TO that is. Love the picture of Mr. Darcy. Oooh la la. Don’t you just love Pride and Prejudice!
Otherwise, I am a creature of modern times. I like having modern medicine particularly antibiotics, heat, air conditioning, driving a car, using my computer, telephones, not to mention indoor plumbing and hot water.
If truth be told I don’t camp either. My idea of camping is slow room service. I just don’t understand why people think camping is fun. But hey, that’s just me.
Have a great day all. Now for the acid test…
Cher
Comment by Cher — April 9, 2008 @ 10:10 am
My idea of camping is slow room service.
You’re a girl after my own heart! This explains why my daughter has not gone on one Girl Scout camping trip.
Comment by Julie Leto — April 9, 2008 @ 10:16 am
Julie,
I’m with you on the Regency (Jane Austen version). I just finished reading the Nicole Jordan trilogy “the courtship wars” loved it!!!!!!!
BTW: thank you for updating the plot monkey server a couple of weeks ago. The evil IT guys had blocked the plot monkeys site. But since the update i know have access again at work!!! Shhhhh it’s a secret…..
Comment by Tricia — April 9, 2008 @ 10:19 am
Julie: I am with you on the room service thing…As far as a time period….I am with the others on the future. Washing my clothes by hand (no way), tight corsets, no electricity (do you know how much of our lives revolve around electricity?). If I had to pick a time, though, I would pick the Jane Austen time and I would probably be one of those like Jane (okay, I have been enjoying the Jane Austen’s on Masterpiece the past few months), but I really don’t want to go there.
Comment by katie — April 9, 2008 @ 10:22 am
Hey everyone! For some reason some of your posts are being spammed and normally we can release them right away (we get a notice when this happens), but the four of us are going to be away from the computer for a few hours. If your post doesn’t show up, don’t panic — it’s waiting for us to approve it, and we’ll do that as soon as one of us jumps back on the computer!
Comment by Janelle — April 9, 2008 @ 11:28 am
If I have to choose a time in the past, I guess I’ll choose Regency(Jane Austin version) too. Can Colin Firth be my Mr. Darcy? Living around WWII would be good too. I love the clothes and music from that time too.
Comment by Liza — April 9, 2008 @ 11:31 am
Have fun at Epcot!
Not sure when I would live, if I had to pick. I’m reminded of those commercials (can’t remember the company they were for, though) where the slug line was, “Isn’t it a great time to be alive?”
Why, yes. Yes, it is.
I like air conditioning. Cars. Internet. Cell phones (how did we ever live without these), PDAs, text messaging. DVD players. Electricity. That’s pretty cool. A lot of modern medicine is nice, too.
Comment by Amy Addison — April 9, 2008 @ 11:34 am
I’m with Cher about not doing any camping. All of my siblings have tried it out and seemed to enjoy it, but the idea of no running water just doesn’t appeal to me.
That said, though, there are a few time periods I wouldn’t have minded living in, depending on the social class I belonged to, of course.
Regency definitely tops my list, and I know it all has to do with my deep affection for all of Jane Austen’s works.
My second choice would be in ancient Rome and the height of the Roman Empire. They had an amazing amount of technology for the time and gave us some of the most amazing architecture.
My third choice would have been the first half of the twentieth century, though that time was was as sad as it was happy.
Comment by Karin — April 9, 2008 @ 12:38 pm
Since you removed the future, it is harder to make a decision. The whole hygiene thing kinda bugs me. The women as chattel is also a bit of a sticking point. The Romans liked hygiene and they had a few women rulers. Egyptians liked to be clean and they used honey as a natural antibiotic. Wow, I’m picky!
Comment by ThatBrunette — April 9, 2008 @ 1:02 pm
Have fun at the Mouse House. I am kinda jealous we went from going every year, now we haven’t been in three years.
I would so have to choose the Civil War Era in America, despite the suffrage and the slavery….it just seems so romantic to me, the dresses, the ideals, the war torn love affairs, the spys, etc….I could go on and on.
Just call me Scarlett the rest of the day, ’cause now I won’t be able concentrate on these *erm darn teacher evaluations.
Comment by Debbie — April 9, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
There is no time period I would pick! I’ve been saying for years that God knew I was being born at the right time. WWII is ingrained in my memory bank, I grew up listening to my Mom & Dad, uncles, friends talk about WWII. There is a scene on my grandparents front porch that is always going to live with me of one of my uncles & a friend of his seeing each other for the first time when they came home. It always brings tears to my eyes. I was lucky enough to grow up with some wonderful people in my life so the 40’s & 50’s is about as far back as I want to go. There were no drive by shootings, no road rage, people had manners, ice & milk were delivered and gas was cheap! The music was great and most people weren’t hung up on celebrities as role models. Ah, call me old fashioned!
Cher, I’m with you! No camping these days for this woman. I’ve done lots throughout my life & it is a lot of work. I love the great outdoors, but when the day is done I want a real bed, hot & cold running water and a real stove to cook on or a good restaurant.
Great topic Julie. I hope you have fun in Mouse World today. That Margarita sounds yummy, have one for me.
Comment by Donna M — April 9, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
Debbie…focus, focus…I have IEP meeting day for my oldest…I am not too worried…but I am always concerned…
Comment by katie — April 9, 2008 @ 3:01 pm
What ever time period Colin Firth is in at the time is where I want to be. I think I’m in lust.
Comment by Carol R — April 9, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
If I have to live without modern conveniences, like running water, then I want to be wealthy enough to have servants (that I would treat well) to do all the “dirty” jobs and to carry in the water for my baths.
Romance can be found in every era. It is just easier to fantasize about while being clean! Actually as per Julie’s intro…Harry Potter has it OK, romantic candlelite, but running water! hmmm, Maybe that’s why the Weasly’s have 7 kids…
Comment by Jeannine — April 9, 2008 @ 4:35 pm
You know, I can find real drawbacks to just about any era I consider. Then again, I look at today and think, wow, will people of the future not want to have lived in this time.
I honestly think I’d go for middle ages Scotland. Yes, the plumbing was nonexistent, but it’s a beautiful country, and women had some rights to land and clan then. At least, they do in romance novels.
Comment by Leslie — April 9, 2008 @ 4:42 pm
You know what I’ve noticed? We haven’t seen Jeannie (and Zoey) around here for a while! Anybody know where she is?
Jeannie, you out there? Hope all is okay!
Comment by Leslie — April 9, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
If I had to choose a time other than modern days, I’d also say Regency, followed closely by the 40s.
Like so many of your bloggers, I would rather have the modern conveniences! If we could combine
the 40s with modern conveniences, that would be the best time!
Pat Cochran
Comment by Patricia Cochran — April 9, 2008 @ 5:11 pm
Oh, definitely what Jeannine said–if I’m relocating to another past time, I definitely want to be filthy rich, which would hopefully up my chances of not being filthy, period. Regency or some other time with gorgeous clothing and no foot-binding, please!
Comment by Fedora — April 9, 2008 @ 6:16 pm
Katie,
Good Luck with the IEP. I did get back on track–but man o man has it ever been a long yet hurried day. Thanks for the re-direction of my attention.
Comment by Debbie — April 9, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
Happy Wednesday Everyone!
Other than that I think the future should totally be an option, but then again I would only choose that if I can have Roarke 
Nora Roberts knew exactly what she was doing when she created that character.
Great topic Julie! Okay..im a child of the present. im not really big on any of the eras mainly because im so spoiled by the things technology and modernism gives us. If I had to choose I too would choose Scotland during the middle ages but only if it was like Julie Garwood made it out to be in Ransom
I hope you had a wonderful time at Epcot Julie!
Comment by Tyne — April 9, 2008 @ 9:56 pm
I would have liked to been 18-25 in the roaring 20’s. I could see me as a flapper girl…I love the music from that time period. I loved my Grandmother, who was a teen during that time, and some of the stories she would tell.
Or…I was born in 71, but I am definately a DISCO chick…
I love all the disco music and lord help, the decadence of that era!!
I am so not a victorian era fan or old west fan, even though I do LOVE me some cowboys!! Just give me modern day senarios….
Comment by Renee B — April 9, 2008 @ 11:10 pm
Its late but you guys might read this I don’t think anyone chose this time period. I would like to be in the western setting just something about those holster belts low on a mans hips,
the boots and spurs. Really I just think It would be an adventure. 
Comment by nancy — April 10, 2008 @ 5:57 am