Honey Bunch Becca,

I have decided not to wait for you to write a response blog and instead post a special blog for your reading enjoyment.

As you know, I have lately been reading my last of Jane Austen's 6 major novels, "Persuasion." Oops, hold on, I have something in my teeth and must go get it out IMMEDIATELY!!! Ahhhh much better :) Anyway, the purpose of this post is to tell you that I have discovered three main and huge differences between Jane Austen's time and our time.

1) Rich people didn't have to work for their money. Yes, there are still some people who don't really have to do anything to get their millions, but there are a lot more who work long hours to get their riches. Even movie stars and singers have to put in long hours every now and then to get paid. But back then all you had to do was own property and have a title and you would magically get money! Now, there were some rich people who became wealthy through service in the miltary, but those are less common in her books. Obviously I am solely basing this on what I've read in Austen's books and I don't know if that's how it REALLY worked back then, but even so I just think it would be nice for someone to give me money without me having to do anything. This would give me more time to go on long walks and gossip about the neighbors and give me money to go into town to buy ribbons for my hair.

2) Dating did not exist back then. Guys didn't ask girls on dates, once they decided that they were romantically interested in a girl, they just hung out at their house with their family all the time as they got to know her better. Then one day they just decide to ask her to marry them. Did you catch that? NO DATING! No in between. Just "Oh hey I'm Charles" then "Will you take my hand?" You know what I would say? "No FOO! You take me out to dinner first and THEN we can talk about marriage." It's just funny. Honestly, I'm kinda glad that dating came into style because while I'm sure that was fun for them in the 1800s, I think dating is fun now. Let me clarify since I have never actually dated before, I think dating LOOKS fun. Plus I think it's better if you can do it just you two sometimes rather than always having family around. I think it's a better environment to get to know each other. And girls get free dinners.

3) Visits lasted months at a time. Now THIS is a trend I would like to see come back. Maybe it's because they had so much time on their hands because they didn't have to work for their money or they were trying to puruse a woman, but whenever someone went to visit someone else back then, they were gone for AT LEAST one month. None of this "I'll come visit for the weekend" crap. They were committed to visitations back then. Why would you want this to come back you might be asking me in your head. Let me tell you my dear friend. Because if this was the trend it would be that it would be TOTALLY acceptable for you to come stay with my in our newly renovated guest room for 4 weeks at a time. This would make my life exceedingly more joyful. Yes, I wish this were the case because a weekend of you is simply not enough to satisfy my Becca Becca Bo Becca cravings (I of course mean this in a non-cannibalistic way).

These are my observations. Take them or leave them, but at least respect them (haha). Goodbye my love.

Rachel