Wicked - not so wicked cool

I don’t think I’m difficult to please, as far as entertainment goes (musicals, films, books, etc). But I must say I was let down by the musical Wicked last night. I rushed to finish the book before the show though I did realize the show would have to be different than the book. The book is a decent length; it was going to have to be summarized. But the show was nothing like the book – it was an entirely different version of things. Personalities were not the same . . . sometimes characters were merged to create a single character, but in doing so the character was not true to the book at all and a little insulting to the rather well-developed character I came to care about in the book; other times the characters were just blatantly changed. Events were different of course and the ending was different. Now that’s just not right – that’s messing with the book AND the movie and I assume the original book(s) too. I need to read those.
I think I was also a little sad because I could relate to Elphie in the book, but not really Elphie in the musical. There is definitely a part of me that can be quite a bit like Elphie . . . dark, moody, isolated, sad, and confused. I try not to be this way, but I have a penchant for negativity and a gloomy outlook on things (think Debbie Downer). I was annoyed that the musical messed with her character, her character’s character I mean. They turned her into something she was not – that would have made her very mad and nearly wicked.
Rather than summarize the book, I think the musical’s creators looked at the idea the book was trying to relay about the existence of good and evil. Then they worked towards that, adjusting the content accordingly to get the audience thinking. I don’t mind that. I can see what they were doing. I just feel that surely there could have been a way to stay a little truer to the characters at least. Also, the book was rather dark and the musical wasn’t at all. Are there dark musicals though?
The main idea in the book or a main idea is good and evil. Does evil exist? Is it something you are born with, something you become, or something you can be pushed into even? Is it black & white or are there grey areas? How much of what we call evil is merely perception? If we changed the way we looked at it; if we got another point-of-view would we still call it evil? The musical used history as an example . . . on one side you have an invader, but to the other side they are crusaders, which is correct? The one that sticks ends up shaping our collective view. Genghis Khan invaded many parts of Asia; Europeans explored & settled North America; and the Catholic Church crusaded into the Middle East – right? What about the other side of the story? What about what Khan’s tribe thought, or the Native Americans, or the Moors and Middle Eastern peoples? Did they, would they, do they agree with the labels and the implied good/evil attached?

In summary, the only way you’d probably not like the musical is if you don’t like musicals, or you’ve already read the book (and liked it). If you like musicals and you haven’t read the book you should be good. I don’t think you even need to necessarily like the Wizard of Oz movie to like the musical.

Something 'Wicked' this way comes

Tonight I’m going to see the Broadway show, Wicked. I’m really excited. I’m not quite done with the book, but almost. I thought I had an extra week, so I started reading every morning and during lunch to ensure I’d finish on-time. This book has made me want to actually read The Wizard of Oz because all I know is the movie. If that movie is anything like its Oscar competition that year, Gone with the Wind, then it strayed a good distance from the book. The entire scene when Dorothy lands in Oz went down differently in this book, and I must find out how it was originally written.
Wicked isn’t going to win any literary awards, but I can see why it’s so popular. I did enjoy it, and I’m normally not one for fantasy books. I’m also considering reading Son of a Witch, the next/last book in this line. I’m intrigued about Liir. The only thing I didn’t like about this book is the symbolism and connectivity of items. The author does not write it in such a way that you make the connections yourself, and instead points them all out for you as “The Witch’s” thoughts and questions to herself. I don’t like to be so spoon-fed when reading. Now, I’m not claiming I would have made the connections myself, but I would have enjoyed the challenge. Maybe he could have pointed out the first 1 or 2 instances so we’d know "ah, this is how this is going go," but that’s as much as I could accept and it went well beyond that. But that was it really. I have really enjoyed it and I don’t want the book to end, for I know how it ends and I’ve come to really like Elphie (aka The Witch).
It’s a character I feel I have some items in common with from the obvious (animal rights) to the less obvious feelings/baggage she carries. I think a lot of people could relate – it’s pretty normal stuff. That’s undoubtedly part of the point – it’s pretty normal stuff, relatively speaking.
So if you’ve not read it but love The Wizard of Oz then give it a chance. Tomorrow I’ll tell you what I thought of the show!

smile

I use this for way too much negative crankiness.
So I wanted to share a smile.
My sweetie is on a plane and on his way home - yeah! He got an earlier flight so I will see him tonight rather than tomorrow night. Of course by "tonight" I mean tomorrow morning technically, and I'll be asleep, but still.
I'm happy. :)

Get over it already!

Today was a dual birthday lunch at work. Some quiet discussion there, and the lunch itself made me think about birthdays more generally. From loving them and insisting the day be special, or taking the whole month as a quiet "me" month to ignoring them or even hating them - people are so different about their feelings towards birthdays. It's really interesting. Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with them.
I'm still harboring a bit of sadness & disappointment from last year's birthday - not to mention those from childhood! So that's the source of the blog title. "Get over it already!" If you aren't saying it yet, you may be by the end of this. And yeah, I know that's what I need to do and it's what I want to do, but it's like Sundays - no matter how hopeful I am or how differently I plan for them, more often than not they suck.
My early birthdays were great, with big parties. Not the gluttonous, sweet 16 style birthdays, just a lot of family hanging out and of course cake and ice cream. With an August birthday, it was always warm and I could play outside with my friends and cousins. I have pictures of all my special cakes. My mom went all out and got me themed cakes . . . Under Dog, Big Bird, and even the Hulk I think, whatever I was into that year.
Unfortunately, as I got older, I found out how a late August birthday sucks. Each year school was just starting and all anyone cared about was getting back into the groove. Kids talked about their summer breaks and teachers worked to keep us all under control. I never got to take in treats or have the class sing to me like others did. I just went about my day knowing it was my birthday. It's not like we weren't in school for it, it's that it got lost in the shuffle. So birthdays went from something I loved to something I longed to have acknowledged. That was the story through college, and really to the present.
It's probably obvious I fall into the category of people who find birthdays important. I feel horrible when I forget someone's birthday or get the day wrong - even if it's only by a day. I try to be really creative or at least really thoughtful with cards and gifts. Even if it's only an e-card, rest assured I went through a number of sites and cards to find one I thought you'd like.
I operate on the "treat people the way you'd like to be treated" philosophy, another item still hanging around from my childhood. I know that I feel really happy, appreciated, and loved when someone does or says something thoughtful for me. So I want others to feel special and loved too. This doesn't workout so well when I encounter the people who don't love birthdays. It backfires sometimes. I just can't ignore someone's birthday though or not make some sort of bigger deal over that day than a regular day. I feel like I'd be really hurting them.
Another thing I find interesting, but also a source of melancholy introspection, is how some people who also love birthdays manage to give and recieve. I need to get in on that recieve part. Need? Want? Well, I want it and maybe I've just convinced myself I need it too. I'm pretty reserved. I don't really ask for things. So that could be how I don't recieve. I don't know. I know I sound pretty awful and greedy though right now. Sigh.
I was hoping getting this out would help me let go. Maybe it will, or maybe with time and practice I'll be able to come up with a way to approach birthdays that doesn't leave me feeling lonely. Wow, that was hard to write. And equally hard to tell the inner critic to leave sitting there in black and white - lonely.
Last year I turned 30. It sucked. It wasn't the number, and I didn't feel old. I spent a lot of my 29th year prepping for 30; I was ready! I had a list of things I wanted to do before entering a new decade (all the while knowing I was technically living my 30th year not beginning it - oh well). I didn't want to find myself at 39 still with stuff I'd wanted to do but never had.
Well, on my actual birthday, my husband worked early so we could go to dinner. But he never called to say happy birthday which made me sad. My mom didn't even call until that evening. AJ sent me an ecard and that was it from anyone. No one at work said anything. I sat off by myself; I had only been in that department for 2 months, so maybe that's why. And I didn't really understand the birthday lunch thing, which I fully undertand now, and it was this that was quietly discussed today.
At AJ's suggestion, I ended up making a last minute massage appointment for myself. It was nice. I just really wanted thoughtfulness from others though, not myself. That's all. And I know this sounds petty, but I'm giving you the short version. More happened than just this over the course of that day, and the weekend before. I had had a party followed by dinner - a good friend come into town from DC, along with my parents and sister-in-law. But I had a few local friends bail on dinner.
I should be used to low-key birthdays. I should take more cues from AJ and make them special myself - pamper myself. I should lower or delete any expectations. Or I could be more vocal about what I need or want.
"Woe is me," I know. ;) Maybe if I were less whiny and annoying, huh.
Well, I really didn't intend to be so whiny. I can't seem to get these blogs to go the direction I originally intend. I don't want to be whiny about birthdays - ever - because no matter what day I whine about them, I'm doing it on someone's birthday and I don't want to rain on their day.
Happy Birthday . . . Mark Wahlberg, Matt LeBlanc, George Michael, Carly Simon . . . and you if today is your day!

get 'er done

This may be another blog of randomness. We’ll see where it goes . . . .

• I haven’t blogged in awhile (duh, obvious, I know). This is usually because I start to contemplate leaving the blog. True, my blog and I have not bonded completely yet, but this time that’s not the reason for my absence. I haven’t been really busy so that’s not it. I haven’t been really boring without fodder either. I just didn’t feel like I had anything to write about or maybe I couldn’t decide on something.
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• My drawing class is over. It was four days. I did fine. I’m no Picasso, but I can hold my own I suppose. Of course I will need an infinite amount of practice to accomplish anything I’d actually be happy with. I’m quite the critic. Next is watercolor. It’s one class, 2 hours. I recognize this could be a complete waste of money. But I hope to learn something useful.
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• Erin recently posted a very interesting blog that on the surface was about tracking visitors to your MySpace or blog. But as it progressed it became more about hiding - hiding behind words. I commented, but I didn’t say much in it. I found the blog immediately thought provoking, but even writing that much in the comment felt too exposing. I definitely recognize the ability to hide behind words. To hide meaning, feeling, intent, and one’s true self. I wrote a short MySpace blog about people who blatantly lie on MySpace or create a cyber-persona for themselves that is just enough the part of them you know to be plausible, but at the same time, just enough wrong to be recognizable as a lie. It’s not that kind of hiding I’m talking about, and I don’t think that’s what Erin’s post was about either. I think it had to do with subtleties. The ideas or statements one writes that seem like blaring neon arrows pointing at things too personal for open discussion, at least to the writer. In reality these statements seem to slip right past everyone. [Insert sigh of relief]
  This is difficult to write as it implies I’m quite secretive or have looming issues I could be discussing but instead merely hint at. That’s really not true. It’s not really false either. I guess it depends on the day, week, or month and what I have going on. But please don’t feel like you should read through my blogs (or anyone else’s) looking for deeper meaning or delving between the lines of what’s there. I just found it interesting that yeah, people can hide behind their words. And the example I’m using is really only one of many ways I can think of this happening.
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• This weekend is the lull before the storm. The storm of home improvement projects that is. We have a big list and somewhat rigid deadlines. The goal is to keep up with our list, which allots plenty of time to each task. That way by fall everything will be done and we won’t be totally stressed and exhausted. Though maybe just stressed and exhausted enough for me to convince D to join the DFW group on their vacation to Mexico. I’ve never been to Mexico or to an all-inclusive type resort, which by the way is on the beach. Maybe I should start begging (and saving) now. :)
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• It will definitely be a busy summer. But I did the whole ‘pay yourself first’ thing and imbedded rewards into the to-do list. For instance, drawing and getting books read are on the list and so is working out. D put on his list working on his Jeep and pimpin’ her out. With all this going on how is it that I’m still having trouble being as present as I’d like? How is it I still find myself mentally drawn into dramas that I truly want to avoid? I’m annoyed with myself, which of course just means I’ve moved that much farther from peace.
  Patience. That’s what I decided last night. I need to be more patient with myself . . . . with my art, my job, my plans, my issues (we’ve all got them), and life in general. I’m a bit too hard on myself. And a Virgo or not, it’s just not okay anymore. The people I love are far from perfect – so if they don’t love me as I patiently allow myself to stress less over perfection, then I guess I didn’t mean as much to them as I should have. It’s irrational, no one is perfect, I know and I only expect it from myself. On the bright side, I’m better with this than I was even a year ago.

Blah, blah, blah – I’m done. That’s so not where I intended to go with that paragraph and I want to delete it but I will not.

Blog of Randomness

• A fellow blogger has inspired my list of random thoughts because I like reading hers and because I don’t have anything going on [in my head] to warrant a single-topic blog.
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• I’ve been traveling a lot lately. I get to stay home for at least the next two weekends which I’m really excited about. I guess if I can’t be in the Caribbean I might as well just be at home. I hope I actually get some stuff done around the house. The ‘to do’ list is annoyingly long and I’ll feel better when it’s shorter. I’d feel even better if D was the one shortening it, but I know I must do my part.
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• One thing on the list is getting rid of all the “clutter” I removed from the house. This includes furniture, crystal, old crap and so much more. Look for it soon on Craigslist or Ebay. Surely someone will find every single thing a treasure.
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• I almost got a tattoo this past weekend, and I almost wrote a blog all about it. Sadly neither will happen. I suppose it’s all for the best.
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• I had to give SIX vials of blood yesterday also. I’m sorta glad my doc only does the basic thyroid tests each time if that’s what it takes to do all the in-depth stuff.
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• I start a drawing class tonight. It’s nothing major, just a little 4-class thing the Arts Castle is offering. BUT this morning I got this horoscope: “Today you may discover a hidden talent, Shannon, one that you could likely profit from in the future. It may be that you feel inspired to pick up a paintbrush or do some creative writing. What starts out as a lark rapidly turns into something more. Even you may be surprised by what you are able to create. A bit of support from someone learned in the field is all the encouragement you need to embrace your talents and make a commitment to develop them to their fullest potential.” Yeah!
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• On the flip side, I asked T’s mini, Magic 8-ball two questions yesterday. I didn’t like its answers, but it’s a stupid toy anyway so who cares. Well, once they come true I care, damn it. I hate the Magic 8-ball – stupid toy.
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• I've been getting back into watching movies lately, but I must say most have not lived up to my expectations. I've seen Pirates 3, The Last Kiss, The Painted Veil, and Because I Said So. The last was almost comical - it was that bad. I really want to see Shrek 3 and Knocked Up. I hope those will turn things around.
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• This may be really old news, but I wake up to the radio as my alarm and last week a spoof song was playing. I forget the artist's name right now and don't feel like Googling it. He turned Sir Mix-a-lot's Baby's Got Back into a folk song. I loved it. D thought it was lame. Whatever, that's what makes it so good! Check it out on YouTube if you're so inclined. Perhaps I'll come back and make a link to it.

Cloud belt

I'm not sure if there really is a cloud belt - like the snow belt. But I know Columbus is ridiculously cloudy. I grew up about 3 hours NE of here and we had far fewer clouds. Before heading back there for the weekend, I checked the weather. The satellite images showed clouds over OH, heading east and breaking up - not covering PA like they do OH. The weekend we spent in Western PA was gorgeous. Amazing blue skies with no clouds. It rained Friday but clouds didn't linger. As we returned today, the clouds began to gather as we neared Akron. Bye-bye blue skies.

Columbus isn't so bad, but I really miss blue skies.

The weekend was really good. We shopped on Friday, had dinner out with the Lists, hung out with my parents, hung out with the Lists a bit more, and made food for today's party. Oh, and we swam a little with the triplets. I don't think I've been around so many babies before. I think at one time there were some 10 babies under 3yrs old - plus a couple older than that.

Now I'm tired and ready for bed. I know its super early, but I'm ready none-the-less. Good night.

Diets

Whether a diet is for health reasons or weight loss, the immediate result is always the same for me . . . I want what I cannot have. No doubt, I would not want it half as much if I were allowed to have it. What is it? The usual – sugar.
I saw the naturopath last night and was convinced that my health would be improved if I followed this diet for awhile. I’m calling it “this diet” because as far as I know it has no name. I could name it I guess, but I don’t want to have any fondness towards it that a name might grant. This diet allows no sugar (juice, jam, jelly, fructose, etc), no refined carbs (white pasta, bread, etc), and no peanuts or peanut butter. Okay, I can do that last one. Though today is not a good example, I can also manage to greatly reduce or possibly even eliminate refined carbs. It’s the first one, sugar. It’s evil. It has its claws in me, and it won’t let go. I don’t even really eat that much sugar, but the idea of eliminating it makes me want it – NOW.
My will power is non-existent. I’m a wuss. A wuss, craving chocolates and ice cream – on a day when I have already had white pasta AND white bread. Oy vey!