My Love/Hate Relationship

I have a dilemma. I love finishing books, and I hate finishing books. I love the relief of a long-awaited resolution, of knowing that the problems are all worked out and that life is back to normal. But, that's exactly what I hate, too, because life is never really "back to normal." In life each story leads to another, changing us as we experience new things. I hate saying goodbye to characters, not knowing where their story will take them next. I'm not content to have only one piece of the puzzle; I want to see the whole picture of a human life. Yet, I suppose that is one of th wonders of literature. An author invites you into someone's life for awhile, and you just get a glimpse. Then, you're free to explore and conceive the rest of the life yourself; you can create realities sparked from the imagination held within the pages of a book. What a wonderful opportunity!

In honor of reading, here are some favorites that I've read in the last year or so.

I love MUSICALS!

I am a self-declared drama nerd. I grew up singing "the hills are alive" and "if I were a rich man" while trying to imitate the screen actor's facial expressions and voices. I spent every summer I can remember in California painting marquees, stuffing programs, selling refreshments, and gluing moss onto set pieces for the local theater company. And I still make up songs when I'm by myself and dance in my kitchen when no one is watching (and sometimes when they are). Not to mention that the highlight of my week is "Showtunes Saturday Night" on the local radio station.

I have theater in my blood.

I think that part of the appeal comes from being able to escape to someone else's life for a short while--to understand a point of view outside my own. Part of the fun is that musical theater gives me so many more ways to express myself; when there are no words to adequately communicate the emotion or idea, I can dance or sing it out of myself. Mostly, though, I love theater for all of the memories I've created over the years that are tied to the stage.
So, today I'm going to take a walk down memory lane and share some of my favorite musicals. If you haven't yet seen them, keep your eyes open for performances and ENJOY!

TOP 10 FAVORITE MUSICALS!

10. Fiddler on the Roof (Maybe just because sometimes I think that I need a matchmaker...)
9. The King and I (beautiful and not your typical love story)
8. Beauty and the Beast (my current obsession, since I'm choreographing it)
7. My Fair Lady (even though Rex Harrison never sings, he brings such life to the character)
6. Anything Goes (a silly one, but I got to wear a platinum blond wig and loved being a ditz!)
5. Singin' in the Rain (Gene Kelly...enough said)
4. The Sound of Music (holds a special place in my heart as the first show I ever did)
3. Aida (the musical is WAY better than Verdi's opera)
2. Guys and Dolls (long time favorite--gotta love Adelaide's lament)
1. Les Miserables (I've seen it twice and cried both times when Eponine dies)

And... just for fun, here's a funny new "musical" I found on You Tube.

New Beginnings

So, here is my first attempt at a BLOG. I've always been slow to jump on the bandwagon for any trend, not the least of which is this new age of internet blogging. However, I like the idea of getting to stay in contact with family in a new way and explore my creative writing side. Still, don't expect me to give up my Sunday phone calls home any time soon. I hope that this blog can be a way to keep in touch more with people that I otherwise don't talk to on a daily basis.