Books, Taylor Swift, and other hyperfixations
For round 1, I picked: Daine Sarrasri from the Tortall Universe and Alexander Hamilton from Hamilton Background Daine Sarrasri, the lame follow-up protagonist to Alanna of Trebond, almost made me swear off fantasy. Daine represents everything I hate in female characters: she has the power to talk to animals, but is too incompetent to be of much use.… Continue reading R.I.P. It or Ship It: Round 1
When my mom told me she'd scored "primo" tickets to a musical version of Persuasion, I should have been suspicious. Instead, I turned off my bad theater radar. I had theater, Austen, and one of my favorite people on my side. Nothing could go wrong.
Every line in this song kills me--it's about leaving great things behind, but looking forward to even better.
Many of my friends don't like "Into the Woods" because after Act 1, it stops being fun. The musical transitions from a lighthearted send-up of fairy tale tropes into a dark examination of heavy themes, such as death, betrayal, and infidelity. Oh, and throw in an absentee father because Stephen Sondheim had issues with his… Continue reading MAKE-YOU-CRY MONDAY: No More
Oy. Here we go. Rolling up my sleeves for some strong personal feelings. These are tears of rage. I'm not Jewish, for the record. I can't claim that as part of my ancestry. Today's scene is from Fiddler on the Roof, and the basic premise is this: Tevye's daughter Chava marries a man who isn't… Continue reading MAKE-YOU-CRY MONDAY: Chava rejected
Sondheim, Sondheim, Sondheim. Astonishingly bitter and wickedly funny. Better flow and rhymes than most mainstream rappers. I became a Sondheim fan after stumbling across "Company" on Netflix a couple years ago. The only downside to liking Sondheim is he's not what you would call an optimist. I've never seen "Assassins", but I've listened to its soundtrack many times.… Continue reading MAKE-YOU-CRY MONDAY: The Ballad of Booth
So far, I've never attended a funeral. Christian funerals have a different focus than others. Even the word "funeral" is avoided; many Christians prefer "celebration of life." Because we believe the deceased person is better off in heaven and we will see them again, there's an emphasis on joy rather than sadness. I don't disagree… Continue reading MAKE-YOU-CRY MONDAY: “I’ll Cover You (Reprise)” from Rent
Narrative Paradise 