I'm here.
I'm okay.
My job is boring.
I haven't checked my e-mail, yet.
This is all you get until I get an internet connection. That probably won't happen until October.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Friday, September 09, 2005
Gone
Tomorrow, I head out of here.
Tomorrow, there's a long drive for me and my parents
Tomorrow, I move my crap into my apartment.
Tonight will be the last time I have a regular connection to the internet for, probably, a month. I'll try to post when I can, but the computers at work are more ancient than the one my parent's have and I don't think they want us distracted.
For those who want and address and phone number, e-mail me and I'll get it to you as soon as I can.
See you in a while.
Tomorrow, there's a long drive for me and my parents
Tomorrow, I move my crap into my apartment.
Tonight will be the last time I have a regular connection to the internet for, probably, a month. I'll try to post when I can, but the computers at work are more ancient than the one my parent's have and I don't think they want us distracted.
For those who want and address and phone number, e-mail me and I'll get it to you as soon as I can.
See you in a while.
Monday, September 05, 2005
Friday, September 02, 2005
AAAAAAAARGH!
I got off the phone with The Manager at 'Bucks a little while ago. She was trying to convince me to work today (fat chance) and to stay.
"I know you were looking for something new," she said, "but if I could arrange it for you to be promoted in a month or two, would you stay?"
I paused for a while before saying, "I already took the job and found a place to live. Plus it's a huge increase in pay. I can't turn it down now."
"Well," she said, "if you ever want to come back, come and see me first. I'll rehire you as a shift supervisor."
"Thanks."
"I just wanted you to know what I thought of you and how much I want you to stay."
"Thanks," I said wanting to vomit.
"Okay," she said, "I'll see you Monday."
"Yeah," I said and hung up the phone.
I immediately took a shower.
"I know you were looking for something new," she said, "but if I could arrange it for you to be promoted in a month or two, would you stay?"
I paused for a while before saying, "I already took the job and found a place to live. Plus it's a huge increase in pay. I can't turn it down now."
"Well," she said, "if you ever want to come back, come and see me first. I'll rehire you as a shift supervisor."
"Thanks."
"I just wanted you to know what I thought of you and how much I want you to stay."
"Thanks," I said wanting to vomit.
"Okay," she said, "I'll see you Monday."
"Yeah," I said and hung up the phone.
I immediately took a shower.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Gas Prices Have Hit $3.159 In Cowtown
Monday was up too early and sitting on my ass too long. I actually showed up at the airport two hours early, 4:30 in the morning, just in case. I spent over an hour waiting to board the plane. That sucked.
There was a layover in Houston. I had quite a march from one terminal to the other. On the way I counted four(!) ‘Bucks and saw a goofy statue of Bush the first, made of bronze, with a flutter tie and a jacket sticking straight out behind him. Crazy.
I sat near a guy who was scared of flying on the way into Pittsburgh. I know how lucky I was to have his wife sitting between us. When we got further east and flew over a huge cloudbank, he started to freak out a little. “Can you see the land?” he asked me. (I sat by the window on all my flights.) The clouds stretched out as far as I could see and when I answered, he paled. When we stared to make our landing run, his eyes were glued on the window and he was squeezing his wife’s hand.
I got off the plane on time and didn’t see Heels. So I went to where I thought she might been. She wasn’t there. Ten or fifteen minutes later, I went back into the building and walked to the escalator I came down and heard my name called. And there she was, looking pregnant, but not quite finished, we’ll know when the baby’s done when her belly button pops like a turkey timer. That’s my theory, at least.
We headed back to her and Johnny Logic’s place for pizza (I requested no mushrooms and was informed that in Pittsburgh all pizza places put canned(!) mushrooms on their pizzas.) and much talking.
Let me say, I had three goals for my weekend with them: 1. Spend time with Johnny Logic and Heels. 2. Give them my baby gift. 3. Visit the Warhol Museum.
Saturday, I woke up early, which surprised me. (Maybe everyone else?) Heels was already awake, we sat at the table and talked, then read, then talked some more. (It seems to me that most of the talking was about the past. Which makes sense, since I’ve know both of them for a long time and I spend a lot of time thinking about my past, over analyzing it and imagining how things could have been better and such.) After Mr. Logic got up a discussion of the day’s events was had. It was decided that we should go to the French bakery for breakfast and a movie after and then the Warhol.
We saw Broken Flowers, with Bill Murray. It’s the story of an aging Don Juan who has never faked his own death to see all the women who had loved him. I like it a lot. Bill Murray is spectacular, but the guy who played his friend stole the show. The movie was very bitter sweet, which is my favorite way to take sweet movies.
As we walked out, Heels and I dropped Johnny Logic off at the bathroom, we heard a lady say, “That movie was awful. Bill Murray from Scrooged, that’s the Bill Murray I like. Why doesn’t he make more movies like that?” Heels looked at me and I looked at her, we both smiled and started to laugh. One of us, I’m not sure who, pointed out how strange it is to go see the same movie with so many other people and to have seen a completely different movie. When Mr. Logic came out, we heard her sharing her love of the movie with the guy who takes the tickets. “That movie,” she said, “was the worst movie I have ever seen. That was the worst movie ever made.” I’m sure the ticket guy was going to tell everyone he saw what she thought.
By that time, we were all hungry, so we went to a bird named restaurant and ate. By then, it was too late to see the Warhol. So, we did a drive through tour of Mr. Logic’s school, it was raining, and the downtown. Then we went back to their place. Heels was very, very tired, and took a nap. Johnny and I watched one of their movies, The Borne Identity. I enjoyed it quite a bit; it was a surprisingly smart action film. So, we popped in the sequel.
After the movie, we stayed up even later than the night before talking.
Sunday, The Andy Warhol Museum! (And, later, a baby shower.)
The museum started on the top floor with a John Waters (the director) exhibit. It was mostly photographs he’d taken at his films and strange comparisons of actors and actress to Divine. The best part was the John Waters Curates Andy Warhol’s Porn. Watching old people with very serious expressions watch three girls going down on a guy made me giggle. It was like they were looking for hidden meaning in a blowjob, as opposed to the visceral reaction porn is for.
The rest of the museum was pretty much devoted to Warhol’s stuff. Lots of prints, since that was his thing, but there were other things too. Some painting and sketches. I love looking at quick sketches. They all look so free. Unrushed. Like the artist had no other thought about the work but to get it out. My favorite piece, however, was a self portrait print which is a profile in red, but only a little bit of color for an outline, the rest is white. I’m not sure why I like it so much, but I do.
We moved through the museum a little faster than I would have liked, but we had a baby shower to get for and we had to be on time, since it was for Heels and (to a lesser extent) Johnny Logic.
One word can describe how it was for me: boring. But I was there for my friends, so I did my best to hide my thoughts. The decorations were awful; although it was funny when the hostess asked if the baby was a boy like all her decorations said. (It is a boy, for those who don’t know.) The food was pretty good, though. I was warned early on that the people at the party would be more on the conservative side, so I decided that it wouldn’t be a good idea to wear my “Republicans for Voldemort” shirt. I also had to hold my tongue a lot. One time, I started to say something, three words had escaped my lips before I stopped myself and said, “I’m sorry.” One lady looked at me like she would have liked to hear what I was going to say, but there was no way Heels would have forgiven me if I had said it; many bruises would I have had to live with on the flight back if I had.
Watching Heels open presents was fun. Lots of clothes, a diaper sausage maker, a rocking chair, bibs, and a couple of books. The books were from me; my two favorite Dr. Seuss works, McElligots Pool and Fox in Socks. It was funny that whenever something was unwrapped that had a bear on it the person giving the gift would say, “I know you said you don’t like Teddy Bears, but it was just so cute.” And Heels would say, “Oh, that’s okay, he has a bear sitting in his crib waiting for him. I gave it to my grandmother when I was a kid and now she’s given it back for the baby.” She wasn’t thrilled with the bears, though.
After the party it was back to the house for more jibber jabber, mostly about family, if I remember correctly, and then bed for another early flight. (The only reason it was so early was because originally my parent’s were going to drop me off and pick me up and I didn’t think they’d like to pick me up at 11PM and then have to go to work the next day. It didn’t work out, though.)
The flight back was fine. Katrina didn’t make landfall until a few hours into it and didn’t effect the weather in Houston. The drive back was long and hot and on the hills, my car started to make troubling chugging sounds. I haven’t driven it since.
Strange, isn’t it, how people can spend a weekend together and experience it so differently?
There was a layover in Houston. I had quite a march from one terminal to the other. On the way I counted four(!) ‘Bucks and saw a goofy statue of Bush the first, made of bronze, with a flutter tie and a jacket sticking straight out behind him. Crazy.
I sat near a guy who was scared of flying on the way into Pittsburgh. I know how lucky I was to have his wife sitting between us. When we got further east and flew over a huge cloudbank, he started to freak out a little. “Can you see the land?” he asked me. (I sat by the window on all my flights.) The clouds stretched out as far as I could see and when I answered, he paled. When we stared to make our landing run, his eyes were glued on the window and he was squeezing his wife’s hand.
I got off the plane on time and didn’t see Heels. So I went to where I thought she might been. She wasn’t there. Ten or fifteen minutes later, I went back into the building and walked to the escalator I came down and heard my name called. And there she was, looking pregnant, but not quite finished, we’ll know when the baby’s done when her belly button pops like a turkey timer. That’s my theory, at least.
We headed back to her and Johnny Logic’s place for pizza (I requested no mushrooms and was informed that in Pittsburgh all pizza places put canned(!) mushrooms on their pizzas.) and much talking.
Let me say, I had three goals for my weekend with them: 1. Spend time with Johnny Logic and Heels. 2. Give them my baby gift. 3. Visit the Warhol Museum.
Saturday, I woke up early, which surprised me. (Maybe everyone else?) Heels was already awake, we sat at the table and talked, then read, then talked some more. (It seems to me that most of the talking was about the past. Which makes sense, since I’ve know both of them for a long time and I spend a lot of time thinking about my past, over analyzing it and imagining how things could have been better and such.) After Mr. Logic got up a discussion of the day’s events was had. It was decided that we should go to the French bakery for breakfast and a movie after and then the Warhol.
We saw Broken Flowers, with Bill Murray. It’s the story of an aging Don Juan who has never faked his own death to see all the women who had loved him. I like it a lot. Bill Murray is spectacular, but the guy who played his friend stole the show. The movie was very bitter sweet, which is my favorite way to take sweet movies.
As we walked out, Heels and I dropped Johnny Logic off at the bathroom, we heard a lady say, “That movie was awful. Bill Murray from Scrooged, that’s the Bill Murray I like. Why doesn’t he make more movies like that?” Heels looked at me and I looked at her, we both smiled and started to laugh. One of us, I’m not sure who, pointed out how strange it is to go see the same movie with so many other people and to have seen a completely different movie. When Mr. Logic came out, we heard her sharing her love of the movie with the guy who takes the tickets. “That movie,” she said, “was the worst movie I have ever seen. That was the worst movie ever made.” I’m sure the ticket guy was going to tell everyone he saw what she thought.
By that time, we were all hungry, so we went to a bird named restaurant and ate. By then, it was too late to see the Warhol. So, we did a drive through tour of Mr. Logic’s school, it was raining, and the downtown. Then we went back to their place. Heels was very, very tired, and took a nap. Johnny and I watched one of their movies, The Borne Identity. I enjoyed it quite a bit; it was a surprisingly smart action film. So, we popped in the sequel.
After the movie, we stayed up even later than the night before talking.
Sunday, The Andy Warhol Museum! (And, later, a baby shower.)
The museum started on the top floor with a John Waters (the director) exhibit. It was mostly photographs he’d taken at his films and strange comparisons of actors and actress to Divine. The best part was the John Waters Curates Andy Warhol’s Porn. Watching old people with very serious expressions watch three girls going down on a guy made me giggle. It was like they were looking for hidden meaning in a blowjob, as opposed to the visceral reaction porn is for.
The rest of the museum was pretty much devoted to Warhol’s stuff. Lots of prints, since that was his thing, but there were other things too. Some painting and sketches. I love looking at quick sketches. They all look so free. Unrushed. Like the artist had no other thought about the work but to get it out. My favorite piece, however, was a self portrait print which is a profile in red, but only a little bit of color for an outline, the rest is white. I’m not sure why I like it so much, but I do.
We moved through the museum a little faster than I would have liked, but we had a baby shower to get for and we had to be on time, since it was for Heels and (to a lesser extent) Johnny Logic.
One word can describe how it was for me: boring. But I was there for my friends, so I did my best to hide my thoughts. The decorations were awful; although it was funny when the hostess asked if the baby was a boy like all her decorations said. (It is a boy, for those who don’t know.) The food was pretty good, though. I was warned early on that the people at the party would be more on the conservative side, so I decided that it wouldn’t be a good idea to wear my “Republicans for Voldemort” shirt. I also had to hold my tongue a lot. One time, I started to say something, three words had escaped my lips before I stopped myself and said, “I’m sorry.” One lady looked at me like she would have liked to hear what I was going to say, but there was no way Heels would have forgiven me if I had said it; many bruises would I have had to live with on the flight back if I had.
Watching Heels open presents was fun. Lots of clothes, a diaper sausage maker, a rocking chair, bibs, and a couple of books. The books were from me; my two favorite Dr. Seuss works, McElligots Pool and Fox in Socks. It was funny that whenever something was unwrapped that had a bear on it the person giving the gift would say, “I know you said you don’t like Teddy Bears, but it was just so cute.” And Heels would say, “Oh, that’s okay, he has a bear sitting in his crib waiting for him. I gave it to my grandmother when I was a kid and now she’s given it back for the baby.” She wasn’t thrilled with the bears, though.
After the party it was back to the house for more jibber jabber, mostly about family, if I remember correctly, and then bed for another early flight. (The only reason it was so early was because originally my parent’s were going to drop me off and pick me up and I didn’t think they’d like to pick me up at 11PM and then have to go to work the next day. It didn’t work out, though.)
The flight back was fine. Katrina didn’t make landfall until a few hours into it and didn’t effect the weather in Houston. The drive back was long and hot and on the hills, my car started to make troubling chugging sounds. I haven’t driven it since.
Strange, isn’t it, how people can spend a weekend together and experience it so differently?
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
So Long August
A place to live has been found.
Now, off with me to sleep.
Tomorrow, words on another city.
Now, off with me to sleep.
Tomorrow, words on another city.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Forgot
Sorry, I don't really have time for tales of my trip today.
I'm heading off to Redtown with my mom to look for a place to live this afternoon through the time we leave tomorrow (probably about 24 hours after we leave here).
So, my take on the trip will be around later this week, but for now you can read Heels's version here.
I'm heading off to Redtown with my mom to look for a place to live this afternoon through the time we leave tomorrow (probably about 24 hours after we leave here).
So, my take on the trip will be around later this week, but for now you can read Heels's version here.
Monday, August 29, 2005
There and Back Again
Been back a bit, but want to let my brain firm up before I write about it. So, you have to wait for details. Know, however, that I had fun.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Good News, Everyone.
Some people think that I should have put this up yesterday, but yesterday, I just woke up, ate breakfast, and went to work. So, here's the news now:
I got hired at that job in Redtown. I start on the 12th. That means major apartment shopping next week, during some time off from work that I scheduled two months ago (I think).
More importantly, the last day I can be scheduled at 'Bucks is September 5th and I'm taking vacation from tomorrow (Thursday, for those who don't know.) until next Friday!
People at work seem more excited about my new job than me. I think that there are two reasons for this. The first is that I have to find a place to live, once that happens I'm sure I'll be more excited about the job. The second is that I'm extra super excited about visiting Heels and Johnny Logic (who hasn't updated in a while, maybe I'll finally understand what the hell he's studying) this weekend! That's right, I fly out early Friday and pester them for three nights sleep! That's what I'm excited about right now.
I got hired at that job in Redtown. I start on the 12th. That means major apartment shopping next week, during some time off from work that I scheduled two months ago (I think).
More importantly, the last day I can be scheduled at 'Bucks is September 5th and I'm taking vacation from tomorrow (Thursday, for those who don't know.) until next Friday!
People at work seem more excited about my new job than me. I think that there are two reasons for this. The first is that I have to find a place to live, once that happens I'm sure I'll be more excited about the job. The second is that I'm extra super excited about visiting Heels and Johnny Logic (who hasn't updated in a while, maybe I'll finally understand what the hell he's studying) this weekend! That's right, I fly out early Friday and pester them for three nights sleep! That's what I'm excited about right now.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Sittin'
I sat on the steps near the front porch for about twenty minutes tonight, petting the cats and thinking.
Somewhere along the way, I think I dropped the ball and haven't been able to find it to pick up.
Somewhere along the way, I think I dropped the ball and haven't been able to find it to pick up.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Wanna Go!
The more I think about it, the more I want to go and see Wicked again. Too bad I could only find tickets for $200 or more. Sometimes, rarely though, I wish I lived in New York.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
For Me?
Yesterday, just as I started my break, The Manager called to speak with Assistant Manager #1. There were only three people on the floor, so there was no way I was going to pull her off the floor and lose my first break (only ten minute break, actually, even though I was there for eight hours).
So, The Manager decided to chat with me. All I wanted to do was read my book, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.
"I'm at a job fair," she said.
"I thought we were having a job fair here tomorrow?" I asked.
"We are, but I want to find tons of people. I'm going to hire tons of great people for you."
Basing "great" on the other hires she's made this summer, the word has fallen in meaning.
"Uh-huh," I said, trying to read while on the phone with her.
"Really," she said, "I'm hiring them for you."
"Yeah."
"No, I really am because I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay and be happy."
And here's the point where I could have, and probably should have, gotten into it with her, again. She knows that the main reason I'm unhappy is because there's no place for me to go in the store. I can't be promoted in this store unless we lose two shift supervisors, The Manager told me. There is no way that two of them are leaving. The one that they want to get rid of is getting paid more than $11 and hour; the next highest person, one who started with this store as a shift supervisor with 'Bucks's base pay, would be about $9.16 an hour; a bit difference. He's not leaving and he's not going to demote himself and lose some pay. None of the others are going to step down, and they shouldn't have to, they're pretty good. So, if I was to be promoted, I'd have to go to the next closest store, which is over 30 miles away from our store, way too far away to make an extra dollar an hour worth the drive; I'd spend more than that in gas money each trip.
Plus, there's that whole thing about our store getting a third assistant manager (which will be an outside hire, of course, since they haven't spoken to the shift supervisor we have who should be promoted), when we're not making enough money to pay for one, which would mean that for me to be promoted we'd need to lose three shift supervisors. Don't I feel better.
So, I said, "Uh-huh."
"Well," she said, "I'm doing it for all of us, I suppose. But I do want you to stay, really."
"Yeah," I said. "I'm on a ten. I'll tell [Assistant Manager #1] you called. She'll call you back in a bit."
"Sure, 'bye."
"'Bye," I said and hung up the phone.
I've been mulling this conversation over in my head all day. I could have been nicer, more interested, but I also could have been much more short with her. I'm sick of all the bullshit going on. I know The Manager wants me to know that she appreciates having me there and thinks I do a good job, but what good do words and empty promises do me?
So, The Manager decided to chat with me. All I wanted to do was read my book, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.
"I'm at a job fair," she said.
"I thought we were having a job fair here tomorrow?" I asked.
"We are, but I want to find tons of people. I'm going to hire tons of great people for you."
Basing "great" on the other hires she's made this summer, the word has fallen in meaning.
"Uh-huh," I said, trying to read while on the phone with her.
"Really," she said, "I'm hiring them for you."
"Yeah."
"No, I really am because I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay and be happy."
And here's the point where I could have, and probably should have, gotten into it with her, again. She knows that the main reason I'm unhappy is because there's no place for me to go in the store. I can't be promoted in this store unless we lose two shift supervisors, The Manager told me. There is no way that two of them are leaving. The one that they want to get rid of is getting paid more than $11 and hour; the next highest person, one who started with this store as a shift supervisor with 'Bucks's base pay, would be about $9.16 an hour; a bit difference. He's not leaving and he's not going to demote himself and lose some pay. None of the others are going to step down, and they shouldn't have to, they're pretty good. So, if I was to be promoted, I'd have to go to the next closest store, which is over 30 miles away from our store, way too far away to make an extra dollar an hour worth the drive; I'd spend more than that in gas money each trip.
Plus, there's that whole thing about our store getting a third assistant manager (which will be an outside hire, of course, since they haven't spoken to the shift supervisor we have who should be promoted), when we're not making enough money to pay for one, which would mean that for me to be promoted we'd need to lose three shift supervisors. Don't I feel better.
So, I said, "Uh-huh."
"Well," she said, "I'm doing it for all of us, I suppose. But I do want you to stay, really."
"Yeah," I said. "I'm on a ten. I'll tell [Assistant Manager #1] you called. She'll call you back in a bit."
"Sure, 'bye."
"'Bye," I said and hung up the phone.
I've been mulling this conversation over in my head all day. I could have been nicer, more interested, but I also could have been much more short with her. I'm sick of all the bullshit going on. I know The Manager wants me to know that she appreciates having me there and thinks I do a good job, but what good do words and empty promises do me?
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Another Quiz
| the Cutting Edge |
CLEAN | SPONTANEOUS | DARK Your humor's mostly innocent and off-the-cuff, but somehow there's something slightly menacing about you. Part of your humor is making people a little uncomfortable, even if the things you say aren't themselves confrontational. You probably have a very dry delivery, or are seriously over-the-top. Your type is the most likely to appreciate a good insult and/or broken bone and/or very very fat person dancing. PEOPLE LIKE YOU: David Letterman - John Belushi |
 |
My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The 3 Variable Funny Test written by jason_bateman on Ok Cupid |
Monday, August 15, 2005
Friday, August 12, 2005
TV
So, I've noticed that a lot of Fridays this summer Fox has been showing two hours of Arrested Development. It's schedule jerked around so much this season that I only saw the first three or four of the season while I still lived in Cowcity. Then I moved back here, where there is no TV hooked up. Sometimes, I like not having TV (apparently, my dad uses the no TV thing as a point of pride with his friends), I read more, write (but don't finish anything) more, I don't zone out as much. But there are shows that I like to watch. I missed half of the Gilmore Girls this season, probably five episodes of Veronica Mars, nearly all of Lost, and at least half of Star Trek: Enterprise in it's best season. So, that's five shows that I like to watch, one of which is gone next season. That's not too bad, is it? I miss the characters and the stories. I miss being able... I guess I just miss TV. I think I wrote that before, but right now, knowing about Arrested Development on tonight really makes me miss the shows that I like.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
What To Say About Wicked?
Wicked is, on one level, an attempt to answer the debate over nature vs. nurture. Elsewhere, it's about growing up, or the lengths people go to gain power, or how some idealists are forced to do bad things to get their message across, or how fear unites people, or how much people just want to be liked by others. But, mostly, Wicked is about a friendship between two very different girls.
Elphaba, who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, was born green and was always very smart and, therefore, immediately is disliked by everyone. Galinda, later Glinda the Good, was blonde and beautiful and, therefore, immediately liked by everyone. They met at Shiz, an Ozian University, and were forced to be roommates. One day, Galinda accidently did something nice for Nessarose, Elphaba's sister, which led Elphaba to do a kind thing for Galinda who then realized that just because she has a creepy skin color doesn't mean that Elphaba was a bad person and Galinda helped to get Elphaba accepted by the other students. And they started to become friends, sometimes despite their differences and sometimes because of them.
From there, the audience watches the making of a wicked witch and development of one of the most unlikely, but wonderful, friendships I've ever seen.
I've read and enjoyed the novel (Wicked by Gregory Maguire) which the play is based on and was worried that I'd hate the play, but I didn't. They cut down some of the plots to focus on the friendship between the two witches and I think that was a smart move. I liked Elphaba from the start, probably because she's a lot like me, and couldn't stand Galinda, but as their friendship grew, I saw Galinda grow as a person as her love for Elphaba grew and I ended up liking Galinda as much as Elphaba did. One of the songs they sing together (I lost my playbill, so I can't give the title, sorry) they say to each other that they're not sure if knowing the other changed them for the better, but it changed them for good. I think that's a great statement for their friendship.
The second really smart thing that the play did was mix it up with the mythology everyone knows from the Judy Garland movie, rather than the books, like Maguire did. We see the creation of the Cowardly Lion (which actually is in the book), the Tin Woodsman, and the Scarecrow. That was fun for most of the audience because it really put the story in the Oz that they've know for their whole lives. For me, who's read many of the Baum books, I found the creation of the Scarecrow and Tin Woodsman distracting because my insides were screaming, "That's not how it happened in the Oz books, dammit!" I got over it, for the most part.
Dorothy is in the play, but you never see her. She takes Nessarose's shoes, she weeps in the castle, and she melts the Elphaba, but the audience is never allowed to see her or get to know her. If we did get to see Dorothy, would we have a harder time seeing Elphaba as a decent, but flawed, person? If we saw her, would it ruin the original that so beloved because she melts the hero of the play? I'm not sure, but maybe.
The sets were simply amazing. A giant moving puppet/robot head for the Wizard to speak out of. An enormous clock face with moving gears. A huge map of Oz as the curtain. A giant bubble for Glinda to fly down on. Flying monkeys. And a witch that flies because of a broom.
My only problem with the play, which is usually my problem with everything, is the ending. Maguire ends his book in the way he has to. I'm going to put it here for you all to see:
So, go and see and enjoy. It's not the Oz you grew up. It's better.
Elphaba, who eventually becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, was born green and was always very smart and, therefore, immediately is disliked by everyone. Galinda, later Glinda the Good, was blonde and beautiful and, therefore, immediately liked by everyone. They met at Shiz, an Ozian University, and were forced to be roommates. One day, Galinda accidently did something nice for Nessarose, Elphaba's sister, which led Elphaba to do a kind thing for Galinda who then realized that just because she has a creepy skin color doesn't mean that Elphaba was a bad person and Galinda helped to get Elphaba accepted by the other students. And they started to become friends, sometimes despite their differences and sometimes because of them.
From there, the audience watches the making of a wicked witch and development of one of the most unlikely, but wonderful, friendships I've ever seen.
I've read and enjoyed the novel (Wicked by Gregory Maguire) which the play is based on and was worried that I'd hate the play, but I didn't. They cut down some of the plots to focus on the friendship between the two witches and I think that was a smart move. I liked Elphaba from the start, probably because she's a lot like me, and couldn't stand Galinda, but as their friendship grew, I saw Galinda grow as a person as her love for Elphaba grew and I ended up liking Galinda as much as Elphaba did. One of the songs they sing together (I lost my playbill, so I can't give the title, sorry) they say to each other that they're not sure if knowing the other changed them for the better, but it changed them for good. I think that's a great statement for their friendship.
The second really smart thing that the play did was mix it up with the mythology everyone knows from the Judy Garland movie, rather than the books, like Maguire did. We see the creation of the Cowardly Lion (which actually is in the book), the Tin Woodsman, and the Scarecrow. That was fun for most of the audience because it really put the story in the Oz that they've know for their whole lives. For me, who's read many of the Baum books, I found the creation of the Scarecrow and Tin Woodsman distracting because my insides were screaming, "That's not how it happened in the Oz books, dammit!" I got over it, for the most part.
Dorothy is in the play, but you never see her. She takes Nessarose's shoes, she weeps in the castle, and she melts the Elphaba, but the audience is never allowed to see her or get to know her. If we did get to see Dorothy, would we have a harder time seeing Elphaba as a decent, but flawed, person? If we saw her, would it ruin the original that so beloved because she melts the hero of the play? I'm not sure, but maybe.
The sets were simply amazing. A giant moving puppet/robot head for the Wizard to speak out of. An enormous clock face with moving gears. A huge map of Oz as the curtain. A giant bubble for Glinda to fly down on. Flying monkeys. And a witch that flies because of a broom.
My only problem with the play, which is usually my problem with everything, is the ending. Maguire ends his book in the way he has to. I'm going to put it here for you all to see:
And of the Witch? In the life of a Witch, there is no after, in the ever after of a Witch, there is no happily; in the story of a Witch, there is no afterword. Of that part that is beyond the life story, beyond the story of life, there is--alas, or perhaps thank mercy--no telling. She was dead, dead and gone, and all that was left of her was the carapace of her reputation for malice.For me, it was like seeing/reading Rozencrantz and Guildenstern are dead. These characters have to die because it's written. The play, however, ends on a much happier note. I'm sure most of the audience was pleased with this, but sometimes isn't it nice to have things end in a way that's not so perfect?
So, go and see and enjoy. It's not the Oz you grew up. It's better.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Amazing
The play was absolutely spectacular. If you have the money and a day to get to The Bay (or NY, if you're on that side of the country) go and see Wicked.
I'll try to do a better post on it tomorrow. I'm tired now.
I'll try to do a better post on it tomorrow. I'm tired now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)