No one mourns the Wicked!

Now I must take a moment to thoughtfully appreciate the blessed inventions which are known to the masses as gift cards, but to myself, a golden token of beauty (or, as in the Fandango commercial which never fails to strike me as most amusing--"My happiness is a golden poem!"  "I'll get the popcorn.").  Shouts of appreciation must be blared to my lovely aunt and uncle (Jacque and Laurie) and to my wonderful student, Brianna Smith!  Yes, to many Smiths to thank, so little time . . .

Brianna gave me a gift card to Target on the last day of school, of which I was more than infinitely fond of.  I pored over the store one afternoon in the wee days of summer--prior to attaining summer employment.   I found a pair of sunglasses which I loved and reminded me of Audrey Hepburn.  This correlation instantly tugged at my heart, and I decided I must own them.  However I still had money left on my card.  So today, more than a month later, I made my second and final purchase on this card.  I am now the smitten owner of the De-Lovely soundtrack.  It is fun to listen to, and (for the most part) I was mildly surpised at how well the pop stars of today could sing these hits of yore.

I then traversed to Borders.  Jacque and Laurie gave me a gift card for house sitting for them.  I bought the book Wicked, which I have not yet read.  I'm completely thrilled about the prospect of indulging in this novel; particularly since I am now obsessed with the musical!  Kristin Chenowith is awesome as Galinda/Glinda (though she is no longer playing the role on Broadway.  Don't be sad, Kelsey!  She has been replaced by Jennifer Laura Thompson--the original Broadway Hope Cladwell!  Go Urinetown!).  Idina Menzel is one of my new favorites as Elphaba, my newest coveted role.  This is claiming a lot, since any exposed epidermus must be covered with green make up! ICK!

I had some money left on that card.  What did I do?  I purchased the DVD of the 1980 Broadway staging of The Pirates of Penzance!  OH YEAH!  Kevin Kline, Linda Rondstadt, Patricia Routledge and the fabulous Rex Smith.  The movie that Johanna Hamilton and I howled at in the days of NNU of this staging (replacing Routledge with Angela Lansbury) is not yet out on DVD.  I like my version, but since it's on an actual stage, the filming does some strange things.  Still hysterical, though.  What is my obsession with Pirates?  I love them all! In Peter Pan, Pirates of the Caribean, Pirates of Penzance, etc.  Somewhat like my obsession with Vikings ever since Dr. Marshman's World History class my freshmen year.  I must need therapy.

The title clearly is the threaded theme throughout (how's that for a brief string of alliteration?) this post.  Cole Porter wrote some "wicked" music (yes, I have Boston on the brain ever since I've begun to look into Grad schools), and performed some truly atrocious acts of self indulgence.  The Wicked Witch of the West and her story.  The "wicked" reputation of any and all pirates, even the ones who let orphans go free!  :)

No one mourns the Wicked!  (Thank you to Stephen Schwartz, the composer and lyricist of this awesome new musical!)

Fare thee well.