Bravi, bravi, bravissimi

I've finally got time to write about the craziness that was this past week. Actually, I had time last night, but I was too tired to think so I played tetris instead. :-) That game is awfully addictive. So, as you know I went to NYC last weekend for a journalism conference. The conference was kinda boring, but NY was awesome. There's so much to do there and everything is so busy all the time. I especially loved the cabs. All of the drivers speed around breaking traffic laws and nearly hitting other cars and the occasional bike taxi. Lines painted on the street mean nothing to them - road is road and they'll just straddle the line or weave in and out of traffic. And if they're speeding towards something the curb is a convenient place to turn at the last moment to get around it. My first cab ride was scary, but after that it was just amusing trying to guess how many miles per hour above the posted speed limit we'd be going or how many near-crashes we'd get into.

On Monday night my group went to see Phantom of the Opera. Best musical EVER. It is the most romantic thing I've ever seen, and that's saying something. Words can't even describe how the musical made me feel so I won't try. The only thing I didn't like about the performance was that I couldn't understand a lot of the singing because of the way they sang it, but Andrew Lloyd Webber's music is so dramatic that I could tell what was happening by just that. I acquired the CD from an awesome friend and have been listening to it nonstop. Now I know most of the words and my throat is raw from trying to sing as high as Christine sings sometimes. I had to take a break from the emotionally intense music once this morning and listened to some other stuff (during which time, as I am slightly embarrassed to admit, I ended up dancing around wearing a lab coat and high heels with my pajamas. I don't know why I did that and I'm really glad nobody else was home.) but I went back to the Opera stuff very fast. Nothing can measure up. Not even Yo Yo Ma. Sorry, Mr. Ma. I still love you, but your music's not got a pitifully alone Phantom in it.

The next best thing about the trip is that the Majestic Theatre, where Phantom is, is right next to Broadhurst, the theatre that Daniel Radcliffe performs Equus. If we had stayed one more night, I would have gotten to see him, but at least I was there. I walked the same sidewalk as him, was in the same building. The utmost of exciting. I used to have a major crush on him for maybe three or four years, but that's petered out into more of an adoration. He's the closest thing I have to the real Harry Potter. Daniel Radcliffe is at the top of my list of people I'd love to meet just for that reason. The Potter world is an unattainable dream and he's a bridge spanning maybe half of the distance between where I am and where Hogwarts is. Magic is needed to get the rest of the way though, which makes me very sad that not one of my seven magical wands are functional.

The biggest news in the world at the moment: Obama won the presidency. I'm happy with this result. I didn't agree completely with his stances on things, particularly abortion, but considering who he was running against, he's the best man to have won. I'm not so adverse to McCain, but I didn't like Palin at all or the chance that McCain would end up to be a slightly smarter Bush. I don't want to say too much about this because I'm not a big fan of politics, but hopefully the change Obama promised will come through. God knows we need it. Historically, change is in the making. Racial barriers are breaking, which is very exciting. When he first started campaigning I didn't think he'd make it because I had no faith in America to get past his race. But they did. Now we need a change in the economy and pretty much most of what the government has going on. Corruption needs to be dissolved and people need to remember that they're in office to serve those that elected them, not to benefit their own selves. We'll see what happens. I'll stay optimistic for a while.

I have to go to a youth gathering soon, so I think I better go eat something. I haven't eaten anything cept a bowl of watermelon today. That could probably be the reason for my headache.

♥ j.j.