Let's Go Surfing

Am I the only person who is often astonished at how very predictable humans can be? Even as I claim to be a proactively divergent visionary sometimes I watch myself make decisions based on a very finite set of facts. I do not like peas so I will not like a casserole with peas in it. Ridiculous. I am not fond of Will Ferrell's sense of humor so I will not like his movies. Also, ridiculous. Is it comfort or laziness that limits any wanton desire to pursue alternative thoughts, activities, or even friendships outside of preset notions? 

Sometimes we just don't want to change or feel the need to grow. We become creatures of habit operating in a comfort zone with a safety net. I am no exception to this theory, but I am definitely surfing the waves of change. 

I wake up daily to an Alexa alarm set to play random music from my music channel of choice. This musical wake-up call ranges from pop and country to jazz and blues. I truly enjoy the diversity. Recently an unfamiliar song with a very dramatic intro jolted me awake. It was compelling. I had to listen. I was instantly awake and alert.

Now, I am a music fanatic and except for twangy country or offensive rap, I pretty much love it all. Musicals have always topped my favorites list. When "Hamilton" achieved critical acclaim in 2015 I immediately discounted its allure because of its rap-based score. Who in their right mind would ruin a good musical with rap? Seriously... why?

Time for me to fess up and eat crow. The compelling song that jolted me awake was 
the opening number of "Hamilton" on the Show Tunes channel. I frantically searched YouTube for clips and have become an obnoxiously obsessed fan. Everything about it is brilliant - the interpretation of history, the wordplay, the mastery of language, and the undeniable talent. Even the staging and choreography are noteworthy. While the music is rooted in hip-hop it uniquely co-mingles flavors of the beat music of the '60's and traditional show tunes. I actually subscribed to Disney+ for a month so I could watch the video version, but it still remains number one on my "must-see live and in-person list. One song, although referring to political negotiations behind closed doors, says it beautifully for me: "I wanna be in the room where it happens...no one really knows how the game is played, the art of the trade, where the sausage gets made." 

So, the moral of this rant is to stop letting life pass you by because of a preconceived notion. Will this genre of musical theater top my favorite styles? Probably not. But it works beautifully with this content. And, like most choices in life, don't let just one song or one scene etch your impression in stone. Take a chance and experience the entire event. Open your heart, your brain, your eyes and ears, and your soul or face the embarrassing loss of small miracles that might just change your life, or at the very least, brighten your day. Ah, but that is fodder for yet another rant.