I drove about 2 hours West for a birthday party this weekend.  J, a good friend of mine, was throwing a bash for a small group of friends for her birthday, and I was invited.  I hadn't seen J in quite some time, so it was definitely worth the drive. 
We went to a wonderful restaurant named Poco Piatti . . . and the restaurant lived up to it's name (small plates).  You ordered 2 or 3 'plates' to start with, each with tiny servings of different cultural fare.  Spanish, Greek, Middle Eastern, Italian . . it was quite lovely.  It allowed you to try things you normally wouldn't try . . as you got just a tiny serving of each.  Then, you order 2 or 3 more for round two!  Etc etc.  Quite fun. 

The whole trip got me to thinking about relationships though.  J has a wonderful husband, T.  They met while we were all in school getting our Masters.  T is quite the intellectual, and is a prof. at a nearby school.  J is a musician (infact, we're all musicians . . must be why we get along)    T is also almost 20 years younger than J.  (T is the man)     All together we had quite a lot of fun, and I enjoyed hanging out with them (and friends) . . being loud and fun and talking about all sorts of subjects.  Listening to the Beatles and Donovan and just having a good ole time. 

But seeing T and J together just make me all together happy.  THEY are happy.  That is so unusual to see these days.  Infact I've asked J to clone her hubby . . . because frankly I'd like one JUST LIKE HIM.   He cares about her . . and it shows.  He LOVES her . . and it shows.  And it does my heart good to see a true happily married couple.  Sure they have stress in their lives . . the house is having breakage problems, J is having job problems, etc. . . but they still snuggle . . they still hold hands.  He gives her foot rubs and she gives him back rubs.  They TRY for each other . . which is more than I've seen most people in a marriage do in a long time.  And no, they aren't newlyweds. 

So often everyone in this world is all about ME ME ME ME ME that they don't stop to think about what would actually make a relationship work.  Caring for each other . . taking time for each other (if not just a moment to look up and say "how are you" or "i love you").  It's those little things . .. those every day things . . that mean the most.  Grand gestures are nice . . and are definitely appropriate now and then . . . but its the connection that is the most important.  Mental and physical. 

I hope, some day, that I meet a man like T.  I don't care if he looks like him  . . just someone that has that type of personality, that type of character and temperament. It's probably quite a lot to ask.  Hence the cloning.  Clone him J.  C.L.O.N.E.

This is what I'm dreaming of today.  Spring.  Warmer weather.  Flowers.  *sigh*

Tunes I'm diggin' on my iPod right now:

Blood Sweat & Tears:  God Bless the Child   Not the original Billie Holiday recording of this song (whom I utterly adore), but done up rather well.  Kinda funky-fun.

Jane Monheit:  Over the Rainbow   A fun, jazzy version done by SUCH a lovely voice.  This is a woman you listen to while you're in a bubble bath with 3 gazillion candles lit and rose petals in the water (with a bubble bath is highly impractical . . but go with me here).  Thats what her voice sounds like. 

Michael Buble:  Call Me Irresponsible   I've just recently 'found' this guy (I know, he's been around awhile).  He's a throwback to Frankie . . but with a different edge.  I just want to gobble him up.

Evanescense:  . . . . their entire first album.  Be it my secret indulgence.  only . . just not so secret. 

Ain't it Good? from Children of Eden (yes my darlings . . thats a musical.)  I must give a little background on this one.  Now you all probably know (if you've read any part of this blog) that I'm not exactly the most religious person around.  In fact . . I tend to get in trouble with my disgusted view of organized religion.  So that aside . . I adore this show (first act: Adam and Eve    second act: Noah and family), and this song in particular.  It's a kitchy little show. . quite surprising in it's quality.  And then they lay this on you near the end of the second act.  It literally makes me want to get up and dance.  I suppose thats the whole point.  But I will listen to this over and over.  Now mind you . . the vocalists voice isn't the best in the world . . and the version I hear in my head (from the show that I did) was BLOWYOUAWAYAMAZING . . . so I just get over it and kinda meld the two together . . . (or I'll sing at the top of my lungs . . but it's not pretty . . but hey ITS FUN).  That aside . . it STILL makes me want to get up and shake my ample booty all over my house.  And I have.  shush.

Lenny Kravitz:  Black Velveteen  ok massive randomness . . but I love this tune.  It's so industrial . . . and a bit risque.

On a quick random note . . . my darling wonderful innocent *coughbullshitcough* kittens decided to have themselves some dessert.  My strawberry marshmallows.    marshmallows?  wtf?!?!?!  Now mind you . . they didn't steal one and eat it.  Nooo.  They drooled all over them . . and sunk their teeth into just about EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM!  I think I was able to salvage 5.  *dejected sigh*  It's pretty darn good that they're cute as friggin buttons . . .

I went to see Wicked last night.  My best friends boyfriend got her tickets for her birthday, and decided that she and I would have much more fun (as he finds musicals slightly . . well . . . not interesting).  So I got to go.    And he was right.  We had a *blast*. 

I didn't get sucked into the "Wicked" thing . . up until yesterday. *lol* 

Out in "music land" . . Wicked is kind of looked down upon . . . classical musicians find musicals trying . . . and whole-ly un-musical.  The singers 'belt' . . . the actors .. well act. . . . and all in all its an enjoyable time.  I think classical musicians find reasons to be disdainful about having a good time.   I don't know why.  It's funny to me. 

I'm a classical musician . . . and I had a BLAST.  The music is fun and inventive (sure it's not Mahler . . but aren't we allowed to let our hair down every once and awhile?), and the vocals are just full of fun. 

I have, seemingly, made a small career out of musicals . . so I know good ones and bad ones when I hear them.  I LOVED this show.  Loved it.  The staging was great. . . the chorus (though small) sounded great.  (They had some balance issues here and there, but I think that was because they were so small.)  And the COSTUMES!!  amazing.  absolutely amazing. 

I would have loved to see the original Broadway cast . . Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth as Elphaba and Glinda.  Though I must say . . . the two I saw last night . . were STUPENDOUS.  Elphaba was spot on . . and had a FANTASTIC voice.  Glinda had a few moments of 'breathlessness" . . . due to her 'silly girl' antics on stage (which were HILARIOUS) . . . we laughed through the show . . she was such a stitch.  Unfortunately it hurt the song "Popular" . . as she was so out of breath she couldn't handle the phrasing. 

Ok so I think everyone should see this. . . though I know some won't enjoy it because of what happens through the show.  It explains a lot of things . . and not the way you would expect.  So if you like your "Wizard of OZ" the way it is . . . and woulnd't want it to change in any way in your mind . . then don't go see (or read!) Wicked.   

one funny little tidbit I learned last night . . the original Wicked Witch (from the original movie) actually went to school where I teach.  Class of 1921. 

how cool?!!