I dreamed a dream in 8th grade...

*Warning* If you don't like Les Miserables, stop reading NOW.

(A conversation from a couple of weeks ago):

Me: "Hey Mom. Will you get a movie for me from your Netflix account?"
Mom: "Which one?"
Me: "Les Miserables....mmmmmmmtheonewithnickjonasmmmmmmm......"
Mom: "What?"
Me: "It's the one with Nick Jonas."
Mom: (hurtful laughter)
Me: "He's the only person I knew of, OK Mom?! Stop laughing. Stop. Laughing."

Yeah, I said it. Nick Jonas. What's it to you? In my life I've heard the music from Les Miserables. You know the ones: 'On My Own', 'I Dreamed A Dream', 'Bring Him Home' - but I've never known the story. I mean, in 8th grade we had try-outs to sing solos for our 'Les Mis' medley. I know - pretty cool. And I got a solo for 'Bring Him Home'. I was cool enough to get a boy's solo. Once again - I know. Unfortunately She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (not to be confused with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named) who was a member of my 8th grade choir was mad that she didn't get a solo, so my director canned the whole thing. I was ticked. To think that that would have been my singing debut! Missed opportunities...

Anyway. We have a songbook at my house with the music in it and I love to play the songs that I know, but I've never ventured to try the ones that I didn't know. Well, my best friend Mandy was up for the weekend and we were just hanging out at my house, when I decided to play the piano. I know - I'm a music nerd. Feel free to call me that to my face. My friend asked me to play some songs that I didn't know of and (surprise, surprise) they were pretty. Just like the rest of them. Hence my interest to watch the movie.

On the night before Mandy's farewell for her mission, I got to my parent's house and the movie was here! Knowing that I had to get up at 6:00 AM to drive to American Fork, I started the movie at midnight and made it until intermission. Then I crashed. Just like the barricade....

After I got back from Mandy's farewell, I started watching the second half of the movie. Mom came in and said that she wouldn't watch it because it wasn't watchable. But she came in towards the end and we had to go through the WHOLE 3-hour movie to watch all of the songs, because according to her, the other parts are "boring". Oh Mom. We then had to go through all our *new* songs that we had discovered in our songbook and go through them. All in all, I think we had that movie on for about 5 hours that day. I was in Les Miserables heaven.

Watching that play just took me back to performing in High School: the rush from the audiences cheers, the adrenaline right before you go on stage, the excitement in the air right before the curtain drops - I love it all. And watching that just took me back.

Oh, to be a perfomer. I think I would love it.

Here are some of my favorites. Now mind you, I have been listening to Les Miserables for the past three weeks and love almost ALL of the songs. But these were the ones that I just really love! And half are songs that are all new to me. Sorry that these are just the links. I tried to upload the videos and it took FOR-EV-ER.

This one is really cool - it has the original London cast mixed with the 25th Anniversary cast.


I may or may not have listened to this song 8 times in a row. Yes, it is over 7 minutes long. Enjolras' voice is so good.


This one is amazing! Definitely one to listen to.

And last but definitely not least, this one. Seriously.

Oh the places I would go....

....if only I had the money.

I've recently joined Pinterest. Not sure that this is such a good idea - I hear that it's very addicting.

Which I understand now. It's like a whole new facebook, but only pictures. picturebook! (copyright pending).

One of the many boards that I like to look at are boards where people post pictures of where they want to go, and it has awakened a sleeping giant! Going to Mexico was just the start....I want to go so many places. I thought to myself today, "Man, I wish I were a Kardashian so I could be loaded and go anywhere I want." I'm not really sure why I had to choose a Kardashian, but that is not the point.

Here, drool over some pictures:








Seriously.

My Mom and I made a promise to each other that in 2014 we would take a trip to Europe. So, when you are reading this Mom (which will be after I tell her that I've made another post), I hope you realize what you have gotten yourself into! I'm seeing some mighty fine places that we need to hit up. (Mom: 'hit up' means 'go to.')