7 Quick Takes, Hamilton, The Walking Dead, and a crying baby

I'm linking up with Kelly at This Ain't The Lyceum   to give you this week's quick takes.  Are you ready?

I am starting my Quick Takes on Thursday... because I have SO much to tell you about.

(one)

I don't care how late to the party I am, I am going to talk about Hamilton as though opening night was yesterday.

So, maybe you don't follow pop culture at all, so you've never heard about Hamilton.
It's fine. I'll just tell you right now, it's the most popular musical in 2016.

I tried to listen to it maybe four months ago, and was like, 'meh' so I didn't listen again.
(and "tried to listen" means playing it downstairs while my kids run around and I can't really pay attention).

But then, Aaron recorded the PBS Special on it.  We watched it Tuesday night, and I have listened to nothing but the music from the Musical since.

I was a history major for a second.  Did you know that?  It was the drama of history I found so irresistible.  The drama of this musical is like nothing I have heard before.  I have never listened to a musical that drew me in so deeply and so emotionally, plus it's just really 'cool'.  The hip hop way of explaining historical events from a first person point of view... I can't say enough about how much this has captured me.

BUT THEN
After one full day of listening to songs. I got to a song called, "It's Quiet Uptown".
Guys. I have NEVER listened to a song like this in my life.
The song is about a husband and wife moving through the grief of losing their son, and moving back to each other after distrust and pain.
I stole this from Wikipedia,  but it's the perfect explanation...

."Charles McNulty of the Los Angeles Times said "No contemporary musical has touched grief in a song as profoundly as 'It's Quiet Uptown,' which I'll confess is impossible for me to listen to without tearing up"


You need to listen to it now, but have tissue close at hand.

no, seriously, listen to it. It's worth it.

Wait, if you didn't listen, at least read these lyrics.

"There are moments that words don't reach
There is a grace too powerful too name
We push away what we don't understand
We push away the unimaginable"

COME.ON.

Okay, here's the thing. I am going to NYC in 6 weeks, and somebody has got to know somebody who knows somebody who can get me tickets to this show right!?!?!  Like, I know it's an impossible request... but somebody! Please....

If not, I understand. But man, listen to this musical.  Seriously.

(two)

Wrote about this bad boy on "thefacebook" as well, but if you are not watching "This is Us" you should be.  It's so good.  So good.  What I love most, and hopefully this isn't a spoiler, but if you are sensitive to spoilers you shouldn't read...
What I love most is the way the show presents past events shaping our present selves.
And this week? With the painting?  I cried so hard I couldn't catch my breath at one point.

(three)

It's almost been a week, and I am still having a hard time framing the violence in The Walking Dead last Sunday.  There were good conversations about it on "thefacebook" and real life... but I'm only in for a couple more episodes and if the tides don't change, I think I'll stop watching.

(four)

I'm done talking about entertainment for a moment to talk about politics.

The stunning hypocrisy of our leadership continues to amaze me.

I read this week Jay Z was hosting a concert for HRC.

I thought of some Jay Z lyrics, and let's just say, many of his songs lack implied consent. Many of his songs are off the charts when it comes to the vulgarity and misogyny.

Gosh. The inconsistency of 2016 is AMAZING

...

And I'm still not voting for Trump, so don't get all riled up 

(unless Jesus tells me to last minute)

(five)

Ministry People 

We are at the point with BOLD Ministries where we speak at a lot of things.

I see ministry done in a bunch of ways.

On Tuesday night, at St. John Vianney Parish in Shelby Township, I saw the most profound Confirmation Rehearsal.

My good friend John is in charge.

His Confirmation class is huge.  He had candidates and sponsors attend the rehearsal (normal).

He began with announcements on the practicality of how the Sacrament was going to take place the following two days (normal).

Then the Script was flipped.

John explained the announcements were the least important part of the night.  After 20 minutes of announcements, the rehearsal became Spiritual Preparation for the Sacrament. 

1.5 hours of praise and worship, 10 (TEN!!!!) priests available for confession, and an unleashing of profound grace to prepare the candidates for the life-changing reality of the Sacrament.

If you run Confirmation Prep... you're gonna want to do something like what my friend John did.  The Spirit was so alive. The night was so different than anything I've ever seen.

I ran Confirmation for almost 10 years. I've never witnessed such an unleashing. 

An unleashing of the Gospel (good news) if you will ;)

(shout out to Synod 16) 

(six)

On Monday night little Aaron had another bad dream.  

He was crying in his bed and he woke me up.

"Mom, I had a dream I was mad at you"

he yelled from his room

"So I flushed you down the toilet, but then I wanted you to come back, and you couldn't"

funny. I know.

I did what I usually do, I told him to say some prayers for good dreams and go back to bed...

Then I fell back asleep.

About ten minutes later, I wake up to his tiny voice saying,

"Our...Father...who art in heaven"

YOU GUYS.

he had been laying in bed saying his prayers quietly so bad dreams would go away.

Needless to say I told him to run into my bed to snuggle. 

Gosh. Sometimes the moments of adorable are hard to take.

(seven)

Oh, I have to tell you this or Aaron will be mad at me because he is really proud of himself.

Last week, Aaron (husband) was making me SO.DARN.MAD.

The usual complaints...

Not doing enough around the house...

taking me for granted...

on his technology too much, etc...

One good thing about my husband, is when I need to vent, he understands, he doesn't get defensive if I call my sisters and explain the new reason I am annoyed with him ;)

SO.

I was on the phone with my sister downstairs complaining while folding clothes.  I MIGHT have been talking loudly so the ol' husband could hear.  I moved upstairs and continued.  Aaron was watching A Walking Dead special on tv.

As I was talking on the phone, a baby began to cry on TV. I figured it was from the show.

Aaron left the room and went in the bedroom.

My sister said, "Is that Malia, I hear a baby crying?"

I told her it was the television and kept complaining.

A few minutes later we heard a NEW baby crying. This time louder and more persistent.

"WHAT IS THAT?"

I said.

I walked into the family room.  

Aaron had put on a youtube video on our big tv with a baby crying.

To indicate I was being a baby and whining.

He has since done this several times, whenever I begin my lists of grievances. 

He thinks he's funny.

I think he's annoying (and really funny).

Have a Great week friends...

And LISTEN TO HAMILTON

(warning, there are some swear words)

The reading doesn't have to stop here, head on over to http://thisaintthelyceum.org/ to read more quick takes!