Hey everyone!
I'm in NYC, typing this from an internet cafe on 42nd St. I just saw "The Triplets of Belleville." Really, it's one of the strangest things I've ever seen, but I really enjoyed it; it was wondrously eccentric with a style of animation that made me think of Max Fleischer collaborating with Botero. Tonight is "Sweeney Todd" at NYCO. The reviews came out today; both the "New York Times" and "New York Post" were mixed. So I'm not expecting to be blown away, but there should be some elements of the production that I will enjoy--and I'm thrilled about seeing Judy Blazer sing the Beggar Woman! Yay Judy! (Not a huge Elaine Paige fan, but it should be interesting to see if she makes her own choices or does just fall back on Patti impersonations).
I spent about 15 minutes perusing the archives from the last few days. Jenny, I hope you don't mind if I share some thoughts. (Everyone has already expressed so movingly and eloquently what it is like to be young, intelligent and an outsider).
You already know, sweetie, that we come from similar backgrounds, and so our stories are similar as well. Granted, my high school years weren't that bad (I made a small but wonderful group of friends), but early adolescence for me was pretty damn rotten. I was bookish (though hardly shy), the possessor of a dry, offbeat sense of humor and obsessed with musicals, literature and film--you can imagine that none of these traits exactly endeared me to my peers, most of whom I found vapid, shallow and just mean. I was ostracized and scorned. I didn't even feel that I lived on the same planet as these people; I wanted to live in the twenties, thirties or forties, or in another world altogether, where young people did not partake of this "flavored condom" mentality. I'm not denying the importance of sexuality, of course--but I do agree that kids are becoming sexually preoccupied/active way too early. It's scary. (But I'm going on a tangent now)
Everyone on this board, within a short time, has seen what I already know--that you are bright, brilliant, witty and everything a 15 year old girl SHOULD be. I know it's hard right now at school; but these kids ARE jealous and resentful of you, that's what it comes down to. Please don't let them get you down too much--I don't want to say you are better than them (that would make me sound just a tad elitist) but we both know what I am trying to say here. Your light is too strong to be dimmed by a bunch of ignorant teenyboppers.
It DOES get better, please believe me. I've found that the smart, outsider minority, when he/she moves into more congenial waters, begins to view the dumb, jeering majority as neglible, pitiful and not worthy of a second thought.
And on that note, tomorrow is going to rock (to use vulgar Gen-Y parlance)
, and I'm sure we will share some of our hijinks with you lovely people at HHW!
BK--Great review from Penny and looking forward to reading Kritzertime!