What A Week

It has been quite an eventful week. It began with the election, and, depending on your view, the United States elected a man with a message of Hope, the first black President, a person who will bring change, or, as I read today, the abortion President. Whatever your take on this election of Barak Obama, it is historic. Now if he can just decide what kind of puppy to get his girls.

Locally, the Shoshone County Sheriff's race was interesting, with Mitch Alexander winning the race with his write in campaign against Gary Yergler. The CDA Press had a really great article about Mitch in the Sunday edition. I don't see it, but I'll put a link to it if I can, and you can read it.

On Thursday, two of my most favorite people came for a visit, PKR's brother Kent and his wife Robin came from Oregon. We had such a wonderful time visiting with them. Because of conferences at the schools, both PKR and I had Friday off, so we got to enjoy visiting all day long. They came to attend opening night of Godspell, then off to Sandpoint to visit Robin's uncle, then up to Canada for a few days.

Kent and Robin manage a beautful inn called Harbick's Country Inn. If you are ever in McKenzie Bridge, let them provide you some wonderful hospitality. Find out more about Harbick's Country Inn here.

As we visited with Kent and Robin, it was so wonderful to see what a special ministry they have serving God in their community, and, because they each have such wonderful servant's hearts, they are touching many lives. I thank God they are in our lives as well.

On Saturday, Kiki Aru began her girl's basketball AAU league. Almost every Saturday from now until January 10, the Silver Valley Sting will play basketball in Post Falls. We went over Saturday to watch her first game, then picked up The Princess and brought her home for the night.

This weekend was the opening for Godspell. Sunday's performance had a very special ending. One of the cast member's, Kenzie Sherman, was proposed to on the stage at the end of the show by her boyfriend Josh Lewis. Her mom, Joy Persoon, is the director. I don't think I have ever seen anyone propose to someone before. It was a beautiful end to a beautiful weekend.

I watched Sweeney Todd last night with PKR. A very interesting musical. I can't imagine what it is like on stage. A dark comedy musical. Or, as the Broadway version claims, a "musical thriller".

Johnny Depp was wonderful, of course. And you can't go wrong with Alan Rickman. He has to be one of my favorite actors, at least from England. He is, of course, the man who has brought Severus Snape to life in the Harry Potter movies. In fact, you'll see quite a few actors from the Harry Potter movies in Sweeney Todd. Things are quieting down a little bit around the house. My calendar was actually blank for this evening, which is a rather rare occurance. It is nice enjoying a night at home. Z2 and I have been watching the Phantom of the Opera movie. I had to take her up to the high school so she could join her dad and the cast members of the KHS play for their cast party tonight. We'll finish the movie when she returns home.

A Bit Disappointed with "Phantom"

This afternoon the family attended the matinee performance of "Phantom of the Opera" in Spokane.

In anticipation of this musical, I never wanted to watch the movie, or know too much about the production, because I had heard how spectacular it was and I wanted to be surprised.

Maybe my sights were set a bit too high, because I wasn't that impressed. Oh, the production was wonderful, and set designs, the costumes.

But what I like most about musicals is how they affect my emotions. I like to laugh hard, cry, make a connection to the characters.

I made no connection today. I felt the same the whole way through the production.

It is not that the actors weren't talented. They were fine singers and actors. I just didn't make a connection with the story or the characters. I felt no empathy for the Phantom. He didn't seem like a "tortured" character to me. I never felt much romantic connection between Christine and Roaul either.

And there were parts of the production I was a bit lost in what was going on.

But, I'm not going to discount it, and tell people never to go see it. I'm going to give it another try sometime in the future. And maybe I'll read the book, and listen to the soundtrack and become more famliar with the overall story, then maybe the connection will come.

We all kind of had the same reaction in our family. It was okay, but not the spectacular production we expected. The Princess and Z2 both like the movie version much better.