Welcome to Disney's Latest Haunted Mansion Movie

 Didn't I already have a post about a Haunted Mansion adaptation? Yes, yes, I did. You can find it here.

In that post, I wrote about the Muppet's take on the Haunted Mansion. While it was cute and had some fun nods to the many rides, it fell short of anything truly magnificent. 

The 2023 (wow it's been 20 years since the first movie came out) version was a lot better than any other screen adaptation so far. Granted the bar was already set fairly low. 

The 2003 Eddy Murphy Haunted Mansion movie is something of a guilty pleasure - though I feel no guilt what so ever when I go back to enjoy the parts I do like. You can tell that it was made with love for the original ride with some scenes being fully lifted from the attraction - especially in the graveyard. I also really liked the practical effects in the crypt scenes. The opening to the 2003 movie shows that the movie had a lot of potential, but it fell way short of its overall story and message. 

For one thing, the 2003 version of the movie forgot one important fact about the ghosts: they're happy haunts.

The ghosts in the 2003 movie want to escape the mansion and are happy to no longer be trapped. Also there's no explanation as to why all the ghosts are there. In the Disneyland and Disney World attractions, Mr. Disney set up the story so that the mansions were a home for ghosts to enjoy their afterlives - a sort of retirement home for ghosts. The ghosts are described as "happy haunts" and that's why there are ghosts from all over the world.

The 2016 Marvel Haunted Mansion comics vol. #1-5 get this detail right. The story even opens with a reproduced image of the notice Disney placed outside the mansion in New Orleans Square in Disneyland. However, the playful ghosts are slowly being taken over by an evil spirit whose motivations are to make all of the ghosts "hurtful and mean" - look this is a very child oriented story that's all the motivation an evil ghost needs. Madame Leota tricks a young kid into coming into the mansion (he's looking for his grandfather's ghost) to help free her and the nice ghosts who want to spend eternity partying. This story is more of an adventure rather than anything too deep. There are some scary elements, but overall its a solid middle grade read. Though the ending is a little anti-climatic.

The 2023 Haunted Mansion movie also acknowledges that the ghosts in the mansion are supposed to be happy. The explanation for why the ghosts are in the mansion is a little different from the rides' version, but for the most part, the ghosts love the mansion and don't want to leave or be "set free" at the end. 

The theme picked for the 2023 story is universal - grief - and chose to show a healthy way to process it. Multiple characters go through some type of loss. The main character, Ben, lost his wife before the main events of the movie (we see her in flashbacks and in a brief scene early in the story) which mirrors the first owner of the mansion's, Gracey, who lost his wife and held séance after séance to try to contact her. It was all of those seances that invited the ghosts into the mansion.

Unfortunately, not all of the ghosts who arrived were friendly. 

Much like the 2016 comics, one of the ghosts has taken over the free will of the other ghosts and is trying to something horribly (and vaguely) evil. The evil ghost is different (and somewhat acknowledges the Haunted Mansion creepy pasta "Grad Night at the Haunted Mansion") than the comic, but it's clear that some inspiration was taken from it. In fact I'd argue that the creators of the movie referenced as much Haunted Mansion media and lore as they could find. The YouTube channel Offhand Disney recently posted a video looking at many of the Easter eggs - though one commenter noted that the host missed the evil looking trees being from the Disneyland Singalong VHS. 

Most importantly, the movie understands that the house itself is a character. 

And they show both the Disneyland New Orleans Square house (the main one) and the Disney World Liberty Square one (it's related to the evil ghost). 

I enjoyed the 2023 Haunted Mansion. It's not a squeal to the 2003 version. It's its own thing. The critics also panned it - they didn't like the movie at all. Which is a shame because it's good family fun and an introduction to fun horror (much like the haunted mansion rides).

However, I will admit that there are some weak points. The evil ghost is really good at chewing the scenery and the CGI is hard to look at in places. I felt that they could have done more with the Constance Hatchaway character (she has always terrified me in the ride with her ax and bleeding heart). I wasn't fond of the last minute character development for Father Kent (Owen Wilson's character), it felt very shoehorned in. I also thought that the twist wasn't developed enough, though it was hinted at. 

Despite it's minor flaws, the movie overall is worth seeing. Sadly it's no longer in theaters in my area (I caught one of the last showings), but there's a chance it'll gain a cult following (if streaming services and studios will allow that to happen).

The characters are wonderful and well acted. LaKeith Stanfield was excellent as the lead and had nice chemistry with Rosario Dawson. I already mentioned Owen Wilson's character, Father Kent, had flaws, but he did a good job with the material he was given. Danny DaVito is simply a treasure in this film and I hope nothing happens to him in the near future. Jamie Lee Curtis and Tiffany Haddish were a lot of fun in every scene they were in. I even liked the kid, Chase W. Dillon, as Travis.

Jared Leto needs a hobby - preferably one where he doesn't start a cult.

One cool element that this movie implemented was how the story kept all the characters at the mansion. Basically, there are multiple hitchhiking ghosts who will follow anyone who steps into the mansion home. The main character, Ben, has the old sea captain follow him home and ends up with a flooded house before he returns to the mansion. It seems appropriate since the rides tell you to "beware of hitchhiking ghosts" who might follow you home. I screamed my head off at this part of the ride the first time I went on it (I was also about 1 years old at the time).

I'd give the 2023 Haunted Mansion a solid 7 out of 10. Much better than the 2003 movie with plenty of Easter eggs for the fans and call outs for them to find.

Did you see the movie? Let me know your thoughts on all things Haunted Mansion related.

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Michigan’s U.P. Adventures

 At the end of the last Ice Age, the glacier that covered the current state of Michigan scraped across the landscape, leaving behind a very flat piece of land. The few hills and mountains that do dot the landscape (mostly in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula or U.P. for short) are mere pimples compared to even the wise old Appalachian Mountains.

That doesn’t mean the few mountains Michigan does have are unimpressive. They’re just smaller than what most people think of as mountains.

The mineral rich land known as the U.P. is filled with National Forests, National Lake Shores, State Parks, and wilderness. There’s tons of opportunity to see wild animals (that deer population was a lot bigger this year than what I remember as a kid), take long hikes, see beautiful waterfalls (and maybe climb around or go down one or two - if it’s safe enough), and enjoy jumping into Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, or Lake Superior. That last one might be a bit cold.

It took me eight years, but I finally got up to the land of Yoopers (the name given to U.P. locals) a couple of weeks ago. 

My mom bought a tent for us to go camping and made reservations in the Porcupine Mountains for a site. Camping is a popular pastime in Michigan and has only increased in popularity since the 2020 pandemic began. If you’d like to camp anywhere in Michigan, you may need to make reservations 6 months to a year in advance.

Our campsite was in the western most area of the large state park (also known affectionately known as the Porkies) with some great waterfall trails near the site. There was also a beautiful, rocky beach to watch the sunset over Lake Superior. The camp didn’t have cell service, which was fine. However, there was some confusion when we did get a signal and our phones switched from Eastern Time to Central. There was also no running water in the camp (unless you counted the water pumps - which I don’t). 

We had my mom’s two fluffy huskies with us and they took to the great out doors like a duck to water (though we always kept them on a leash). Dog hair and muddy paw prints might have decorated everything by the end of the trip, but it was great having them.

Highlights from this stop included the waterfall trail near the camp, the rocky beach, a history trail of an old copper mine, and (most importantly) The Lake In the Clouds. The Lake in the Clouds is 133 acres of 12 feet (or about 4 meter) water high up between two ridges in the Porcupines. It’s very pretty.

Mom really wanted to go to the Stormy Kromer factory in Ironwood. Most famous for its hats, Stormy Kromer was established in 1903 and remains an American made brand committed to their life time warranty. Naturally, they have a pet section and somehow mom and I got the huskies to wear their really cute pet hats (with varying degrees of success).

And because we were in Ironwood, we also took a quick side trip to Hurley, WI. I only wanted to so I could finally cross Wisconsin off my states-I-have-visited list and mom wanted to show me where her college friends used to go for beer runs (Wisconsin’s drinking age was still 18 when my mom was in college - Michigan’s was not). Hurley might not be the best the state has to offer (so many bars), but at least I’ve been there.

My favorite part of the trip was a tour of a Copper Mine about 12 miles from Ontonagon. This mine I was actually able to go into…and they allowed us to take the dogs with us. There are several tours available (including one 6 hour tour that includes a hot pastie (rhymes with nasty) lunch and some repelling and rock climbing. It was really cool and started with a rollercoaster like ride in Swiss Army 3-axel Trucks. A (very) low budget fantasy movie, The Dwarves of Dragon Mountain, had been filmed in the mines with old props on display along with old relics from the minting days and junk from teenage parties. 

Today, the copper mine is only assessable by the taking a tour with the Underground Mine Tours - Adventure Mining Company - so named because that was the name of the first mining company to occupy the area. We had a very good guide and everyone loved having the dogs with us (though I’m not sure how happy the dogs were to be underground). If you go, be sure to were closed toe shoes and bring a jacket or sweatshirt - the caves are around 48F or 9C year round. Some of the kids on the tour had open toed shoes and were very cold (and wet as rain water filters into the area like natural caverns). We all wore hard hats with lights - something the miners back in the day didn’t have (they worked by candle light in the 1800s, which was terrifying when demonstrated).

Copper and other minerals are still abundant in the U.P. with copper being some of the best up there. Most recently a Sulfur mine was opened about a decade ago near Big Bay, Michigan. However, it’s unlikely that copper mining will ever really start back up again in the area like it had in the mid 1800s to the early 1900s (there’s a variety of reasons for this, none of which I feel like getting into).

By the way, if you are ever in a situation without any source of light, sit down. Without a light source, your brain starts to go a little crazy and you will experience vertigo-like symptoms. If you aren’t already sitting down, you will fall. This is a disturbing “fun fact” from the tour.

The last leg of our trip was in Big Bay Michigan - where the (critically acclaimed) film Anatomy of a Murder was filmed. We actually stayed at the same park where the murder took place (the book and movie are based off real events). I spent many summers in Big Bay. We would rent a cabin right on the banks of Lake Independence (a much warmer, though tinier lake compared to neighboring Lake Superior), visit the beaches of Lake Superior (possibly go in depending on the temperature), hike to waterfalls (and either go fishing off of or slide down said waterfalls), and go for Fish Fry Fridays at the historic Thunder Bay Inn (also in the movie). Mom and I also took one quick trip to Marquette, but we weren’t there very long.

There are plenty of adventures to do in the U.P. This is just what I did this trip. In years past we’ve gone to Tahquamenon Falls, St. Ignace, Sue Saint Marie, White Fish Point (and saw the bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald), and Pictured Rocks (which have become a popular place for Instagram influences - don’t be like those people). Though I don’t think it counts as part of the U.P., Mackinac Island is also a fun side trip that I’ve made a few times.

If you like adventure and don’t mind the bugs (beware July with her mosquitos and black flies), Michigan’s Upper Peninsula may be the perfect trip for you.

But be sure to be wary of bears…and wolves. 

Also coyotes.

Deer can also be a nuisance.

Oh and moose. They aren’t an animal you want to meet in the wild.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to the Labor of Medieval Women

It's amazing how the more the world changes and time marches on, somethings stay the exact same. 

Paris Paloma recently released a song called Labour - spelt the British way. In the music video (that you can watch on YouTube), you see Paris laying out a table with food and drink. It appears to be set in a medieval or Game of Thrones type fantasy time period. The gentleman sits and begins to eat, while Paris lights a candle and watches him. She sings her complaints for her situation and fear for what would happen if she had a daughter. 

A little over halfway through the song, Paris gets up to leave the table - plate empty - thinks for a moment, then plops back down and grabs a pomegranate. The way Paris rips that pomegranate to bits, biting and tearing it apart so that the juice drips down her mouth and face like blood.

I could go into all of the beautiful imagery and symbolism in this music video. The verse,

"All day, every day, therapist, mother, maid

Nymph then a virgin, nurse then a servant

Just an appendage, live to attend him

So that he never lifts a finger

24-7, baby machine

So he can live out his picket fence dreams

It's not an act of love if you make her

You make me do too much labour",

is particularly relevant for anyone who has been caught in the many roles that women (in particular) are often forced to take on in a more heteronormative relationship. There's a lot to unpack with the song. 

But I especially like the medieval setting.

Coincidently, I also recently read a book called "The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society" by Eleanor Janega. I won an advanced reader copy in a GoodReads giveaway. Though the book had come out in January, I didn't get a chance to read it until now - roughly six months later.

It's an interesting and somewhat entertaining read. There were a few parts where I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the antics of medieval men and their thoughts on women. It didn't help that many of the ideas were playing with had originated in Greece. 

Particularly baffling were the beauty standards women had to live up to. To be beautiful meant you were virtuous and the virtuous didn't need to do anything to maintain their beauty. However, beauty standards in the medieval period were just as unattainable as they are today. Women were often encouraged to confess to their beauty routines during confession.

Oh and those beauty standards were very different from what is considered beautiful today. Modern (at least in the 2010s) favored the hourglass figure, while in the medieval time, it was the pear shape that drove men wild.

There is nothing "biological" about these preferences. They really are just preferences. 

Additionally, prostitution was tolerated because apparently, women needed to have sex.

Oh, men also needed to have sex, but it was the ladies who were never satisfied. Women could even demand a divorce if their husbands didn't give them enough sex. Naturally, this didn't happen very often. 

Most annoying, and most relevant to Paris Paloma's "Labour", was the fact that the women were often simply seen as an extension of their husbands. Yes, there are some notable women who did make a name for themselves (Elenore of Aquitaine is a notable example). However, this was more of an exception rather than a rule. 

Women always worked, whether in the fields or as artisans next to their husbands. Women were responsible for the house holds - especially upper class women who needed to take over a lot of the finances while their husbands were off fighting wars. Women did the cleaning - laundry has always been seen as women's work. Women taught their children and sometimes others. 

What might be considered women's work could become men's work if it proved to be profitable. Women didn't necessarily disappear from the work, but their names were often erased in favor of their husband's. It's not unlike how programming went from being women's work in its infancy (the 1940s-70s) until it became more profitable in the 1980s. Men are now seen as the leaders in the industry that was originally dominated by women.

So yeah, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I'd like to recommend both the song "Labour" and the book "The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society". My cousin listened to the audio book and enjoyed that version just as much as I enjoyed the physical book. The song has a lot of great symbolism while the book has a great history and foundation for anyone building a fantasy world based on European medieval times. 

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like to hear from me.

Welcome the Quest to See Leo Da Vinci's Work

Da Vinci was into Steampunk before it was cool...or even existed. 

There's a really cool exhibit at the Martin Luthor King Jr. Library in Washington DC going on right now. On display in the library's basement are 12 original sketches by Leonardo Da Vinci.

You know the guy who painted "The Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper". There's a fun conspiracy theory book and movie about the guy that came out nearly two decades ago (geez has it really been that long?). That Leonardo Da Vinci. 

It's the first time these drawings have ever been in the United States. 

This exhibit is short, only 90 days, and then the drawings have to go back to Italy and be placed in storage for three years. That's right, these drawings are super delicate and can only be out of storage every three years for a period of 90 days total. So if you want to see them in person, you've got to get to Washington DC by August 20th, 2023. 

Thankfully, like many things in DC, this exhibit is 100% free. Plenty of libraries offer special exhibits for anyone who wanders in - you don't need a library card to enter. The New York City Library had several special rooms (though I'd only ever seen one in use) for exhibits on different authors or works of literature. The Martin Luthor King Jr. Library is no exception. Included in the exhibits is one on Black Feminism and Go Go (which was invented in DC).

My journey to see the Leonardo Da Vinci started in June, when an article popped up on one of my social media feeds as something to do in DC. I was super excited! I'd recently come across several documentaries on Da Vinci, including some on him being a queer icon (this is actually historically plausible and there is evidence of it in court records - three guesses why). 

Already, Da Vinci was starting to sound punk...at least in the literary subgenre sense that my writer friends have cultivated. I don't know if the whole punk subculture would accept him as one of their own.

The next step in my journey was to actually go do the exhibit. I picked a really hot day during the July 4th extended holiday weekend. Not only had I hoped to see the exhibit, but there was a special showing of Da Vinci recreated works at the National Gallery of Art's Library. It seemed like the perfect way to spend the day.

Except that when I arrived at the library, it was closed. There was a problem with some of the internal workings at the library and they had to fix it quickly. Thus, I was foiled in the main part of my quest. 

But since this was a quest, that meant that there could (and would) be side quests. 

I headed over to the eastern building of the National Gallery of Art. It was about a 20 minute walk in the hot and steaming sun. Washington DC is built over a swamp and the summer climate reflects that. I was sweating enough to fill a bucket by the time I got to the museum and when I arrived, the main floor was filled with people. The first Saturday of the month is when the museum hosts an activity for patrons, but is mostly geared towards kids (not that that's ever stopped me from joining in). It wasn't Da Vinci related. The activity was drawing fireworks over a DC cityscape. 

My objective lay in a corner of the museum not easily seen from the entrance. In fact, despite having gone to this museum my whole life, I'd never been in this area or even knew about it. 

The library at the museum is small, but held enough room for a few fun experiments and games for kids to do that related to Da Vinci's scientific side of his work. One area had enlarged photos of different people from Da Vinci's work "The Last Supper". It surrounded a table filled with reference books explaining Da Vinci's paintings.

Another set of tables was set up with museum library employees with more books, but these books were a little different. I really should have taken some pictures because these books were all recreations of Da Vinci's personal journals and notebooks. Each were made to look like they might have just recently been held by the artist with ink spots, artificial aging, and and even finger prints. According to the librarian I spoke with, each was accurate to it's original. 

This is where I learned how steampunk Leonardo Da Vinci thought about his experimental drawings. There were tons of gears and pipes that look like sketches out of a patent from the Industrial Revolution or a Miyazaki movie (not all, but many of his movies have a steampunk aesthetic like Castle in the Sky, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, and Howl's Moving Castle). I was especially intrigued by his telescope designs that wouldn't be invented for another hundred years and the intricate geometric three dimensional like shapes he did as illustrations for a friend's book.

It was also here, that I learned more about Da Vinci's quirks such as his preference for mirror writing (where you can only read what is written by looking in a mirror) and had it confirmed that Da Vinci was indeed queer (the librarian went on a passionate speech about the subject and evidence available). Additionally, the fact that Da Vinci's drawings were so meticulous in a time when paper wasn't as plentiful as it is today. Even his sketches had a fine, confident ink stroke to them that I can only dream of having. 

Side quest complete, I spent the rest of the day exploring the (relatively) recently reopened eastern wing on the museum before going to the folklife festival on the Mall. My initial quest objective might not have been completed, but I still had a great day and learned a lot.

This week, I finally did make it to the Martin Luthor King Jr. Library. 

My friend and I were already planning a trip into the city to see the all female (cis and transgender women) and non-binary casting of 1776 (you can read about that experience here). My friend wasn't having the best week and I wanted to make it a fun time for her. 

Originally, I had hoped we'd go to the library before the play and have lunch in Chinatown. However, timing wasn't on our side and we ended up going straight to the Kennedy Center - a new side quest was unlocked, though it had nothing to do with Da Vinci. We ended up taking a free tour of the Kennedy Center (hey look another free thing to do in DC) and learning about the many donations and art pieces from other countries. Coincidently, Italy had the biggest contribution to the Kennedy Center with their donation of all of the white marble that makes up the building. 

One thing I've learned from all this is that Italy knows how to treat the arts.

After the play, my friend and I braved DC rush hour to visit the museum. The ladies at the National Art Gallery said that going after work was actually a great time to go, since there shouldn't be much of a wait to get in. We arrived and checked in right away. The lady at the desk waved us downstairs and the Italian representative checked us in.

The room with the 12 sketches was dark, with only the illuminated drawings. There was an interactive portion with QR codes that allowed you to listen to an explanation as well. I simply enjoyed looking at the sketches, especially the perpetual motion machine.

The perpetual motion machine in question.

Da Vinci was certainly a man ahead of his time. He had ideas for drills, indoor plumbing, and studies of fountains. His notes, in his famous mirror writing, were all over the pages - which were distinct from other people's notes which appeared as standard Italian writing. 

After viewing the drawings, my quest was complete. 

Or so I thought. 

As my friend and I were about the leave the exhibit, the Italian curator mentioned that there was a back room with a solar clock built based on Da Vinci's designs. It was a short, but no less cool final side quest. 

Dolce & Gabbana were one of the sponsors of the exhibit and therefore wanted to show off their watches. They had a few displays of their fancy wrist watches, but the really cool piece they provided was the tall solar clock. 

It wasn't moving when my friend and I saw it, but I could see how it would work. It included time keeping for seconds, minutes, and hours as any clock does, but also included the month and zodiac sun sign. 

The side quest was short, but rounded out my journey just in time to enjoy dinner in Chinatown (or at least what passes as Chinatown in DC). 

Though I might

If you'd like to see the exhibit, the Martin Luthor King Jr. Library is open 7 days a week, some days as late as 9:00PM. It's short enough for people to check if out after work and miss the worst of rush hour traffic. I learned a lot, including how steampunk Da Vinci was, which is why I think we can just call him Leo from now on. It's much more punk than the formal Leonardo. 

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to a New Kind of 1776

It seems like every year I make a post about one of my favorite musicals: 1776. I grew up watching it every 4th of July and this year was no different. 

I also swore to myself that I wouldn't write anything about the show this year. What more was there for me to say?

A few months ago, I started getting ads on my YouTube videos (can't imagine how the algorithm learned of my love of musical theater) for a new version of 1776, one that was a little different from all other iterations. It would star a diverse cast of actors who were either, ciswomen, transgender women, or non-binary people. 

I had to see it.

And this past week, my friend and I took a trip out to the Kennedy Center. My friend had never seen the play and wasn't familiar with it - though she knew the American legends behind it (we're both graduates of the American public school system after all). She enjoyed the show. I admit that I was looking forward to seeing the changes and differences that had to have been made for this iteration. While, there were some noticeable changes (the cast for example), the current play sticks very close to the original book. 

Some notable changes (minus the cast) were changes to the music accompanying songs like "The Egg", "Mama Look Sharp", and "Molasses to Rum", an update to Abagail's "talk" with John in "Yours, Yours, Yours" asking for him to think of the women (which is a direct quote from one of her letters to John), the inclusion of projections especially with examples of American's right to assembly and petition in the song "The Egg", the removal of two minor characters (Leather Apron is often removed, but I was surprised by the removal of Mr. Morris from New York), Jefferson was shown with a black slave in some scenes, and a truly diabolical change to the presentation of "Molasses to Rum". 

The cast was excellent and even doubled up in some roles. The person playing Abigail Adams also played Rev. Jonathan Witherspoon, while Martha Jefferson and Dr. Lyman Hall were played by the same person. I wouldn't have noticed this change because the costuming is really good at making each character distinct. 

Accents also flew around the stage like migrating birds. I expected the accents from Col. McKean (the character has a very Scottish way of talking that adds charm to the character) and the southern delegates, especially Edward Rutledge and Joseph Hewes. However, the accents used by the actors playing Thomas Jefferson and Richard Henry Lee weren't expected, but were delightful. The person playing Richard Henry Lee performed a particularly good "The Lees of Old Virginia". 

My favorite song "Mama Look Sharp" was presented a little more seriously from the beginning. Without Leather Apron as a character, his youthful optimism was given to McNair (who is usually played older and more jaded). The music became more soulful, rather than the original accompaniment that mimicked music on the battlefield. Additionally, members of the cast came out all dressed in black to sing the harmony verse. It was just as moving as the original and there wasn't a dry eye in the theater - my self of course included. 

I also jumped about a foot in the air when they shot off a gun early in the song. 

One of the best changes was to the song "Molasses to Rum". This song is incredibly important as it's part of the emotional climax. It's diabolical and doesn't shy away from the sins of America's past with slavery. If done poorly, the impact is lost - and I've seen it done poorly. 

I'm not sure how to describe the musical changes, but the person playing Rutledge knew how to toe the line between Southern gentleperson and evil overlord. The black members of the cast, minus those playing Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, removed their outer costumes so they were in black pants and white shirts representing the slaves who were brought to the Americas against their will. They had a fantastically choreographed dance that punctuated the horrors. Other cast members sat at two tables boxing in the dancers, like the sides of ships, and banged on the tables while chanting parts of the song that had only originally belonged to Rutledge. The sound of whips was removed.

It was a dramatic and totally serious performance. For a play with a lot of fun jokes and reminds the audience of the humanity and fallibility of the founding fathers, this song tosses all the laughter at the window to play the horror straight. 

The musical 1776 has never shied away from the issue of slavery. It's a climatic and dramatic conflict in the play that is devoid of the laughter of other issues to obtain independence presented. This version included a silent character who appeared in select scenes with Thomas Jefferson - a black slave - who disappears when the other characters arrive. The scenes highlight the hypocrisy of the founding fathers demanding their freedom, while profiting from the slavery of black Americans. I think only four of the founders - including John Adams - did not own slaves.

This subtilty is a good addition and is a great example of visual story telling.

Overall, I'm very happy with this version of the play. If you get a chance, I recommend seeing it. It's flawed, but so are it's subjects. It inspired Hamilton and teaches that America's founders are not the myths we're taught.

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to the Jersey Shore Habitat

When people think of the beach, they may have some misconceptions about America’s Armpit: New Jersey. The MTV show of the 2000s and 2010s featured a bunch of people from Staten Island (which is in New York by the way) being as stereotypical as possible. This was “The Jersey Shore” for many.

But growing, I spent time in South Jersey, north of Cape May and the Wildwoods (there are a few), on a 7-mile island (conveniently called 7-Mile Island). The beaches on this island were smaller, well guarded, and fairly shallow. It was perfect for families wanting a safe area for their kids to enjoy - and it still is.

From my (limited) experience, New Jersey takes care of the beaches. Each town provides seasonal tags the produce enough revenue for lifeguards and cleaning crews. Their sand dunes are well protected and high, preventing damages from storms. Even after super storm Sandy in 2012, the beaches were ready for the 2013 season.

Picture of Ocean City, NJ.

But the Jersey Shore isn’t just an excellent place for people, it’s also a fantastic habitat for plants and animals. Laughing Gulls are a dime a dozen - stalking people foolish enough to bring food to the beach - however, the rarer Red Knots can also be spotted on their migration from Mexico to Canada, stuffing themselves on horseshoe crab eggs to complete the journey. 7-Mile Island has two bird sanctuaries, along with a protected area at the southern tip of the island, and a Wetlands Institute that educates visitors on local marine wildlife.

Cacti can be seen in the sand dunes, while sea grass and kelp will wash up during a bad storm. There are rocks for an octopus to hide and barnacles to stick to. The brackish water of the back bays that separate the many barrier islands from the mainland are good spawning area for sharks and fish. Plenty of filter feeders like clams and muscles hang out in those waters too.

Even bunnies and rabbits call the islands home. They have very few predators on the islands (apart from people’s pet dogs which are supposed to be on leashes).

Off the coast of New Jersey, the state has started building artificial reefs for animals, fishermen, and divers. They sink boats and other materials (even a whole subway car in some reports) to build the reefs. It’s part of an effort to keep the ocean habitat diverse and healthy.

Though I didn’t see them this year, a family of dolphins tend to hang out at the southern tip of 7-Mile Island. They’re far enough away that people can’t really get to them, but ever year someone tries to swim out to them. The lifeguards blow their whistles and, if the people are really stupid, bring out a life boat to rescue the morons. Not only is the surf strong going out to sea once you can’t touch the bottom, the dolphins also aren’t very friendly and will bludgeon anything that gets to near.

However if you see the dolphins, you can rest assure that sharks in the area have scattered. 

Yes, sharks are off the Jersey coast (like in ever ocean), however the shallower waters only provide easy access for sand sharks and dogfish to come close. Earlier this year (2023), a surfer was bitten by a shark, but they was fine.

Remember, the ocean isn’t just your playground. It’s an ecosystem and habitat that provides food and shelter to a lot of plants and animals. Migratory birds enjoy the layover before flying north to Canada. Turtles and horseshoe crabs feel safe enough to lay their eggs. You can go dolphin and whale watching. You might even spot a bunny or two.

100 years ago, hardly anyone lived on 7-Mile Island. Now there’s summer houses from North to Southern tip. It’s only three blocks wide from East to West. And rising seas could swallow it whole.

Welcome to the real Jersey Shore.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, comment, and/or share it. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to the Tragedy Story

 Tragedy: trag-e-dy (noun)

1. an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe.
2. a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character.

Source: dictionary.com

Back in Shakespeare’s, plays that had a happy ending were called comedies. These are the As You Like Its, Merry Wives of Windsors,  and Much Ado About Nothings. Plays that had an unhappy ending (i.e. where everybody died) were called tragedies. These are the Anthony and Cleopatras, Hamlets, and Romeo and Juliettes. The tragedies were also what my education primarily focused on (though I preferred the comedies).

I have a distinct memory of my 9th grade class reading Romeo and Juliette and realizing how dumb said characters are after being promised this amazingly beautiful tragic romance. I have been disappointed in the play ever since.

My question is why? Why are the tragedies so famous and beloved (or at least built up in popular culture)? Why is Romeo’s and Juliette’s relation held up as the greatest romance when the snarky relationship between Beatrice and Benedick is right freaking there!

At least Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy and Liza Bennet are much more fondly remembered as good couple goals (mostly by woman) compared to Charlotte Brontë’s Rochester and Jane. 

Regardless of the quality of the relationships, tragedies and tragic stories hold a place in our story telling back pockets.

I recently saw the ballet Swan Lake, one of the most famous ballets (I’m told it’s more famous than The Nutcracker, but that’s another argument I’m not getting into) in the world. I was somewhat familiar with the story, having seen The Swan Princess (the Disney knock-off movie) as a small child. That movie gets the whole Disney treatment with a “and they lived happily ever after” and a million direct to video/dvd/streaming sequels.

The ballet ends differently.

Spoilers: the main love characters die.

Though I probably wouldn’t have realized they had died if I hadn’t read the program. It wasn’t the clearest ending other than the bad guy getting his arm ripped off during the final battle. It’s all very symbolic. However there is a final kiss, so if you didn’t read the program you could have easily assumed they “lived happily ever after”.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the ballet. The dancing was wonderful.

“Swan Lake” isn’t the only tragic ballet. In fact, it seems to be a popular genre in ballet. Giselle, Madame Butterfly, and even - sigh - Romeo and Juliette are all extremely popular and well known ballets.

Seriously, what is the appeal of a sad, ten tissue story? I just don’t understand why society, myself included enjoys these stories. Normally, I want something happy to entertain me.

Or maybe I do understand…

In 2019, I was going through a rough time having been laid off and ghosted by some really good potential job leads. A very good friend of mine took me to see Hadestown - an updated story on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. 

For those of you unfamiliar with the myth, spoilers: it’s a tragedy. Orpheus fails in his mission to bring Eurydice back from the dead.

I went into the musical with only the knowledge that it was an update to the myth. The opening song “The Road to Hell” introduces the characters, their roles in the story, and that the story is a tragedy, but they “were going to sing anyway”. As the play went one, I hoped that the ending wouldn’t be myth accurate. I wanted the things to end happily. 

Then the song “Doubt Comes In” is sung. It’s the third to last song and about how Orpheus has learned so much and he isn’t the happy-go-lucky naive, but determined boy anymore. He’s world weary and uncertain. He knows he could fail.

And he does.

The penultimate song is a retread of “The Road to Hell”. It reminds us that this story is a tragedy and that they’re going to sing it again and again, hoping that the ending will be different, knowing it won’t. “It’s a sad song, but we sing it anyway,” says Hermes - the lead to the Greek Chorus.

I loved it.

It was cathartic.

I wasn’t in the best place in my life and Hadestown allowed me to experience and express my sadness and frustration in a controlled environment. I was able to work through my emotions using characters going through their own trials and tribulations. The characters had failed and I felt like I was failing at life in that moment (I wasn’t but that was the feeling). 

I also loved the jazz music.

I’m currently reading the book Babel: or the Necessity of Violence by R. F. Kuang. By the title alone, I wouldn’t be able to guess if the book is going to have a happy or unhappy ending. I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s going to be unhappy and tragic, but cathartic. It’s about magic, the power of words and knowledge, early Victorian England, and colonialism. The main character was saved by a man who might be his father, while the rest of his family died of Cholera. He’s taken from his home in China to England and at first it seems like a wonderful opportunity for the orphaned boy. He’s trained in Latin and Greek and is accepted to Oxford’s translation program. However, the boy has questions. Why won’t the man explain his real relation to the boy? Who was the “previous one” he’s heard about? And why didn’t the man also chose to save his mother like he had been saved?

So far, I’ve only been able to answer one of the questions. Another is speculated at in the book. However, that last question, which the boy has asked over and over, has yet to be explicitly answered. It’s the lack of answer that gives us the biggest hint and allows the reader to infer that the man just didn’t see the boy’s mother as all that important. The boy is what the man wanted, the woman (who was also Chinese) was inconsequential to him.

It is hinted that the only answers the boy is going to ever receive are going to be awful and horrible. There isn’t a happy ending for the boy’s curiosity. So, what choices will he make. My guess, for a cathartic ending, is tragedy.

In comparison, I recently finished a book called Whalefall by Daniel Kraus (the book comes out in August, I won an advanced Readers Copy). This book has a “happy ending”. It’s a horror/thriller novel, so by happy I mean that the main character lives at the end. However, I’d classify this book as a tragedy because the main character, Jay, fails in his mission to find his father’s bones while diving off the California coast. The book covers the break down between Jay and his father’s relationship all while Jay is trying to escape being swallowed by a whale. Jay’s oxygen is getting low. He’s slowly being crushed by the whale’s muscles, depth pressure, and guilt.

It’s a painful book to read, but cathartic. I’d recommend it to people who have strained relationships with loved ones. There were times I needed to put the book down and just sit with my feelings.

And that’s why I like some tragedies. 

I originally asked: why do we like tragic stories? 

My conclusion is that that provide an emotional catharsis. They let people work through their own negative emotions in a controlled environment. It’s okay to cry when the main characters die. It’s okay to feel disappointed when they fail. Life isn’t all sunshine and roses when we forget that the sun can burn and roses have painful thorns. 

After all, everyone’s life story ends in death - which is a type of tragedy.

What are some of your favorite tragedies. Please let me know in comments.

If you enjoyed this post - or it really pissed you off - please like, share, and/or, leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.