Oscar Day Razzle Dazzle

I slept so late, I didn't get up until past 11! Brunch With the Beatles was saluting George Harrison, whose birthday was in February, when I finally did get out of bed. His solo hits "What Is Life?" and "My Sweet Lord" were joined by three childhood favorites, "Blow Away," "All Those Years Ago," and "Got My Mind Set On You."

I made Strawberry Ginger Pancakes, using the last of the evaporated milk leftover from the rice pudding earlier in the week. Yum! They came out moist and rich. Tastiest pancakes I've made in a while. I tried calling Mom, but my sister Anny and her son Skylar were visiting. She'd call back later.

After the show ended, I switched from my radio to the record player. My sister Rose was the first person to introduce me to Les Miserables in the early 90s, when she picked up a copy of a cassette of highlights on a school trip to New York City. I was blown away the moment I heard it. I'd never heard a musical that was so, well, musical, or as dramatic. I had that cassette for years after Rose finally turned it over to me, and I also owned the video of the "Dream Cast" concert for a while. I finally replaced the cassette with a double LP version of the original Broadway cast I found at Russakoff's in Philadelphia a few years ago; the record set has more music.

There's a reason I don't listen to Les Mis more often, even though I love the music and badly want to see the movie. It depresses the heck out of me. It's also long, and since it's more-or-less an opera, you pretty much need to hear most, if not all, of the music to have any idea of what's going on. It's rare that I have the time to run the whole thing.

Musical fans, however, should hear this at least once. Even if it was too bombastic to work as something more than a fluke, it's a wonderful fluke, with some fabulous songs and one of the most melodramatic storylines in the history of musical theater.

Mom finally called while the records were playing. She was happy that Dad is finally starting to work out (she's worried about his ballooning weight for years), but is worried about Anny. Anny lost her job at Big Lots a few weeks ago. She claims that Anny's boss from Big Lots kept her from getting unemployment. I don't know how he did that; Anny is a single mother with a child to support. Shouldn't that matter more?

Made a quick trip to CVS after my chat with Mom. I needed milk rather badly. Also wanted to replace the headband Mom gave me a few Christmases ago. It does hold my hair well....but the plastic was so thin, it was already cracking. I bought a set of three that were not only thicker and sturdier plastic, but held my hair just as well. Grabbed some Dawn dishwashing liquid, too. (For some reason, drug stores always have the best sales on dishwashing liquid.)

I cheered myself up with a switch to the soundtrack from the Oscar-winning movie version of Chicago. I was thrilled when this won in 2002. It was the first musical to win an Oscar for best picture since 1969's Oliver. Unlike Oliver, there were no complaints about Chicago not being relevant enough for the Oscars. There's a reason the Broadway revival is still running; it's probably more relevant now than it was when the stage show debuted in 1975. (Apparently, the stage show was initially overshadowed by the runaway success of A Chorus Line in the 70s.) Catherine Zeta-Jones deserved her Oscar as Velma Kelly, the murderess who is overshadowed by ambitious newcomer Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger). Queen Latifa was fabulous as the prison matron Mama Morton; Richard Gere was almost as good as the amoral attorney who represents both ladies and gets to sing the show's most famous number, "Razzle Dazzle." I also love John C. Reilly's "Mr. Cellophane."

Chicago ended just in time for me to head to work. It was much busier at the Acme tonight than it was last night, and a bit less dull. Otherwise, there were no major problems, and I was in and out.