What's in a Name?

I found this Fiction Friday topic amusing, as my baby is coming soon, b'shaah tovah, and we had quite a struggle to come up with a boy name, just in case we should need it. I figured that I should at least write something for this topic!

Here is the topic for this week's [Fiction] Friday:
It would seem that celebrities choose some interesting names for their offspring. Write a scene where a (fictional) famous person announces the name of their newest child along with justification or reasons why the name was chosen and their attempt to ‘normalise’ it.

The Name Game

After changing out of my work clothes into a pair of cozy maternity sweats, I decide to settle on the couch for another episode of my favorite Hollywood gossip show. This evening, they are featuring Belle Reynolds, the latest "it girl," in her hospital room after having her first baby. I don't know how she manages to look so good after giving birth only a few hours prior. Her hair is perfect and she's wearing a fresh application of makeup. Max Anderson is standing over her ever so intrusively with his microphone jammed in her face.

"So, Belle, tell us what you're naming this little bundle of joy."

"Well, Max," Belle says demurely as she flashes a dazzling smile to the camera, "we've chosen to name our little boy Bennigan, after the restaurant chain that has met their demise. Someone should be able to carry on the name."

"Bennigan, huh? Don't you think with a name like that, he's doomed for failure?"

"Hardly! Bennigan's had the best French onion soup and mozzarella sticks, not to mention their sandwiches that were out of this world. They only failed because they didn't have the spark that my boy will surely have."

The conversation on the television is making me hungry, like most things are these days, so I head into the kitchen to make myself a sandwich. Just then, the door opens bringing my husband in from out of the cold.

"Hey sweetie. How was your day?"

"Decent. This baby was kicking me like there was no tomorrow. It was hard to concentrate. Anyway, guess what Belle Reynolds named her baby?"

"I have no clue. I don't keep up with the celebrity gossip."

"Bennigan! After her favorite restaurant, no less. I was thinking we could name our baby that way too."

"We're not calling the baby Olive Garden."

"Olive is a cute name for a girl though. I've heard of more people naming their kids Olive these days."

"Don't you think people will call her Olive Oyl or something to that extent? And Garden is not the middle name I had in mind for any of my future kids."

"I don't know. You try to think of something better or there won't be any plans for future kids."

"Hmmm...how about Ponderosa? Or Fuddrucker? Maggiano could work too."

"Now you're just being silly," I say as I nudge my husband in his ribcage. "I really think Olive would be a pretty name for our little girl."

"Well, it can't be worse than Bennigan and at least the Olive Garden hasn't tanked yet. They do have good breadsticks. Speaking of which, want to go out for dinner while we still don't have to hire a sitter? The O.G. is having an all you can eat pasta special."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go now before our little Olive decides to make her appearance."

Celebrate good times, come on!

I was riding home from work today and the song "Celebration" by Kool and the Gang came on. I was immediately reminded of when I used to go to Bar/Bat Mitzvah parties as a kid. I learned this whole dance to the song (it was like the electric slide in that it repeated itself in different directions) and would practice it in the basement with my sister and my BFF. There was one time when I was one of the only girls at a Bar Mitzvah party (no complaints about that) and all the moms wanted me to teach them the dance. Nowadays, I couldn't even attempt to remember the dance even if I wanted to. I guess I need to watch my Bat Mitzvah video again.

The other big thing at these parties was the hula hoop competition. Once again, my sister, my BFF and I practiced hula hooping for hours in the basement. We'd even master the different stunts, such as going on our knees, lifting one leg, turning around, etc. I had it mastered for my own Bat Mitzvah party but then got flustered by the end and my sister won the contest. In 2002 (going into 2003), I tried to do a hula hoop contest at First Night Evanston and failed miserably. I just didn't have the moves anymore.

Oh, to be a pre-teen again!

Friendship Friday returns...at least for today

I haven't done a Friendship Friday post in a long time, but have been thinking of two friends whom I wanted to talk about for a while and didn't get around to it before I lost my motivation to keep this theme going...

These two friends are K.M. and N.L.. I'm posting about them together because there's a bond between the three of us.

I met K.M. during freshman year of high school. We used to pick on each other by being generally obnoxious and flipping each other the bird. Don't ask. Then we were hanging out one day and talking and something just fell into place, turning us from "frenemies" into actual friends. Soon, we started hanging out all the time and we'd create lots of inside jokes together. We became inseperable after a while, almost like Romy and Michele. We still had times of tension in our friendship, but then things would get back to normal, like those times never happened. After we graduated, we connected in a different way and when we started dating our first boyfriends, we had more to talk about in that area of life. We also went on double dates from time to time. I'd get together with her any time I was home for a school break. We continued to stay close friends, no matter what was going on in our lives. Then we joined the bowling league together in 2001 with two other friends and continued to stay connected through it. As we became adults and our lives took us in different directions altogether (mine taking me out of state after a while), we continued to stay connected through the Internet and we also would see each other at gatherings when I was back in town. I have a feeling that no matter where either of us goes or what either of us does, we'll always find a way to be a part of each other's lives. I hope that she is happy with whatever she does in life and whatever comes her way.

I met N.L. during senior year of high school. She's from Amsterdam and was on an exchange program in the U.S., which happened to bring her to our school. I'm so grateful for that! I connected with her through K.M. and then we had some classes together, so we became close that way too. After we graduated, she stayed in the U.S. for another month and spent one week at our house while her hosts were out of town. It was like an extended slumber party! On one of her last nights here, I took K.M. and her to see "Rocky Horror." We went to a carnival beforehand and then hung out talking for a long time before the movie started. She got a poster from the theater and I was happy to see it posted on her wall in a photo she sent me. Until we both got e-mail accounts, we'd send letters back and forth in the mail.
E-mail definitely opened the communication gateway for us though. When I got married in 2004, N.L. flew back to the U.S. to spend a few weeks with us prior to the wedding and then stayed at our condo with our cat while we were on our honeymoon. It was so special to have her back here and we enjoyed catching up. I even introduced her to some more friends during her visit and she's still connected with them, as well. In 2005, my firstborn son happened to be born on her birthday, so I was excited for them to be birthday pals. Then she shared her own baby news with me shortly after my son's arrival and gave birth to an adorable little girl the following spring. From what I can tell on Facebook and through e-mails, things are going really well for her. I hope they continue to go well. I also enjoy seeing all the pictures she posts of herself, her daughter, and the cakes she decorates.

There was a short period of time in high school when one toxic friend tried to split the three of us apart. However, this friend failed at her attempts (we all figured it out at different times) and we all no longer associate with her. It goes to show that our friendship has sustained a lot over time and will continue to stay strong, regardless of where we all live.

Make a run for the Borders....

...Especially if your local Borders store is closing.

Yes, Borders is shutting down stores all over the country due to filing for bankruptcy. The CEO sent a message out last night saying that they're still going to operate the stores that are staying open, as well stay open online.

I guess I kind of saw this coming a couple of years ago, when I went to a Borders in NJ and they were condensing and clearing out their music and movie section. They also had massive clearances on books. It was quite depressing to look at.

A friend of mine posted on his Facebook page that it was ironic how stores like Borders caused independent bookshops to close their doors (such as what was shown in "You've Got Mail") and now the Internet and the rise of e-readers (or mail DVD rentals) is causing the same thing for stores like Borders (and even big DVD rental shops, such as Blockbuster). It's pretty sad how things work in this economy. I don't even think there are any little bookstores in malls anymore, such as B. Dalton (which I last got some good deals at due to a closeout sale) or Waldenbooks. Does anyone remember Kroch and Brentano's or am I the only one? I loved that bookstore when I was younger.

For me, there's nothing like the feel of a bookstore. I love going into shops like Barnes and Noble or Borders and just browsing around for hours looking at the latest books or relaxing with my own book and a cup of tea or hot cocoa. I have fond memories of going to Borders with my friends and looking at books together or finding good deals on CDs. I also have fond memories of B&N, as I met my husband in person for the first time at one of their locations. However, since B&N is sticking around for a while, I don't have as much to say other than that I'm relieved that not all big bookstores are going by the wayside. The Borders I went to the most in Illinois is closing down. It was by a local mall and my friend and I would spend lots of time in there after we met up for dinner. I liked the layout of that Borders, as it was easy to find everything.

I haven't been to a bookstore in a while, thanks to my chick lit blog bringing in lots of review copies of books. However, not all books I want are chick lit themed and I will have to eventually go to the store to get certain ones I want outside of this category. I won a B&N gift card this past winter (thanks to a very cool author doing a contest) and can't wait to put it toward the new Jodi Picoult novel and anything else that might come out within the coming months.

Finally, I want to share my funniest Borders memory. When we lived in NJ and my younger son was a baby, I brought him and my older son to a Borders and bought some books for them. As I was checking out, little did I know but my older son was putting some gift card holders (that looked like stuffed animals) into my younger son's stroller. I didn't see them till we got to the car. Then I was all freaked out and ran back and put them inside the store. They didn't set off an alarm for some reason, but it was pretty crazy anyway. I don't think my older son knew he was stealing, as he was only three at the time. I just found it so funny that he was using his baby brother as an accomplice! Both my sons love books now, so I hope I can take them to bookstores with me and let them pick out books they want. When I was a kid (and even now), buying books was the highlight of any shopping trip. I wouldn't complain if it were the same way for my sons!

It's a moral imperative....

One of my favorite movie lines is from "Real Genius." I love when Val Kilmer's character says "it's a moral imperative." It makes the task at hand sound so important, no matter what it may be. I've discovered that it's a moral imperative to see certain movies.

Several times, I've been told that I have to see "Ghost." The topic of the movie is sad, but if I can read novels about women who become widows at a young age, then I should be able to handle this movie by now.

Last year, our next door neighbor made us see "Casablanca," as he was shocked that we never had seen it before. I wasn't overly impressed with the movie. I was expecting more. I felt that way about "Gone With the Wind" too. I guess I'm not one for classical films. When this same neighbor confessed to having never seen "Office Space," we made him come over that same night so he could finally see it. He now wants us to see "Kentucky Fried Movie."

We also had another friend over toward the end of the year to see "Back to the Future" for the first time in her life.

This (along with other recent confessions of un-seen "classics") has provoked me to make a list of movies that one should not go without seeing at least once in their life.

* "The Princess Bride" (For one of my Chick Lit Central giveaways, I asked everyone to share their favorite quote from this movie. Some people said they had never seen it before. I nearly fell off my chair in shock!)
* "Airplane"
* "Office Space"
* "When Harry Met Sally"
* "Grease"
* "Back to the Future"
* "The Karate Kid" (the original with Ralph Macchio)
* "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
* "Real Genius" (because it's a moral imperative, you know)
* "The Shawshank Redemption" (I gave my VHS of this movie to some friends a long time ago and I think they still have yet to watch it, despite my prodding.)

These are all I could think of for now. They're the ones that I gasp in surprise about when I hear that someone has not seen one of them. I'm sure I'll think of others after the fact, but my mind is drawing a blank for now.

Amazingly, there are still some movies I've never seen and people would probably fall over in shock if I told them which ones.

What movies are on your "moral imperative" list?

Quest for the best

When my sister and I were kids, there would be times when we wanted a certain toy or stuffed animal (or CD/cassette, movie, etc. as we got older). This would send our parents on a quest, usually with us tagging along, till we got what we wanted. One year, it was a Popple (those stuffed animals that would fold into a ball) that just seemed to be out of stock everywhere. We found it somewhere in Florida while we were on vacation. Another time, my sister wanted a stuffed animal version of that furry little creature from "Captain EO." I think it took a few trips to Epcot Center before one was finally able to be found and purchased. When I was in 8th grade, I really wanted the "Sing" soundtrack. I think we searched every record store in the suburbs before finding it (and if the cassette dies, I don't think I can even find it on CD). Then there was the time where we had to get these stuffed reindeers from Burger King (yes, I know we're Jewish but they were these collectible items at the time...I don't even know what the big deal was anymore, come to think of it). We were all piled into a van with our friends in Florida and everyone was ordering kid's meals from the drive up, even though we just ate dinner, just so we could get each type of reindeer they had. (And this was also long before I started keeping Kosher.) Overall, it was a lot of fun family bonding with each item we pursued.

I was reminded of these quests today when I was at Toys R' Us looking for a replacement camera for my older son. I was also on the hunt for a toy acoustic guitar for my younger son. While they had a lot of guitars, the ones that would have worked for him were either broken or had too many bells and whistles, so to speak. He's going to be three and I know he'll be happy with something simple. (I did luck out on the camera though.) I'll probably continue my guitar search till I find something just right for my younger son (and I hope that he'll still be interested at that point).

May the quests continue with their changing interests....

Guiltiest pleasure of them all...

Recently, I had asked readers of my Chick Lit Central blog what their guilty pleasures were, based on a question that we asked an author in an interview. It got me to thinking of my own guilty pleasure. I know we could go with the standard of chocolate, which is pretty obvious. (Just visit me at work on any given day of the week.) However, I have an even guiltier pleasure than that....

For the past few years, I've been addicted to "90210." I'm not talking about the series from the early 90's with Brandon, Brenda and the gang. I'm talking about the new series on the CW starring a bunch of actors that no one has ever heard of prior to the show (aside from Lori Loughlin of "Full House" fame). From the moment the school performed "Spring Awakening" in season one, I was hooked. When Matt Lanter joined the cast mid-season as Liam, I couldn't tear my eyes away. (If I need a distraction from Adam Lambert, I turn to him.) There's something I like about this series vs. the old school series. I get consumed by the story lines and ruminate over them between episodes. (I don't know if it has gotten as far as my "Desperate Housewives" nightmares though.) Just when I worry that the show is going to jump the shark, it just gets even more interesting and entertaining and continues to add new characters either as someone likable or as a villain.

You're probably asking yourself why "90210" of all shows is my guiltiest pleasure. Why not "Desperate Housewives?" Simple...because my husband does not watch "90210" and I don't think I'd even let him watch at this point (since all he would do is make fun of the Peach Pit and compare it to The Max from "Saved by the Bell"). Also, it is a high school drama and I'm a mother in her mid-30's. In any case, I find it impossible to tear my eyes away from this show and I hope it continues to stay on the CW for many more seasons to come.

On Cloud Nine

It was nine years ago today that I walked into Barnes and Noble after a stressful day (locked my keys in the car that morning in freezing cold weather) and saw my husband in person for the first time. We had been talking on the phone and e-mailing a lot prior to that first meeting where he asked me out for hot chocolate (because we both don't drink coffee). When I saw him, I just knew he was the one I was going to marry. I don't know how I knew it at the time, but we just clicked so well right away. Plus, he gave me the "thumbs up" sign on our first date, so that spoke volumes. :) In honor of our nine years together as a couple, I wanted to share nine things I love about my husband. (As you may recall, I shared eight fun facts about us as a couple when we reached eight years together.)

1. His sense of humor. He knows how to make me laugh till I can barely see straight!
2. He's an amazing Abba. The kids are crazy about him and he devotes a lot of time and attention to them.
3. I don't need a doula because he's a great birthing partner (I do call him Paula Ab-doula though). He helped me through my first two births and I know he'll be right by my side for this one too (b'shaah tovah), except during epidural time, of course!
4. He's a fabulous cook, even when he experiments with new recipes. I never have to worry about starving with him around!
5. He's very ambitious and motivated. He loves his job and works hard to always make sure things are going smoothly at work. He studied non-stop this summer to get his project management certification, as well.
6. We always have something new to talk about, which is so important to me. He's a great conversationalist.
7. He's a fantastic photographer and we have his work framed and hanging up all over the house. I'm always proud to tell people that he took the pictures they were admiring.
8. He's very committed to Judaism and being observant, which is important because he keeps us grounded in our faith and always finds new ways to make parashas, Shabbat and holidays interesting for the kids.
9. He puts up with all my craziness (and pregnancy mood swings) and hasn't made a run for it yet. :)

May we make it another 9 years to "chai" and beyond... :)

TGIF!

No, it's not Friday yet, but February also starts with an F. I'm just thrilled to bits that January is finally over and we can move on to the rest of the year. I know I haven't blogged much in the last few weeks. I just haven't been motivated. I've been trying to keep the house clean, reading up a storm, working on my Chick Lit Central blog, dealing with crazy weather, baking (got this new peanut butter bar recipe that just requires some butter melting and refrigeration), taking care of the kids, trying to rest with this pregnancy and shopping (sometimes out of necessity).

Last week, I went to the hospital to get a tour of the maternity ward. I wanted to see it because I was new to this hospital, having given birth in two different states prior to this one. The woman leading the tour reminded me of Gloria from "Modern Family," as I couldn't understand half of what she was saying. I was also the only one there who had given birth before, as she made it feel like a kindergarten class for parents-to-be. The tour was only supposed to go 45 minutes but this went well over an hour and had way too much detail involved. Still, I was relieved to find out that we can use our cell phones and we get free wi-fi. :) The TV costs $5/day once we're in the recovery room, but if I am there during Oscar time, I will deal with that cost. (When I had my younger son, there was no way I was going to miss "American Idol.")

This past week, two of my friends (one local and one from my previous community) had baby girls. I'm very happy for them, but it makes me long for a girl of my own. I still want a healthy baby no matter what, and there are pros to having either gender. My older son does have his heart set on a girl and I worry about disappointing him if it's a boy (even though my younger son would be happy then). My BFF's Magic 8 Ball confirmed that it will be a girl, so we'll just have to see if it really works the way it should! :) Two more of my friends are having babies next week (b'shaah tovah). One is local and one lives far away. I know one will be a boy as she's been talking about it ever since she found out. The other is sending off a strong boy vibe, so we'll just have to see. I'm excited for both of them. It was nice being able to talk about my pregnancy with them this entire time.

In terms of this pregnancy, I plan on it being my last. My husband and I agreed on only three kids a while ago. I was aiming for just two originally, but was okay with three. I knew I wanted another one and chose to get pregnant this past year. I won't miss the morning sickness, but I will miss the feeling of a baby moving around inside me and getting to hold a newborn for the first time. Once my kids grow up, I feel like that's it. I have been writing down the cute things they say and posting them to my blog about them. I love reminding my older son about some of the funny things he said when he was the same age as my younger son. He finds it hilarious too. Anyway, when I was on the hospital tour, I felt unsettled by the fact that my baby will soon be physically detached from me and they'll become a separate entity (i.e., their own person). I didn't give it much thought before, but now it's something that nags at me. I also don't know how I'm going to juggle things with three kids. My older son is very independent but I've been warned that even he could regress. Yikes! I also worry that I'll be jealous of people who are continuously having babies, even though I did choose for this time to be my last. How conflicted is that?!?

In the meantime, I shall list some things I am looking forward to in the coming months, aside from having another baby (b'shaah tovah).
1. Valentine's Day (I still love it.)
2. My 7-year wedding anniversary.
3. My younger son's 3rd birthday/upsherin
4. Purim
5. My family visiting (for younger son's birthday and to meet the baby, b'shaah tovah)
6. "Glee" Super Bowl episode (3 days!!!)

I haven't seen too many movies recently. In January, I saw "Dinner for Schmucks" (pretty funny, but also a train wreck), "The Social Network" (interesting, even though I heard that it's not completely factual) and "Freakonomics" (some parts I liked, some parts I didn't). I also read some good books, all of which I reviewed at Chick Lit Central. I'm currently reading "Night Road" by Kristin Hannah. It's interesting so far and has a Jodi Picoult feel to it. Reminds me of "The Pact" in some ways. Lots of gray area. Earlier in the month, I read "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" by Jamie Ford for the book club I'm in from my community. It was also a well written story, but I thought the ending was kind of forced and a bit sappy. Still, a worthwhile read!

I got the soundtrack to "Free to Be You and Me" from Value Village. I think I enjoy it as much as my kids do. The first time I remember hearing the song was when I went to overnight camp the summer before my freshman year of high school. Some of the words were changed around and they kept inserting one of the counselors' names in it. They also added the name of the camp in there too. Then I went to a "nostalgia night" during freshman year of college and some people were acting out scenes from FTBYAM. Afterward, we watched the video in someone's dorm room. It was really cute. Then I didn't give it much thought till I moved to NJ and one of my friends had bought the DVD for her kids. A friend might get me the DVD soon, so that would be cool.

My "Little Shop of Horrors" soundtrack cassette has died though. I need to get it on CD. I love that soundtrack! I hope to find it someplace soon. I was so glad when someone sent me the "Joseph..." soundtrack, even though my younger son has become addicted to it. In order to not become satiated of the music, I found a bunch of kids' CDs to play in the car. I hope the variety will be helpful!

Other than that, I have an annoying cough that I wish would go away! I'm just taking Tylenol Cold for it since that's safe for the baby. I'm hoping some cough drop brands will be safe too. I can't take it much longer!

Till next time....

Broadway Baby

I've posted in great detail about a few musicals with which I am obsessed. Namely, "Rent", "In the Heights", "Joseph..." and "Wicked". I still love all these musicals and listening to the Original Broadway Cast recordings always takes me back to the feeling of when I saw the live performances.

However, I haven't talked as much about some other musicals that I love. I thought I'd put together a little list.

1. "Miss Saigon": "Rent" isn't the only Broadway musical that is based on an opera. "Miss Saigon" is a modern adaptation of "Madame Butterfly." It's a heartbreaking story, and the music makes me cry whenever I hear it. I love listening to Lea Salonga's portrayal of Kim, the Vietnamese girl whose American soldier husband is forced to leave her behind with their son and move on with his life. The sacrifice she makes for her son is so sad. It's impossible not to cry through the show. There are some entertaining and funny songs too though, thanks to the Engineer (played perfectly on the Broadway recording by Jonathan Pryce). I originally saw it in downtown Chicago where they were able to land a helicopter on stage. I liked the music at the time but had trouble getting into the story. I was 16 though. I saw it again at a smaller theater where the focus was on the story and the music instead of the scenery. This time, I sobbed throughout. I was 25 this time. It was a cathartic experience and the intimacy of the stage made the story feel that much more intense.

2. "Les Miserables": This is by the same producer as "Miss Saigon," oddly enough. I like it mostly for the music. The songs are so memorable and easy to follow along with. George even got "Master of the House" stuck in his head on an episode of "Seinfeld." :) I've seen it on stage four times. I was 15 the first time and just liked it for the songs at that time. When I saw it again at age 21, I was crying so hard that my glasses kept fogging up. That was probably the best performance. The two times I saw it after that were enjoyable, but didn't carry the same momentum. In any case, it's hard to see "Les Miz" and not sing along! I sing the songs to my kids all the time, as well.

3. "Avenue Q": I first wanted nothing to do with this musical because it won for best musical instead of "Wicked" at the Tony Awards. Then a year or so later, I heard that it was worth listening to the OBC recording, so I decided to give it a chance. Then I was laughing out loud and kept wanting to listen more often. In 2007, I finally got to see it on Broadway and it was even funnier that way. It's like "Reality Bites" meets "Sesame Street." Lots of puppets swearing and talking about sex. My favorite songs are "Schadenfraude" and "I Wish I Could Go Back to College," as I can relate to both. I also love that a woman plays Gary Coleman. It would probably be weird to see it now that Gary Coleman is dead, but who knows?!?

4. "Guys and Dolls": I've only seen school productions, but I really enjoy the music. We learned a lot about it in musical theater class when I was in high school and I found the soundtrack to be very addictive. It has that old school musical feel and it's just a lot of fun.

5. "Into the Woods": I've seen it at a community theater, at my old high school and at a professional performance at the Marriott Lincolnshire (same small theater that did "Miss Saigon" so well). I still can't get enough of it. I love all the songs and the dialogue. My favorite motto comes from it, as well: "Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor." I also love the PBS performance with Bernadette Peters that I have on video. There's just something so appealing about it and I can never seem to tear myself away.

6. "Little Shop of Horrors": I've also seen various stage versions of this musical (at different professional levels). I last saw it in downtown Chicago when I was pregnant with my older son. It's such a fun musical with great songs by the same songwriting team that brought us "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast." I first fell in love with it through the movie with Rick Moranis that came out in 1986. I listened to the soundtrack all the time after that. Some songs are different in the stage production and the ending is changed, but it's still enjoyable to watch.

7. "Tick Tick Boom": Jonathan Larson wrote this before he wrote "Rent." It's a one act musical but tells an interesting story through dialogue and some fun and interesting songs. The whole feel of the musical is very powerful and there are only three performers who do the entire show. I got to see it with Christian Campbell (Neve Campbell's brother who also starred in "Trick"), Wilson Cruz (Rickie from "My So-Called Life") and Nikki Snelson (played Brooke in "Legally Blonde" on Broadway). I even got to meet the actors after the show. So it brings back special memories for me.

I'm sure I could list quite a few others (such as "Aida," "The Drowsy Chaperone," "Beauty and the Beast," etc.), but these were the ones that stuck out the most for me from all the musicals I've seen.

I'm not as impressed with what is on Broadway nowadays, but I hope someone will write a good musical again soon. I do want to see "Next to Normal" when it comes to DC. I'd also love to see "The Last Five Years," as I've been listening to the soundtrack for the last seven years and still love it.