Just Jot it January is the brainchild of Linda G. Hill.
Memories
I can hear Babs singing it right now. I never saw Cats but in voice-class, this was a favorite. I loved that class. Because I got to take it eight times (four for voice and four for accompaniment–which I was allowed to still use for voice. I hated accompaniment. My eye-hand coordination is worse when stressed and being the one playing on stage nearly killed me. I loved singing. I was afraid at first but soon was able to use the butterflies to my benefit.
After eight semesters I was able to take voice lessons from the teacher. I LOVED that! Soon I was able to sing with friends or alone at churches and other events. I loved hanging out with my musical friends, singing harmonies, playing musical games. Ah! Memories!
When I had to move from the area life took over and all that went by the way-side. If I had to sing solos now I would be a nervous wreck. But I miss it. I must find a way to add making music to my daily schedule.
I’m not good at being audience. I can’t sit still long enough. But in those days I got to be in a couple musicals, My Fair Lady – chorus and Oliver (Old Sally). I like singing in the chorus. I got to be the screechy high soprano because most couldn’t get the notes. I’d like to think I was okay. Mostly it was fun being a part of the production. Musicals are my favorite type of music. I like my music to come with stories. I like acting it all out. No talking parts for me. Makes me too nervous. I can remember song words, not spoken.
Into the Woods, Phantom of the Opera, Yentl, and Les Miserable are among my favorites. What are yours?
Darswords 
Les Mis, forever. Just love it, love, love, love. Read it in French and English, watched all the movies, which are not all good, lol, seen the musical a dozen times, sing it often, (I do a good Eponine) love, love, love!
The Mister despises musicals, which is quite sad.
Wow, read it in French?! I don’t think any of my languages are strong enough for that. I didn’t take French and only sub-taught French once but all the answers were at hand and it was conjugations which were similar enough to Spanish/Latin to get me and the students by.
Did you read the abridged or unabridged? I did the unabridged but didn’t care for the French history which wasn’t taught in our schools. For the most part I find history boring=wars, men’s names, dates=yawn.
My friends and I would gather after voice class on the stage and either I or another friend would play the songs and the rest of us take our parts. I could do the Cosette but chose Eponine in A Heart Full of Love until the last notes where I did the Cosette high note.
My kids were raised on this stuff and as much as they moaned they each have their story of being with their own friend when any musical began or was talked about they could do one better and laugh about it.
Both my hubs tolerated and I think this second and forever hubby loves them. Otherwise it might be time for another divorce. (JK)
Yeah, each of the musicals got the full research and needed me to go through the music and analyse (music major) progressions. If there was an original book (Phantom of the Opera, etc) I read them. I collect the books, CDs, sheet music, etc. By the way, the Sondheim storybook for Into the Woods is WONDERFUL!.
At least one of my offspring inherited this music bug. He belongs to a band that is quite active in Reno. It keeps him alive like music has done for me all these years (even the piano that I think wanted to kill me since I was 5 years old).
I love Phantom and Into the Woods, too! 🙂 Well, I love a lot of them, including old televised ‘restored to color’ ones on the tv.
I don’t recall what version I read in French, but I’m likely to think it was unabridged in both cases, because by the time I finished the French one, the first 50 or so pages were falling apart, because it was so thick! I don’t think I could read it now, my French used to be fluent, and I rarely get to practice
You sound like a music person in the way I cannot be, because not musician. But I love your passion for it, and am so glad my family is full of people like you 🙂
Talking about the reading of Les Mis brought up memories, too. I couldn’t read the last chapter I was crying so hard. Val Jean reminded me of my grandfather who had recently passed of Parkinson’s. (That was 26 years or so ago.) Just the man’s kind, loving ways. Only the newest movie covered him the way I thought the book did. But you got me wanting to pull out my CDs and start singing them again!
I hope someday I can read a big book like Les Miserable in another language. I’m jealous when others have two languages they can play in.
It is nice to have friends who have other passions than our own to expand our view, don’t you think? But thanks for saying that. And all your comments. It means a lot to me.
It really is, it’s wonderful to be around people who enrich our lives 🙂
Yes! Say, I was just replying to your comment about women and choices or not of home/work and it disappeared before I finished. I was just going to say I agree with you! I don’t know what happened but a big red thing flashed and then the whole conversation disappeared. Weird!
Oh weird! :O
I love to sing too and would love to get into it again. I’ve never had any lessons except in chorus when I was in school (before high school). I used to enjoy going out to sing karaoke, but now too paranoid to go out anymore, just can’t take the chance of getting arrested over a beer, and no fun going out without one or two.
I’ve never seen any of those musicals in person, they sound like something to make a point to see.
I hope you sing at home or in the car as loud and as crazy as you want. I think singing is good for our bodies and our souls. As for Karaoke, I have only done that once. It was fun. I don’t drink much and find the environment uncomfortable. It occurs to me that there are only two choices, church or bars. We need to do something about that!
As for going to Broadway musicals, it is fun, but I like the research and learning the songs and all that far more than sitting and watching. I’ve been to a few but turning on the CD on a road trip and singing out the entire story. But if you get the chance to see one, go for it!
I do still sing to myself, along to the radio, etc. I miss going out with my friends tho.
You’re right- church or bar. I don’t think you’ll ever find me in a church choir! LOL
Singing is one of the temptations to go to church for me. But there are so many reasons I cannot. Maybe a bookstore choir? I could hang out in that kind of environment forever! 🙂
Haha! I totally agree.
I actually really do love the gospel music, from the black churches. They really get going and it is awesome.
I do love bookstores too. 🙂
You know, I really miss the old style, comfy old bookstores, where you could roam around for hours. Sit down and flip through a few interesting things. Take your time.
We don’t even have ANY bookstore around here anymore. The used bookstore closed a couple of years ago, and even Hastings closed down a year or so ago. I’m not sure why, they always seemed fairly busy when I went in there. They even had a little coffee shop with wi-fi where people hung out.
I would love to open my own some day. I sure have enough books to stock it! And that’s even considering the hundreds I’ve managed to give up so far.
I don’t read tree books much anymore because my eyes can’t track smaller fonts. I have over13,000 Kindle books. I used to have far more real books but each move seemed to lessen the load. But I still love the feel and smell of real books amd love bookstores of all kins.
I know what you mean. I’m an addict too. 😉