Mother’s Day Coupon Pack! Patreon fans get the printable files.
How to Start Listening to “Hamilton”
Proviso: This show is long and weird and overhyped and it is not for everyone. If you’re not already a fan, you’re certainly sick of hearing about it. Sorry. But if you maybe are interested, hey, here’s a sane and scalable (if unorthodox and opinionated) way to decide if Hamilton is right for you.
Method: I suggest approaching Hamilton in something like concentric circles. The show definitely benefits from multiple listenings, but those listenings needn’t be all the way through every time. Give the songs a chance; they’re building something.
- Listen to just tracks 1-3 several times over a few days. Two of these songs are practically the brain stem for the show. So, if you despise these songs, just stop. This is not for you. Real talk: if you hate “My Shot?” Abort abort abort india golf niner niner! BUT, if you like what you hear…
- Now listen to tracks 1-8 a few times. At least three times. Big themes are established, unforgettable hooks are dropped, and many pieces are now on the board. Just keep working the system: trust me, it helps to listen in order. As before, if you’re still feeling it, then…
- Next, let’s try listening to tracks 1-13 a few times. Nice, right? The story and the characters are starting to air out a bit.
- Treat Day! Go back and re-listen to the songs you particularly like. Songs you felt meh about on the first listen are starting to grab you, right? Okay, good. Keep listening. Hear those little grooves and themes and rhythms. They’ll come up again.
- Go ahead and listen through the end of Act I. If you’re still here at this point, you’re either fulfilling a dare or you’re digging this. So, just listen ad libitum for a while.
- My Bold and Brave Stance: Only once you’re in love with Act I should you move on to Act II. (Confession: I didn’t even touch Act II for six months, and frankly I’m glad I waited.)
Honestly, I could have made this a lot shorter by just proposing Step 1 (viz. “Love ‘My Shot’ or GTFO”), but I know people like lists plus structure makes us feel sane.
I really hope you’ll give this a try. It’s a pity we fans are so insufferable, because the music you’re about to dig into really is awfully good. Ignore us; just enjoy the music.
[Originally posted on Twitter]
@rebeccanordquist is this true
We used to think that the Earth is flat because it looks that way. Then we thought that the Earth is the unmoving center of reality because it looks that way. We were wrong. We had misinterpreted our perceptions. Now we believe that spacetime and objects are the nature of reality as it is. The theory of evolution is telling us that once again, we’re wrong. We’re misinterpreting the content of our perceptual experiences. There’s something that exists when you don’t look, but it’s not spacetime and physical objects. It’s as hard for us to let go of spacetime and objects as it is for the jewel beetle to let go of its bottle. Why? Because we’re blind to our own blindnesses.
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Donald Hoffman: Do we see reality as it is? | TED Talk | TED.com Welp. Sleep tight. (via merlin) |
Spanielson Classics of Literature Collection (2015)
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Odyssey by Homer
Because of the government shutdown, it was not clear how many other companies across the country paid back loans in sugar instead of dollars.
Take 4 slices of the white bread and put it into a cereal bowl and fill it with milk. This is key. Bread crumbs are bullshit in meatballs, this is our substitute. This is what will make your meatballs excellent.
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| — | Sunday sauce |
