I wrote this back in November of 2018 and never posted it. Going to go ahead and do that now while I'm thinking about it!
As some of you know, I have a bit of an addictive personality.
If you don't know this about me, let's just talk about some supporting facts, shall we?
A - I love coffee. I need coffee. Coffee fuels me. I gave it up once...it wasn't pleasant for anyone around and I will support my community by maintaining this addiction. (Since writing this post a few weeks ago, I've got down to one cup of coffee a day. I know, I'm worried about what's wrong with me, too!)
B - I don't just watch an episode of a show on Netflix. I watch until I am either asleep, my computer battery dies, or the internet stops working well. Or the show ends (I'm talking series finale...not season...)
C - 3 words: The. Greatest. Showman. Saw it seven times in theaters, like that crazy girl I met on the train when I was twelve who saw Titanic 12 times in theaters. I thought that anyone who saw a movie more than once in theaters was insane. Fast-forward twenty years and I'm the insane one.
Anyway, addictive personality...that's me.
A month or so ago, one of my close friends here and I discovered the Mean Girls on Broadway soundtrack. If we lived anywhere in semi-close proximity to NYC we would have already gone and seen it, but in lieu of that possibility, I've been listening to it on repeat when I'm on buses getting between places in the 'Du. I occasionally belt the songs out because some of them are just so good.
For example, there's "Stupid With Love."
Oh how I can relate and how I love it.
But that's not what got me writing today. The song that really got me thinking was "I'd Rather Be Me," the anthem that the character Janis sings presumably when the girls are getting their grievances with each other out in the open after the release of the burn book. I haven't seen the show so I don't actually know.
While I'm not a fan of what Janis is calling other girls to do in action ("So raise your right finger and solemnly swear, Whatever they say about me - I don't care"), I'm all about the argument behind her words as a whole. Check out the lyrics here.
Some of the one- or two-liners from the lyrics are so spot on for how we act or should act in girl world:
For some reason, this song ties directly in my mind to "This is Me," a favorite song from The Greatest Showman (which we've already determined to have a soft spot in my heart). This video is from the green-light sessions of the movie, which are powerful and emotional and my favorite.
Here are the lyrics to the song.
The chorus to the song is so powerful:
Both "This is Me" and "I'd Rather Be Me" have such powerful messages, but they both have another side (no pun intended for you Greatest Showman fans who know of my love of yet another song).
I would rather be me, and I'm not ashamed of who I am, but where is the acceptance of the fact that we aren't perfect, that there are things that we need to work on and growth that needs to occur? If these are the messages that we're shouting (or rather singing) from the rooftops, is there another layer that we need to be keeping in mind?
If anyone knows the anthem that combines these two with cooperating with the world around you, hearing what they have to say and listening from a place of love, let me know!
As some of you know, I have a bit of an addictive personality.
If you don't know this about me, let's just talk about some supporting facts, shall we?
A - I love coffee. I need coffee. Coffee fuels me. I gave it up once...it wasn't pleasant for anyone around and I will support my community by maintaining this addiction. (Since writing this post a few weeks ago, I've got down to one cup of coffee a day. I know, I'm worried about what's wrong with me, too!)
B - I don't just watch an episode of a show on Netflix. I watch until I am either asleep, my computer battery dies, or the internet stops working well. Or the show ends (I'm talking series finale...not season...)
C - 3 words: The. Greatest. Showman. Saw it seven times in theaters, like that crazy girl I met on the train when I was twelve who saw Titanic 12 times in theaters. I thought that anyone who saw a movie more than once in theaters was insane. Fast-forward twenty years and I'm the insane one.
Anyway, addictive personality...that's me.
A month or so ago, one of my close friends here and I discovered the Mean Girls on Broadway soundtrack. If we lived anywhere in semi-close proximity to NYC we would have already gone and seen it, but in lieu of that possibility, I've been listening to it on repeat when I'm on buses getting between places in the 'Du. I occasionally belt the songs out because some of them are just so good.
For example, there's "Stupid With Love."
Oh how I can relate and how I love it.
But that's not what got me writing today. The song that really got me thinking was "I'd Rather Be Me," the anthem that the character Janis sings presumably when the girls are getting their grievances with each other out in the open after the release of the burn book. I haven't seen the show so I don't actually know.
Some of the one- or two-liners from the lyrics are so spot on for how we act or should act in girl world:
- "I won't twist in knots to join your game, I will say you make me mad, And if you treat me bad, I'll say 'you're bad'"
- "So I will not act all innocent, I won't fake apologise, Let's just fight and then make up not tell these lies. Let's call our damage even, Clean the slate so it's like new"
- "And when they drag you down like they inevitably do, I will not laugh along with them and approve their palace coup cause that's not me"
- "I don't need their good opinions, I have plenty of opinions, Everybody has opinions but that doesn't make them true, What's true is being me, And I'd rather be me, I'd rather be me than be with you"
For some reason, this song ties directly in my mind to "This is Me," a favorite song from The Greatest Showman (which we've already determined to have a soft spot in my heart). This video is from the green-light sessions of the movie, which are powerful and emotional and my favorite.
The chorus to the song is so powerful:
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen I make no apologies, this is me
Both "This is Me" and "I'd Rather Be Me" have such powerful messages, but they both have another side (no pun intended for you Greatest Showman fans who know of my love of yet another song).
I would rather be me, and I'm not ashamed of who I am, but where is the acceptance of the fact that we aren't perfect, that there are things that we need to work on and growth that needs to occur? If these are the messages that we're shouting (or rather singing) from the rooftops, is there another layer that we need to be keeping in mind?
If anyone knows the anthem that combines these two with cooperating with the world around you, hearing what they have to say and listening from a place of love, let me know!
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