Carousel

I just got done watching Carousel for the first time. Now, I don't really like sad movies, so I've avoided watching it. But it happened to be on TV so I figured I'd check it out.

I only managed to catch maybe an hour ... and I cried three times. I can't imagine how many times I'd cry if I actually watched the entire picture.

I've always had a problem with certain songs making me cry. My whole life there have just been random songs that I would cry at, and today I discovered a new one: You'll Never Walk Alone. Every time they sang it I cried uncontrollably. And they sang it like 10 times.

Meanwhile, since I came in at the middle, I don't know exactly what this movie is about. But, I'll be honest, what I saw was a little weird. I think Gordon MacRae was in heaven. Or maybe purgatory. I don't really know. He was dead, but not. And of course it featured the signature Rogers and Hammerstein way-too-long ballet sequence that doesn't make any sense. Nevertheless, I'm tempted to watch it again. I would like to see it in its entirety. I'll just have to make sure I'm up for the crying that will surly ensue.

Julie, Julie, Julie

I just finished Julie Andrews' memoir Home: A Memoir of My Early Years. It was pretty fabulous.

I wasn't sure how I'd feel about it since I knew it was only about her life up to Mary Poppins, but learning about her childhood turned out to be very interesting if not a little bit depressing. She has a great attitude despite it all. The stories she tells about the war and her vaudeville work in England as a child are especially fascinating. And of course her stories about My Fair Lady and Camelot are great.

I also learned that Julie and I share some interesting characteristics such as a fear of balloons popping (although she actually has a good reason, growing up hearing the bombings during the war. I don't have such a good reason. Actually, I have no reason), and a tendency to cry at a particularly beautiful or sad piece of music.

The most exciting part of Julie's life by far (according to me) was when she went to see the Judy Garland concert at Carnegie Hall! And she loved it. Awesome. I have so much more respect for her knowing she's a Judy fan.