'tick tick...BOOM'

Saw Jonathan Larson’s musical tick tick…BOOM the other night. It’s about a composer (named Jon…) who’s trying to write the great American musical while dealing with pressure to sell out and take a “creative” job on Madison Avenue, pressure from his girlfriend to move to Cape Cod . Basically, an autobiographical prequel to Rent. It was amazing: fun, honest, musically interesting, same raw quality as Rent and about thirty times more poignant knowing what was coming, both good and catastrophically bad, for Mr. Larson.

I had heard it was being put on by the Pegasus Players (small professional theater troupe) and even was able to get tickets for half price. You know what? Couldn’t really think of any of my friends that would go with me though. I probably would have just sucked it up and gone alone, but an old college roommate happened to be in town and is nice enough to want to make me happy (and enjoyed the show to boot).

Here's the (rather obvious) epiphany though. I need (Chicago-based) friends who want to do things like see a Jonathan Larson musical, or go to a coffee tasting or a book reading or stalk Rachael Ray for her autograph, anything that doesn’t revolve around getting drunk. Not that there’s anything wrong with drinking every chance you get—it’s legal and if that’s your thing, great. But it’s not mine, and at least some of my friends need to reflect that. I guess growing apart from your friends (particularly friends from an earlier, and significantly different, stage of life) is natural, but that doesn't make it any less sad.

For the record, I feel kind of sorry for those of you who don’t enjoy musicals—they’re fantastic. Deliciously self-aware cheesiness. How seriously can you possibly take yourself if you're apt to burst into song at any moment? You know me, I like irony...