Hamilaria (HERCULES MULLIGAN IS BAE)

Everyone experiences a revelation some time in their lives. For me, it came as a Freshmen in High School.

High School was a difficult time for me. As a Black girl, you were expected to toe one of two lines. Slacker, indifferent to school, work, or anything that would get you further in life or the super smart Black girl. School was easy for you, advanced classes. One thing both of these girls fell in line with was music. Hip Hop, rap, and R&B is the name of the game. Anything else was ostracised. 

I...was different. I was good at school, but I had to work at it. I was not inclined to work hard enough at it to be in advanced classes, though I was placed in advanced Lit and additional Lit classes without really trying. I was one of few POCs in band, due to expense and how POC's weren't really catered to in band.

My musical tastes were all over the place. I listened to the genre's listed above, but my very first CD I personally owned was Celene Dion "Falling Into You" Alanis Morrisette was my theme all through high school. While I know now as an adult there were a ton of people just like me, but at the time, it was so lonely in my world. I was fat, black, ostracised. I had a hard time relating to people in my social circles.

Around this time, I was in a program called Upward Bound. One of the things they did that I will be forever grateful for is they tried to inject a bit of culture into our lives. Plays, ballets, and musicals. The first musical I ever saw was with them, Les Miserables. It sparked something in me. The pain, the confidence, the strength in to their voices had me hooked. Now, I`d seen the musical Oklahoma on video in the 6th grade, but it did not strike anything in me except I was creeped out by the ballet scene. After Les Miz, I was hooked.

A few years later, Chicago came out. I would dance in my room creating dances to the songs, as I heard the soundtrack before I saw the movie.

What I guess I am saying is that I was ripe for Hamilton to get me.

Pictures by Amanda Reynolds

This past year I have heard my friends talk about Hamilton. I kind of pushed it to the side, and went about my business. I knew what would happen if I liked it. 

One day on Facebook about two weeks ago, I admitted that I had not heard a speck of Hamilton. Someone piped up that it was on sale on Google Music. 

Purchased

It still took me a few more days to listen to it after I purchased it. I had a long trip to go on for work, and I decided I would listen to it on the trip.

Why did I arrive to my destintion with tear tracks down my face and snot bubbles and every stitch of makeup gone? 

"'Hic, mmy name is Leslie and I'm here to checkkk--*BREAKS DOWN IN TEARS*."

Great business visit that. 

I'm currently reading on Physics and electricity. I need to create a time machine to give Alexander Hamilton more time. 

There have been long discussions on Hamilton on my page. I have dragged two other people on this journey. I just found out today that they are recording the original cast before Lin-Manuel Miranda leaves the play. I happened to learn this during some training I was in for work. I basically started vibrating in my seat. A coworker noticed me basically looking like a jackhammer in my seat and I had to explain why. The count is now 3.

Sadly they aren't touring Hamilton in Indianapolis. I spent a lot of time (more time than I am comfortable with at work honestly) trying to get tickets in Chicago. I couldn't get through. My heart is sort of broken. Maybe I will get a shot at a later date for tickets, but at least I have the album to keep me warm until I see it.

Do you remember what changed your life at some point? Something that made you consider an option you never thought of before?

*Update* 

At the time of posting I have introduced Hamilton to 7 other people. IT IS CONTAGIOUS

Shout out to Amanda Reynolds for the great pictures. I asked her if she wanted me to promote her Instagram, and she responded that "My Instagram is just cats." God I love her.