Am I Still Dreamin' Yet ?

Hello again!

I can’t believe another month has passed since I last posted. My goodness does time ever fly. This year is going to be done before I know it.

I’ve been keeping busy, as usual. Since February, I have been saving every bit of my stipend I possibly could, because one of my very favorite performers was coming to New York City and I quite certainly had to be there. On Friday May 24^th all that saving paid off and I headed to Manhattan to see Ramin Karimloo (of Les Mis and Phantom fame) on his Broadway to Bluegrass tour (I’m sorry, could that be any more tailored to everything Aimee Hein loves?)!!

I used some comp time I’d saved up and took the day off from work, so I got down to the city nice and early. I checked out the New York Public Library (with impressively minimal drooling considering how pretty the books were), walked through crazy wind and rain sans umbrella (I looked real cute by the end, believe me) and hit up Free Friday Nights at MoMa (Museum of Modern Art) before heading over to the BB King for the show!

The concert was magnificent. Ramin sang some songs from his biggest  roles (Empty Chairs at Empty Tables and Bring Him Home from Les Mis, Why God Why from Miss Saigon, Music of the Night from Phantom), some great bluegrass covers, and a bunch of his own stuff. He even surprised us all and sang Til I Hear You Sing from Love Never Dies. It’s probably his most wildly popular song, but he stopped singing it a while back and has not sung it live since. He told someone after the show that it was the only time he was going to sing it. I feel pretty honored to have been there for it.

He closed the show with a Do You Hear The People Sing sing along, which he started in French (could the man get any cooler??) and I about died of happiness. It was just a genuinely an amazing show. Gosh it was good.

After the show Ramin, being the ridiculously great guy that he is, stood and met a pretty much endless line of fans. Naturally, I got right in there. I waited in line, chatting with the nicest people about Doctor Who and Broadway and all sorts of nerdy things. And then it was my turn and I think I got so overwhelmed by the fact that Ramin Karimloo was standing in front of me that I just completely lost brain function and did not say anything for a solid 2 seconds. Which is a long time when you’re standing just staring at someone. Not my most shining moment. Finally I introduced myself and he kind of laughed and introduced himself (as if I don’t know who you are Ramin Karimloo) and he shook my hand and thanked me for coming and I told him how great the concert was, general meet and greet things. And then he kind of turns and looks at me and goes, “I like your hair. It’s really cool!”

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I was a little bit floored. First of all, I’d been walking around in ridiculous weather all day. I felt like a drowned rat. Second of all, this ridiculously talented man who I absolutely adore and had been dying to see for months complimented me.

RAMIN KARIMLOO LIKED MY HAIR.

Pardon while I turn into a 12 year old fangirl and swoon.

I got an autograph and a hug out of the deal too. It was pretty much the absolute greatest, my brief loss of brain function aside.

I stayed in the city that night and then the next day I managed to get myself a lovely standing room ticket to Phantom of the Opera! Standing room is my very favorite thing.

I have wanted to see Phantom on Broadway for more or less my entire life. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The entire thing was just the most amazingly beautiful production I have ever, ever seen on stage. It was breathtaking. The moment that first gorgeous chord hit and the chandelier sparked to life the most ridiculous chills shot up my spine and across my scalp, and they never quite went away. The woman next to me and I were in similar states of bliss, pretty much melted into the standing room railing the entire time. Samantha Hill’s Christine was absolutely lovely, Kyle Barisich’s Raoul made me actually like the character (hard to do, I find Raoul almost universally obnoxious) and Peter Jöback gave the most stunningly intricate, animalistic and just brilliant performance I have ever had the privilege of witnessing live. I am not inclined to like anyone as the Phantom, because I spent a good portion of my teen years watching Michael Crawford bootlegs on youtube, but wow. Wow wow wow.

Do you ever witness the kind of ridiculous talent that goes all the way through to your bones and leaves you melted to your seat (or standing room railing, as it were) and just feel inexplicably close to God?

I got to meet Samantha Hill and Peter Jöback at the stage door after the show! They were the absolute nicest. I’m starting to think everyone on Broadway is. I’ve certainly had the most lovely experiences with everyone I’ve met.

 I also accidentally met Sigourney Weaver, but that’s a whole other story.

#aimeeheinproblems

I headed home on a high I still haven’t quite come down from, and spent the rest of the weekend driving poor Sophie a little crazy retelling the entire weekend in vivid, dramatic detail. Sorry Soph.

Saturday June 1^st my supervisor got married, so that was a lot of fun! The wedding was beautiful, even though it was outside and it was beastly hot. I’m glad I got to be here to celebrate with her and her new husband!

Friday June 7^th we picked up some PVC pipes at Home Depot and built ourselves the absolute coolest fort you have ever seen. Our living room has never looked better. We spent the weekend in the fort watching all three Lord of the Rings films (and you should all know just how ridiculously happy that made this guy) and eating junk food. Basically we were 9 year old boys at a sleepover. We even slept in the fort Friday night! I regret nothing.

Last Thursday was our last day of Senior Wii Bowling for the summer. One of our members had hip surgery a few weeks ago, so we decided to surprise him and bring Wii Bowling to him! It was great to see him again, and it was really nice to all spend the afternoon together. That club has been such an unexpected blessing in my work this year. They are really special people and it’s been an honor to get to know them.

This Saturday was World Refugee Day. We got to attend a picnic that Hannah’s work hosted for all of their clients. It was a gorgeous day, absolutely perfect picnic weather, and it was really fun to meet some of Hannah’s clients and coworkers. World Refugee Day is a big deal in the refugee camps around the world. It was really special to get to celebrate the day with some of the refugees resettled in Bridgeport.

Saturday night we rented a really bad horror film and ate frozen pizza in the fort. Got to love simple nights at home!

Yesterday we headed up to New Haven and had burgers at a divey burger joint that’s walls were decorated with shelves of old books. Only at Yale, eh?

Yale was lovely as ever, by the way.

After food we headed to Sleeping Giant State Park to hike Sleeping Giant. The hike was so pretty, and when we got to the top we were rewarded by the most gorgeous view. Connecticut is really, really beautiful. Hurray for checking things off our Connecticut Bucket List!

I’ve been busy planning Teen Achievers at work. I’ve been booking college tours and guest speakers and filling out our calendar. I’m really excited for the program! I think it’s going to be an awesome summer! I’m really excited to be good and busy every day.

I’m also just excited to spend the summer in Bridgeport. I really love this city, and the warm weather is going to provide a great opportunity to really get out and do things. We’re looking forward to spending time at the parks (Bridgeport is Park City after all), checking out Music on the Green on Thursday nights, and just exploring the city for our last two months here.

Side note, I can’t believe there’s only two months left! It’s crazy.

I hope you are all doing well! Don’t be strangers; I’m always game for a letter or a phone call!

God bless,

Aimee