Defying Gravity

Hey Everyone! Have you seen the movie Wicked? We watched it at home last week. It was so good! We saw Wicked on stage about 16 years ago. I loved it then and wasn’t sure if the movie adaptation would be good. Fortunately, the movie version was magnificent. You can tell everyone involved put their heart into it. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande were perfect as Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda. They developed a real friendship and had great chemistry on the screen. The acting, singing, music, costume, staging, choreography, and special effects were all phenomenal. I would have watched it in the theater if I knew it was this good. Oh well, it was fun at home too. Anyway, check it out if you haven’t seen the movie yet. It’s a treat. You should watch the original Wizard of Oz first, though.

Minor spoiler ahead…

The movie was just the first half of the show. It ended with Elphaba flying off, presumably to start a resistance movement. Glinda stayed behind to work for the Wizard. The movie ended with Defying Gravity, the defining song of the show. The song was awesome on stage, but it was epic in the film. Cynthia Erivo knew what it’s like to be an outsider and gave it her all. She owned it. Ariana Grande was very good, too. I’m unfamiliar with her work, so I don’t have any bias. You have to see both versions if you like The Wizard of Oz. Here is the song. You can enjoy it while reading the rest of the post.

Some people didn’t understand why Glinda didn’t go off to start a rebellion with Elphaba. They were besties. Glinda should have been braver and more supportive. But I knew she wouldn’t go. Glinda was a privileged popular girl. She thrived within the system. She had never been an outsider and doesn’t want to be a rebel. Why leave when everything is already working out very well for you?

On the other hand, the system discriminated against Elphaba ever since she was born. It was a much easier decision for her. She swam against the current her whole life. Why work in a corrupted system that promotes hate and fear? When she finally proved she had real power, the people in charge just wanted to use her. She knew they’d stab her in the back when they didn’t need her anymore.

Mrs. RB40 joined Team Elphaba

Alright, here is the big news. Mrs. RB40 has reluctantly joined Team Elphaba. She took the early retirement package instead of soldiering on in a toxic work environment. Honestly, she is the Glinda type. She enjoys working in the system and thrives in a structured environment. If she was younger, she probably would stick it out instead of leaving. However, we spent many years preparing for this eventuality. Unlike most of her coworkers, she could retire if she wanted to. That’s why we lived modestly and invested a large portion of our income. She could make her decision without having to worry about money. This is the payoff.

Most of her coworkers had to stay with Team Glinda because they couldn’t afford to retire yet. That’s a harder role to play, IMO. We’ve all been through these rounds of layoffs. The management will continue to reduce the workforce. The people left will have to work much harder to make up for all the people who are gone. The boss and his cronies turned the office into a hostile work environment, and they will ratchet up their antics. Loyal workers are made out to be the bad guys. It’s all propaganda and sleight of hand. They aren’t even saving that much money. Yet, his gullible supporters cheer the Reduction in Force. They don’t understand that we will all pay for this later.

Anyway, Mrs. RB40’s last day of work was last Friday. She’ll take the rest of the year off and then evaluate her options later. Next year, she might try to find a new job, go back to school, or stay retired. We’ll see how it goes.

Have you seen Wicked? Did you enjoy it? I can’t wait for part 2.

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