that Miranda guy

No one really knows this, but I have become obsessed with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Obsessed.

:: hangs head in shame ::

In case you don't know who I am speaking of, he is the genius behind In the Heights [which I totally recommend by the way].

I'm not even going to pretend like I've been riding the In-the-Heights-is-awesome train for long now because I haven't. My first time seeing it was this past September, when my very awesome friend surprised me with tickets for my birthday. He sat there all nervous to see if I would like it or not. Too bad for him I didn't like it at all; more like I fell head over heels in love with it.

Everything about it is wonderful and spectacularly relatable. No I'm not Puerto Rican or Dominican [although there IS a half-Chilena character in the show...I almost screamed when she said it], and no I did not grow up in the Heights. But I AM Latina and I grew up in the Bronx, pretty damn close to the Heights actually. And I went to college far away from home and I struggled, the same way she did [I'll leave it there for those that haven't seen it].

I'd like to say that the actual story, the pure basics of it, is nothing mind shattering. It doesn't take crazy twists and turns, doesn't make you gasp, doesn't leave you wondering what just happened. It's pretty simple. But it's so simple that as you watch it, you see yourself there. The bodega, the clothes, the language, el salon...everything is what I see every day. It's familiar and it's home.

Needless to say, I loved everything about it. I laughed, I smiled, I cried...actually scratch that, I think I've cried at every Broadway show I've ever seen, but this one borderline made me sob.

As I left the theater bewildered and amazed, I started to wonder about "that Miranda guy". I wanted to know his story and when I read up on him I was, once again, surprised at how "normal" it seemed. Puerto Rican, Hunter High School, Wesleyan for college. Had a dream and went for it. And here he is.

When I say I'm obsessed with him, I don't mean I want him, I'm in love...none of that. I'm just so in awe of his mind and the beautiful art that he was able to put together. Now as weird as this sounds...as obsessed as I am with him, I am equally obsessed with his wife. Latina, grew up in the Heights, went to MIT for Chemical Engineering and then Fordham University for her J.D.

Now...being a self proclaimed nerd, it is no surprise that her academic accomplishments make me smile. Add in her background and the fact that women like "us" [actually women in GENERAL] do not usually get technology related degrees, and I feel proud. I am in awe of her, the way I was always in awe when I attended a SHPE conference and saw so many Latinas, so many women "like me", standing there representing such huge technology beasts like HP, Google, Microsoft, J&J...etc, etc, etc.

Now, to add even more to this sick obsession of mine, throw in their relationship and to me these two are what fairy tales are made of. I know I seem like I'm made out of stone but I'm not. I do believe in fairy tales. Not often but I do. And while I am always happy for couples that are just genuinely happy together, because love is a beautiful thing, I don't usually say "I want to be them". But in this case I do and I'm not ashamed to say it. Because I think they are such an amazing power couple. The talent and intelligence that creates them makes me sick [in a good way]. Can you imagine what their kids will be like?!

I can't even take it.

If you want to read one of the cutest real-life love stories I've read in a long time, you can read up on them here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/fashion/weddings/12VOWS.html 

Oh, and did I mention that he performed a damn impromptu Broadway musical at the wedding for her?! Yeah...





[By the way, I already have the tech degrees to back up version 2 of this love story...no law though, that's totally not for me. Just sayin. :) ]