Hey everyone!
If you read my most recent favourites post, you will know that I have developed a new obsession. This has somewhat affected the rest of my life in that I tend to not get anything done anymore. What I have been doing is listening to Hamilton non-stop (geddit?) and doing my best to learn all the lyrics (I’m currently up to Take A Break, in case you were wondering). So, while I haven’t been productive in ways that make a difference to my life, I haven’t done absolutely nothing this week (read: month).
For those of you who are unversed in the joys of Hamilton (first of all, what are you doing with your life?), it is a hip-hop musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda about the first Treasury Secretary of the United States, Alexander Hamilton. It’s far more exciting than it sounds, trust me. The songs are insanely catchy and (for the most part) are historically accurate.
I was introduced to Hamilton through my already Hamilton obsessed friend, who will remain nameless since sometimes people with addictions don’t want to be identified. She discovered Hamilton last year and showed it to us last November (I think). I have so far been the only one of the three of us to develop the obsession. In the beginning, I stubbornly refused to fall into the obsession, but it gradually chipped away at my resolve, and so the spark of interest was fanned into a flame of obsession. I know exactly when my full-blown obsession started as well. I first listened to it all the way through on the night of Friday the 16th of February (and I cried, but who doesn’t?). Since then, I have learned pretty much all the words to Act 1 and find myself singing them at random points throughout the day.
If you didn’t already know, I am a casual History Nerd™. My favourite thing about learning history is the little facts that seem inconsequential and then not having to be tested on them. Memorising facts was one thing I hated about history class in school. Another reason I dropped history class was that I found the research long and boring. Since there are no penalties for not learning facts about history once you’re out of school, I have loved learning seemingly unimportant things about the Founding Fathers of the US.
For example, did you know that Aaron Burr (sir) once got an ice cream headache and thought he was dying? Also, Thomas Jefferson was the one to bring ice cream over to the US from France. Why are all my Founding Fathers facts about food? I don’t know, but here’s a non-food related Lafayette fact: to leave France to help out with the American Revolution, Lafayette disguised himself as a woman and fled through Spain, getting on a boat named ‘Victoire’.
So far, I have found no negative effects of this Hamilton obsession. I needlessly sprinkle Hamilton references throughout mine and my friends’ Facebook group chat, talking in real life and just randomly singing little bits of songs that get stuck in my head. I also have found that it is always hanging out in the back of my mind, even if I haven’t listened to it for a while (for further reference, a “while” is usually around 6 hours). For instance, if someone says something like ‘Pardon me’, my first thought is ‘Are you Aaron Burr, sir?’. Another relatively common one is ‘What time is it?’, my answer being ‘Show time!’, and overall, it’s kind of ruining my life in the best way possible.
Upon further thinking through, one possible negative effect is the constant death glares of people who don’t obsess over Hamilton as much as I do (read: at all), but I see that as more of a challenge than a negative aspect.
If you can relate to this in any way, honestly, there is nothing I can do for you. The only way I’ve found to get out of an obsession (if you even want to, that is), is to find a new obsession. Finding a new obsession is a lot harder than it sounds, though, so just keep going through your life and eventually you’ll get through it. But trust me, you’ll be back.
What are you most obsessed with at the moment? Do you love Hamilton as much as I do?
Love, Nicky x
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