The hills are alive, with the sounds from LDOC, la
la la la. It’s the end of my academic year tomorrow, and I am totally baffled! How did this go so quickly? The days were sometimes long, but the weeks and months were far too short. I can’t believe I was in Switzerland this past November, and Vienna in October. I feel like Maria from “The Sound of Music”. (If only. Christopher Plummer, you dreamy, dreamy man.)

Watching this film was probably my favorite experience so far. All of these movies remind me of growing up, but none more than this one. I have distinct memories of seeing the show’s revival on Broadway, of watching the film with my mother and sister. I loved Liesel— and wanted to be just like her when I turned 16. I wanted someone to make ME outfits out of curtains! I wanted to attempt puppeteering! And, I couldn’t get enough of that female performer who continues to bow. And bow. And bow.

(**These pics are all from my family’s trip to Switzerland six years ago. Yes, we all wore matching sweatshirts. Call us the Von Trapps!)

Every scene strikes me. I remember my mom talking about her wedding, Princess Diana’s wedding, etc. while Maria got married. I remember
thinking about what my wedding would be like…(Isn’t it crazy that those thoughts really do pop into your head at such a young age?) I remember wanting to try streudel. I remember singing “Doh Re Mi” with my choir for warm ups. It’s cool how much this film transcends time and place.

One time, on a family vacation (plus my friend Chloe and her mother), my siblings, Chloe and I put on our own production of “The Sound of Music”. We were in Switzerland, and felt it very apt. Whit, the youngest, played every role, while the rest of us were relegated to inanimate objects. — This was type-casting for Chloe and I, because once before we had played “pole” and “brick road” for Whit’s production of “The Wizard of Oz”. Gotta hand it to her, Whit knows how to work it.

I don’t know how to go about pinpointing great parts of this musical. There are too many! It’s been surprisingly more impactful than I’d thought earlier. All I can say is, “So long! Farewell!”

Every song. I like them all.