I think some of you have figured out by now that I am a bit of a fangirl. I try to keep it under wraps on Hidden Staircase, but I know it comes out. I mean, Benedict Cumberbatch does show up frequently in my Top Ten Tuesdays. (And other posts.) I had to gush a little bit when I first started watching Pretty Little Liars last year. (All caught up and STILL loving that show, btw.)

Anyway, I’ve got a new obsession. This time, it’s the theater. (I love musicals.) You may already know what I’m talking about – Hamilton: An American Musical. That’s right. The hip-hop story of one of our nation’s founding fathers. (I blame my favorite pop-culture artist Karen Hallion on this one. She did a few drawings that focused on Hamilton and that got me curious. And now I have more of her shirt designs that I simply must buy.)

I’ve got the soundtrack and listen to it all the time. I mean all the time. I’m surprised my husband hasn’t kicked me out of the house yet. And I bought Hamilton: The Revolution (review coming soon!) which is fantastic. Full of beautiful pictures and tons of notes from Lin-Manuel Miranda on his lyrics. Every time I listen to it I hear something new, or learn about something new. Sometimes I’ll hear something and think, I wonder if that’s true? Or I wonder what that’s all about? So I do some research on whatever my question is, and the answers are fascinating.

For instance: did you know that when we first started electing U.S. Presidents, the person who came in second became Vice President?

“It’s crazy that the guy who comes in second becomes vice president.”

Yes! That is crazy. Can you imagine campaigning against each other and then serving in office together? And did you know that the Twelfth Amendment that changed this actually calls for electors to cast half their votes for president and the other half for vice president? It’s only in “modern elections” (still don’t have an answer to when exactly this started) that candidates select a running-mate, thus sending all the votes to the two people running on the same ticket.

Maybe you did know this. Maybe you paid more attention in history class. But I am completely fascinated. I’ve become a total Hamilton fangirl.

I’ve listened to the soundtrack so many times that I’m starting to know the lyrics. So well in fact that occasionally they pop into my head as a response to something someone says. And I realized…

Hamilton really does have an answer for (almost) everything.

Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look.

Kids frustrated with their homework?

“I don’t pretend to know the challenges you’re facing.”

This one also works for friends or coworkers complaining about their job.

Did you get x, y, and/or z done today?

“There’s a million things I haven’t done but just you wait, just you wait…”

This one seems especially good for chores. Did you take out the trash? Did you clean the bathroom? Have you fed the dogs?

If you hear someone complaining. About anything.

“Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!”

One of my favorite lines from the whole show.

When someone is telling you a story and you’re only half-listening.

“Awesome. Wow.”

Really, you can use this response in so many ways. (And I do.) Honestly, you have to listen to Jonathan Groff’s delivery of the line in “What Comes Next?” It’s hilarious.