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My sister just told me my family was planning to get me tickets for opening night for my birthday, but they couldn't afford the plane and hotel. I said I could pay half if they would still get me the tickets. We had a moment (sisterly bonding moment, you know), and she told me she had been looking for concert announcements on his site every day for me. Keep in mind, this is someone who doesn't really listen to Paul and likes The Beatles as much as anyone else does (which means she knows Let it Be, Hey Jude , and A Day In The Life ). When I looked at the nyc ballet site when I got home today, opening night was sold out. Do you guys think I should still get tickets for another night? I can't decide what I should do. I really would love to go, but it's so far away and so much money. Paul won't even be there…but his score will still be there. Help me make a decision, guys!

Thanks, mith. I went ahead and decided not to go. I'm hoping so hard he comes somewhere near here, and I want to have the money to see him if he does. Oddly enough, it wasn't the thought of actually seeing the show that made me so emotional this afternoon. It was the fact that my older sister had been looking obsessively for tickets for me to see something by Paul and that she actually was in tears because she wanted for me to see him so badly. That's true love!

It disappoints me that this is getting such mixed reviews. What did they expect…for him to revolutionize the ballet with his first piece? The lady at the Telegraph called the libretto simplistic and childlike. Some people commented that most ballet's storyline is simple. The criticism from most of the responders is that he shouldn't leave the little realm of pop music and that he shouldn't orchestrate because he can't notate. That is something I really don't understand. If the music came from his head, how is it not his music? Is being able to write it down more important that being able to come up with it in the first place? I'm really asking because I don't know a whole hell of a lot about orchestral music. I kind of think people were just waiting for this to come out so they could release their prewritten reviews of it. Most of the people who have seen it outside of critics, or so I've read from Paul's forum and from facebook, have said it was an excellent way to spend an evening. I think that was what he set out to do…create a dance piece that was enjoyable for a crowd that might not have ever seen a ballet before. What is so wrong with that? I myself have never seen a ballet, so this will open me up to a whole new world. Is that not at least a small bit admirable? I swear they only focused on the negative aspects of the ballet and on the back of Nancy's dress (which was stunning, by the way). For once I'd like to read a review of Paul's work that doesn't cast him in the light of an interloper who just does things for his ego. He seemed really sincere about his desire to create a piece that what new for him and that people could enjoy, and he and Peter Martins seemed to get along really well.

I can't wait to see the footage of the ballet I get for pre-ordering the album. I then can make a judgment for myself.

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Yeah, yeah…I'm not surprised at all really, but it makes me sad because I wanted it to get good reviews. I don't really care what he does as long as he enjoys doing it. A rock album would be nice, but it has to get a little boring doing the same thing over and over. I think these little forays into the extracurricular actually help keep things on the rock album front kind of fresh. I can't wait until the album of standards comes out. There will be a few new songs on it, too, if what Paul said in an interview with Rolling Stone is accurate.

I guess I just care about Paul's whole career, not just the standard studio albums. I have the book of poetry, the orchestral pieces, the experimental stuff, and I want his book of paintings. It's the same with John, too. I love his books. They have some great little pieces in them. I guess Paul is probably used to the criticism by now, but it would be nice if he could just bask in the praise of a job well done every once in awhile. I guess those days are just over for him because people seem to have written him off as a no-talent hack after the 70s (or when John died). It's such a shame because he still has a lot of creativity and drive left in him.