Weird Week

This has been one weird week. Sunday was fab. Had a nice, relaxing day, then recorded a fun podcast that night. Then the week kicked in. Monday was, well, Monday, and when I lay down at 7:30 to take a power nap, in preparation for our usual 8:30 City of Heroes night, I didn't wake up until midnight. Tuesday my wife didn't quite get her alarm turned off and I was awakened at 2:15 and never really got back to sleep. Wednesday I had to take her in to work at 3am, so by 7:30pm I was too tired to do anything, and was in bed by 8.

Thursday, however, was great. I still had to get up at 0-dark-30 to take the missus in to work, but I then picked her up at noon to go see Spamalot! For Valentine's Day I wanted to get her tickets to see the touring production of the Monty Python musical, and was prepared to bite the bullet and drop nearly $100 on the evening, when what to my wondering mouse clicks did appear but a very rare $20 Thursday matinee!! So I picked up my lady from work, and we went into Tampa to see a show. Parking was easy...too easy I later discovered, and we had an hour to get some lunch. We found a pleasant little corner pizza place and got a couple of slices, then wended our way back to the performing arts center. Our seats were in the front row of the balcony, which turned out to be very good seats. I occupied myself with checking out all the lighting equipment that was right in front of us, and then the show started. Some of you will recall that I had the great good fortune to see the original cast in NYC a few years back, so this was a trip down memory lane for me. This show was lots of fun, and I grinned like an idiot through most of it. It was, however, a shadow of the original. The cast was doing a great job, but how can anyone compete with Hank Azaria, David Hyde-Pierce, and Sara Ramirez? I will say this, though. I have been quoted as saying that Tim Curry was the weak link in the NY cast, and while I think that Richard Chamberlain, who plays Arthur in this tour, did a superior job, I was still dissatisfied. And I think I know why. I used to have Monty Python and the Holy Grail recorded on a cassette tape that I would listen to on long drives, and so every syllable of the movie is etched into my brain. It would seem that no one yet can compete with Graham Chapman's performance of Arthur in my mind. The rest I can get around, but Chapman was just so...so...gahh! I can't think of the appropriate term, but he just was Arthur. It's hard to describe. In any case the character is the straight man in the show and movie(which is ironic if you know anything about both Chamberlain and Chapman) so it doesn't ruin any of the jokes. So if the show comes to your town, and you can spare the sheckles, give it a watch. You won't be disappointed. Oh, and as for the parking, the garages in Tampa are using a pay system where you pay at a machine before you get in your car, then put swipe your ticket at the gate to get out. It does just the opposite of streamlining the process, and it took nearly 45 minutes to get out of there after the show, but it was still worth it.

Friday went well, and I actually finally got my interview with Duke(no, I didn't forget to post it, dude) edited. Depending on how long the next episode of Starbase 66 runs after I edit it I'll either put in the main show, or post it as a stand-alone later next week. I'm also one step closer to my interview with Dr. Laurence Krauss as he emailed me about when we'll do it.

And so that's what's up with me. How're you?

Love and kisses,
Marius