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Weekly Rochester Events #422: The Modern Years

Thursday, February 8, 2007

So last Thursday I got a chance to dust off the cross-country skis and go with Ali to Finger Lakes Community College (4355 Lakeshore Dr., Canandaigua) and spend some time on the trails in the woods. Each of us fell at least once and almost always due to freaking out about going downhill even at slow speeds. On Friday my friend Peri stopped by to talk about repairing a fried stereo amplifier. After chatting for an hour or so, we stumbled upon this kernel: if you think your life is easy then you have more sympathy for the plight of others. The opposite — believing everyone else has it easy — just makes you bitter and resentful. I'll have to key into that more ... maybe make a list of aphorisms someday.

Friday night I went to The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) to see Black Gold, a documentary about the imbalance in money between Ethiopian coffee growers and Western coffee shops. The movie makes you think, but it didn't seem complete. I mean, given the seemingly fertile land, why don't Ethiopians farm their own food? If the teat of world trade delivers poison, why keep sucking on it? I couldn't avoid thinking the members of the The World Trade Organization (WTO) were pompous, self-serving, money-grubbing dishrags — I'd like to see a depiction of them in positive light somehow. I doubt that's possible, though.

Saturday Ali and I met at O'Bagelo's (165 State St.) a bit later than I'm usually there. Afterward we stopped by The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) because her employer is sponsoring free admissions for employees and their families. Anyway, I was glad to have checked out the Willie Cole Anxious Objects exhibit. He uses found objects — particularly clothes irons, womens shoes, and hair dryers — to make social commentary pieces. It's really fascinating and worth checking out.

On Sunday I was goofing around with the household appliances, using my Kill-A-Watt to calculate how much each uses. I was curious which takes more energy to heat a cup of coffee: the microwave or the coffee maker hotplate. The hotplate averages about 100 watts to heat the carafe and it takes 15 minutes to heat the coffee, so that's about 25 watt-hours. The microwave uses 1600 watts for 90 seconds or about 40 watt-hours — about 60% more. I was kind of surprised by that. Hmmm.

Anyway, I went to Peri's for her anti-Superbowl party — no television at all. We played a card game with friends but then I was off to Ali's family's pro-Superbowl party. Like last year, I was disappointed by the advertising turnout. I mean, I really don't care much about the game, so I really watch for the commercials which are the most expensive slots for any advertising on television. I am hoping that the Budweiser ad slapping-people-in-the-face catches on — the ad noted that the "fist pump" is out for a greeting, but that slapping is in ... it would sure beat that "wazzup" shit from a couple years ago.

On Monday my night terrors that usually start around 4 a.m. didn't arrive until 7 so I ended up getting depressed about stuff — mostly the hypothetical evil enemy who will ruin my life because my house isn't painted, or my business isn't zoned correctly, or that I'm using a lot of gas lately ... stuff I can get through if it comes in due time. Speaking of which, though, Rochester Gas and Electric (RG&E) (89 East Ave.) recently billed me for the past 5 months. I realized recently that I hadn't seen a bill for a while, and I have "automatic payment" ... well, I called them and finally got a bill: $515, although no late fees. Basically something went wrong reporting the usage to the energy supply company and they billed me $11,415.59 — which was thankfully never deducted from my bank account. However, it took 5 months to clear up and I'm still not sure what I should have owed.

In other news, though, I seem to have "gone into the black" on JayceLand — much of my bill at Dreamhost is covered by referrals, and the $100 or so I make on the Google advertising means I actually make money on it. My brother is still struggling with his business in Denver — CityLife Networks — which offers some nifty ways to search for nearby resources (i.e. "where can I get a Guinness" or a "where is the nearest mailbox") and a really quite reasonably-priced wireless internet service. I think his argument against "free WiFi" is valid: what incentive is there to improve or maintain a service that you earn no revenue from? And if you do get indirect revenue — from, say, selling demographic information about users — then it's not really free, is it?

However, I'm still in the hole because I spent some bucks on a Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon. In concept, this is a test-bed for a project to improve gas mileage in cars. At the very least, it will be the chariot that will convey Ali and I to Burning Man and back later this year. I bought it at North Star Auto Sales (1127 Waterloo-Geneva Rd., Waterloo), and largely on faith. I never put down a deposit but basically agreed to have business-owner and station-wagon-aficionado Fred do any drivetrain repairs to ensure it'll last for a while. After talking with him I decided he was an honest guy (note the "I got a woody at North Star Auto Sales" sticker) and I was willing to do a handshake deal on the thing. So now I have 4,300-pounds of Detroit iron with a fuel-injected V-8, posi-traction 3.23:1 differential rear-wheel drive, seats for 7 passengers (including the two that face rearward), and an estimated 23 miles-per-gallon on the highway. It's twice the weight of my Civic, twice the power, half the gas mileage, a full foot wider, 10 inches taller, and 5 feet longer. It's an entirely different beast to drive.

That night Ali and I drove it to Zebb's (1890 S. Clinton Ave.) for dinner. I had the same experience I remember having in the past: visiting again after several years, I remember it being very good but finding it to be acceptable, and being disappointed in the toppings bar. It is what it is. At least the burgers are made with good quality beef and prepared well.

Tuesday I had an idea and I want to start a new trend. Every single piece of junk mail with a prepaid envelope should be sent back. At a minimum, just drop the envelope in the mail. Preferably, enclose all the included materials that don't include your name. The idea is that we need to make bulk junk-mail not profitable. If everyone sent back every envelope, it would become ungainly to try and open it all for such a low response rate. Without a prepaid envelope, though, the number of people who would respond to an offer drops a lot (in theory) so even sending out junk-mail becomes not effective. The result: less junk-mail.

In theory.

Anyway, that night Ali came by and we had a nice dinner at The Old Toad (277 Alexander St.) Be wary of those barley wines and specialty stouts as the get pretty strong. Sometimes you even say offensive things and actually try to defend them. Seriously: if you're going to hit the hard stuff at the Toad, don't say mean things. I assure you from personal experience that it's the best thing to do.

1992 Buick Roadmaster
Our new monster of a car

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  • Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (at The Little) - Not to ruin the surprise, but it's a black man — to a white-family's dinner, and he's getting married to the white daughter.
  • Venus (at The Little) - A couple old actors get united with a young girl and a typical story about youth and age unfolds.

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Today in Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) is a Thursday Thinkers from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. featuring Bill LaBine reviewing the book The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the 21st Century. [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] [all ages]

This evening at 7 p.m. at The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) is a lecture by Jeffrey Allen Tucker on A Time of Risk and Magic: Reading the Harlem Renaissance. [source: Baobab website]

In The Interfaith Chapel at the University of Rochester (Wilson Blvd.) at 7:30 p.m. is a discussion titled A Long Day's Dying: Genocide by Attrition in Darfur by Eric Reeves. [source: University of Rochester website]

JayceLand Pick Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. is Grime Time, and good, fun punk-rock band The Flour City KnuckleheadsGarageBand linkMySpace link. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]

JayceLand Pick Over at The Dub Land UndergroundMySpace link (315 Alexander St., formerly Whiskey) starting around 9:30 p.m. is The Creole Cowboys, and wicked fun percussive groove-rock from The BuddhaHoodMySpace link. [source: Rochester Cajun Zydeco calendar]

Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

Tonight at 8 p.m. at Bodhi's Cafe & Lounge (274 Goodman St. N., in Village Gate) is an Open Mic. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

Drinking Liberally meets at 8 p.m. tonight at Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) [source: RocWiki calendar]


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Joan Lyons will be at The Rochester Contemporary Art Gallery (137 East Ave.) this evening at 7 p.m.to discuss her works in the current Maker/Mentor show. [source: Rochester Contemporary calendar] [all ages]

Nate Hanks will be at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages]

Over at Boulder Coffee Co.MySpace link (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. is Chris Squire. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages]

Tonight at A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) is The KnockdownMySpace link, LemuriaMySpace link, Break the GlassMySpace link, Modus and The TollensMySpace link, and SavonarolaMySpace link starting around 8 p.m. [source: A|V Space website]

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing La demoiselle d'honneur (The Bridesmaid) starting at 8 p.m., then again on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. When a bridesmaid gets into a passionate love affair, he begins to discover that she's got some terrible things in her past. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

Tonight at The Little Theatre Café (240 East Ave.) is Autumn In HalifaxMySpace link starting around 8:30 p.m. [source: band e-mail]

Tonight at German House (315 Gregory St.) is the borderline-novelty rock/power-pop band The BadenovsGarageBand linkMySpace link starting around 10 p.m. [source: German House calendar]

JayceLand Pick The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting CallaMySpace link, a perfection of 1980's-styled rock-and-roll from Tiger Cried BeefMySpace link, and The MerciesMySpace link starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]


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The Flat Iron Café (561 State St.) will be hosting a Be My Jazzy Valentine Party with Deborah Branch starting around 7 p.m. [source: Flat Iron Cafe webstie]

Over at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) starting around 8 p.m. is Lindsay Mac. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages]

Julia NunesMySpace link will be at Boulder Coffee Co.MySpace link (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages]

Top Pick The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Harold and Maude starting at 8 p.m. and also Sunday at 5 p.m. Harold's a kid hung up on death and Maude is an old woman hung up on life. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is the Valentine's Day Massacre with SeriousMySpace link, The Brokedown, Eddie Nebula and the PlagueGarageBand link, Tom Foolery and the ShannanighansMySpace link (not Shenanigans), The PurrsMySpace link, The EmersonsGarageBand link, Bee EaterGarageBand linkMySpace link, The QUiTTERSGarageBand linkMySpace link, The Grinders, The BlastoffsMySpace link, and VD Clinic starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar]

The Montage Live Music HallMySpace link (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) will be hosting AstropimpMySpace link, heavy groove-rock from The Torsos from Space, and P-spotMySpace link starting around 10 p.m. [source: Freetime]

This evening at 10:30 p.m. at The Ritskeller (One Lomb Memorial Dr., on RIT campus) is comedy by Owen SmithMySpace link [source: RIT CAB calendar]

Tonight's another Betty's Sing-a-Long at Betty Meyer's Bullwinkle Café (622 Lake Ave., a.k.a. "Bullwinkle's") starting around 10.


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Today from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Ontario Beach Park (Beach Ave. at Lake Ave.) is the 23rd Annual Lakeside Winter Celebration featuring all kinds of wintertime events. [source: City Hall press release]

Today at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the Herdle Fountain Court at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) is a performance by Michael Goodman on the Italian Baroque organ. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages]

Today at 2 p.m. in Kate Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) is an exhibit titled Watershed: A Community Cares for its Land which will be on display in the Lower Link Gallery through February 22. [source: City Hall press release]

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Notorious starting at 7 p.m. — a plot typical of Alfred Hitchcock in which a woman infiltrates a Nazi group. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick This evening at 8 p.m. at The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) is a performance by Brad Lubman and The Electric Fuzz with David Lang. [source: Bop Shop calendar] [all ages]

Tonight at Slammers Bar and Grill (4650 Dewey Ave.) probably starting around 8 p.m. is comedy with Mike Dambra, Dan Liberto (of the The Comedy Company), Joe Janwociz, Johnny B, and Julie Donofrio. [source: Freetime]

Tonight at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) is The Dave Tedeschi ProjectMySpace link starting around 9 p.m. [source: Java's calendar] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick Tonight at High FidelityMySpace link (170 East Ave., formerly Milestones) is The Dave North TrioMySpace link starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Rochester Music Coalition calendar]

Tonight and every Sunday at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is a Comedy Open Mic with Matt RohrMySpace link at 7:30 p.m. [source: the proverbial grapevine] [all ages]


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Fly the flag today.Abraham Lincoln's Birthday (1809)

Today in the Gowen Room of The Wilson Commons at The University of Rochester (Library Road, details on River Campus Map) is an artist talk and reception with Carrie Mae Weems and Cheryl Kaplan. Weems' exhibit titled All about Eve will be on display in the Hartnett Gallery through March 9. [source: University of Rochester website]

This evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) is a discussion of the video The Secret. It professes to help people achieve their dreams by positive affirmations. Having seen it, it plays like an infomercial for a cult of people who believe that they can attract "good" into their lives through affirmations (which I agree with) but also blames negative thoughts on attracting "bad" (which I think is crap.) [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages]

Tonight at 7 p.m. Dr. Lewis V. Baldwin will give a lecture on The Meaning of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Legacy For The Twenty-First Century in the Samuel Colgate Memorial Chapel at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (1100 South Goodman St.) [source: Gay Alliance website]

JayceLand Pick Today at 8 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall at Eastman Theatre (60 Gibbs St.) is a performance by The Eastman Musica Nova Ensemble. [source: Eastman School of Music calendar] [all ages]

Bored? Why not check out 1980's DJ night at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 11 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar]


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This morning at 7:30 a.m. in the cafeteria overlooking the arboretum in Bausch and Lomb (140 Stone St.) is the Artists Breakfast Group meeting ... anyone interested in art or creativity is invited.

Today from 12:12 p.m. to 12:52 p.m. in Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) is another Tuesday Topics discussion. Reg Gilbert will discuss The Great Lakes: Whose Water Is it? [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] [all ages]

Today in Auditorium B at The Monroe County Hospital (435 East Henrietta Rd.) is an Open House Event for Suicide Prevention in Western NY from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. sponsored by the Western NY Chapter of The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) [source: Craigslist Rochester events]

JayceLand Pick Today from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Casa Larga Vineyards (Turk Hill Road, 223-4210) is a Wine and Chocolate Meetup for Rochester's Traveling Vineyard Wine Tasting Club. [source: Craigslist Rochester events]

Bush Mango Drum & Dance (34 Elton St.) is having a Valentine's Party tonight from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. [source: Bush Mango e-mail]

This evening at 8 p.m. at The Flat Iron Café (561 State St.) is a Salsa Dance Class. [source: Flat Iron Cafe webstie]

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Farmer Takes A Wife starting at 8 p.m. Molly and Dan are attracted to one another except Dan's a railroad fan while Molly prefers the canals. Of particular local interest is the prominent trip along the Erie Canal. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick Brannon Hungness, and experimental acoustic soloist Gregory PaulGarageBand linkMySpace link will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]

Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

This evening around 9 p.m. at Café Underground Railroad (480 W. Main St.) is an Open Mic with Art Delgudico and friends. [source: the proverbial grapevine]


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Valentine's Day

Tonight at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is Nate Hanks starting around 6 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages]

This evening at 7 p.m. at The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) is a screening of Against the Odds: The Artists of the Harlem Renaissance. [source: Baobab website]

JayceLand Pick The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Princess Bride starting at 8 p.m. ... an amusing, quick-witted fairy tale. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages]

JayceLand Pick Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. is Fuzz Fest 2 featuring J. G. BlizaroMySpace link, GhostharmMySpace link, The Apostles Of The Hidden SonGarageBand linkMySpace link, and addicting, satirical gospel band The Lobster QuadrilleMySpace link. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]

Updated: Note that The BuddhaHoodMySpace link show at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (99 Court St.) has been canceled tonight due to the snowstorm. [source: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que calendar]

Poor People United meets tonight and every Wednesday at 7 at St. Joseph's House of Hospitality (402 South Ave.) [source: the proverbial grapevine]

There's an Open Mic for Acoustic Music at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) tonight around 8. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

Tonight at Café Underground Railroad (480 W. Main St.) is a Spoken Word/Poetry night starting around 9 p.m. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

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About the title ... According to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language (1992, Houghton Mifflin; 1994, INSO Corporation) the word "modern" was first used to mean "of present or recent times" 422 years ago in 1585.

This page is Jason Olshefsky's list of things to do in Rochester, NY and the surrounding region (including nearby towns Irondequoit, Webster, Penfield, Pittsford, Victor, Henrietta, Gates, Chili, Greece, and Charlotte, and occasionally other places in Monroe County and the Western New York region.) It is updated every week with daily listings for entertainment, activities, performances, movies, music, bands, comedy, improv, poetry, storytelling, lectures, discussions, debates, theater, plays, and generally fun things to do. Music events are usually original bands with occasional cover bands and DJ's with musical styles including punk, emo, ska, swing, rock, rock-and-roll, alternative, metal, jazz, blues, noise band, experimental music, folk, acoustic, and "world-beat." Events listed take place during the day, in the evenings, or as part of the city's nightlife as listed. Although I'm reluctant to admit it, it is a Rochester blog and I'm essentially blogging about Rochester events. I also tend to express opinions, review past events, make reviews, speak of philosophy or of a philosophical nature, discuss humanity and creativity. Oh, and it's spelled JayceLand with no space and a capital L, not Jayce Land, Jaycee Land, Jace Land, Jase Land, Joyce Land, Jayce World, Jayceeland, Jaceland, Jaseland, Joyceland, Jayceworld, Jayceeworld, Jaceworld, Jaseworld, nor Joyceworld. (Now if you misspell it in some search engine, you at least get a shot at finding it.) It's also not to be confused with Jake's World or JakesWorld which is a site of a Rochester animator. While I'm on the topic of keywords for search engines, this update includes information for Thursday, February 8, 2007 (Thu, Feb 8, 2007, 2/8/2007, or 2/8/07) Friday, February 9, 2007 (Fri, Feb 9, 2007, 2/9/2007, or 2/9/07) Saturday, February 10, 2007 (Sat, Feb 10, 2007, 2/10/2007, or 2/10/07) Sunday, February 11, 2007 (Sun, Feb 11, 2007, 2/11/2007, or 2/11/07) Monday, February 12, 2007 (Mon, Feb 12, 2007, 2/12/2007, or 2/12/07) Tuesday, February 13, 2007 (Tue, Feb 13, 2007, 2/13/2007, or 2/13/07) and Wednesday, February 14, 2007 (Wed, Feb 14, 2007, 2/14/2007, or 2/14/07).


JayceLand Pick indicates an event that's a preferred pick of the day ... probably something worth checking out.

Top Pick indicates a "guaranteed" best bet for the particular genre of the indicated event.

GarageBand link links to a band's page on GarageBand.com which offers reviews and information about bands.

MySpace link links to a band's page on MySpace.com which is a friend-networking site that is popular with bands.

Fly the flag today. is a day when you should fly the flag according to the Veterans of Foreign Wars calendar.

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