Weekly Rochester Events #243: One Bad Anniversary for Being Born in France

Thursday, September 4, 2003

I want to start out ranting ... about nothing other than driving. One thing I can't stand is people who get on the highway at less than the speed limit. They've got the whole on-ramp to hit the gas and get to 55. Admittedly some of the short ramps are difficult, but if you've got a half-mile or so, you better be going the same speed as traffic and not 35 miles an hour. I had this happen the other day, and I got stuck in the right lane so my only option was to slow down—literally to 40 miles an hour.

For those of you who didn't pay attention in driver's ed., existing traffic on the highway must yield to traffic entering the highway. This isn't just some arbitrary law, it's so highways can function: it's better to have people rely on the ability to merge and accelerate up to speed on the approach ramp rather than to expect to wait at the end and be going zero while everyone else is going 60. Something like that anyway ... avoiding accidents and all.

That's not to say, however, that anyone should abuse that right. I had to waste precious brake pads and gas to change speed and recover because some yokel couldn't find it in their heart to push on the pedal just a little harder and go fast enough. Oh no, their muscle-free lower appendages were slung limply over the accelerator like some untainted terry-cloth towel rather than the metaphoric hammer which should be put down.

There. Now I feel better.

Speaking of cars and stuff, it seems mine has a holiday sensor. It basically works like this:

On the first day of a three-day weekend, the exhaust system breaks in half.

At least that's what happened on the Saturday before Labor Day. The last failure was three years ago on the Fourth of July ... in the first of three days (and within the first 200 miles) of an 800 mile trip to D.C. and back. This time, though, I was ready: I had my new Hobart "Handler" 135 Welder so I welded a bracket onto the pipe and clamp in the back in hopes it would last for three days or so until I got it fixed. Well, I overestimated the strength of metal (or underwelded, if you will) and it ended up lasting about twelve minutes (shucks, just shy of three days.) I didn't bother with a second attempt because it was raining and I have earplugs.

I did get out to the The Bug Jar Music Festival and stayed through almost the whole thing, then retired to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) to see the bands there until about 1 in the morning. I had decided to cut loose and skip my "six-drinks-a-week" self-imposed limit, so I had five or so on Friday and ended up with a hangover on Saturday and didn't start drinking until the night anyway. I had planned to go around and mooch beer from everyone I knew becuase it was my birthday, but thankfully that didn't happen.

On Tuesday ... Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. I just realized I missed the Your Mom / My Penis show on Tuesday. That was the one thing I was really looking forward to this month and I just plum forgot. I'll have to find out how cool it was. Shit.

This coming month, I guess the first thing I'm looking forward to is Dave Attell (of Comedy Central's Insomniac show) and Lewis Black (as seen on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) who will be at Auditorium Center (875 Main St E.) on September 25. I bought a ticket already ... you can skip all the crap at the Comedy Central site and just go to TicketMaster and get reamed buying tickets like I did. I figure both guys are funny, and although I'll stoop to (but not further than) bribing the people I know in the local comedy scene to meet the guys, I figured I should buy tickets just in case. I've watched local comedy for a while now and rarely pay for anything ... I guess I'm due.

T H U R S D A Y

Can you believe it's time to vote again (almost)? Well, if you don't care, you can go get inspired with the Rap Rally Rocks the County Vote sponsored by League of Women Voters at High Falls Festival Site (Browns Race and Commercial St.) from 6 to 8 tonight. Tonight at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) is The Sweatshop Boys starting around 10:30 p.m. The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting The A. M., The Standard, modern rock from Seneca Laines, and Kelli Hicks starting around 11 p.m. Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30.

S A T U R D A Y

O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. All day today (well, from 10 to 6) and all day tomorrow (well, from 10 to 5) is The Clothesline Arts Festival at Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) Tonight at Richmond's (21 Richmond St.) is rock-and-roll with The Hirisers starting around 10:30 p.m. Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting heavy rock/metal with Adrenokrome starting around 10:30 p.m. Over at Alexander Street Pub (291 Alexander St.) starting around 9:30 p.m. is modern rock and covers with Uncle Plum. The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing El Film El Makfoud (The Lost Film) and Mohakeme (Trial) starting at 8. These are two films which were created illegally in the Middle East then smuggled out.

T U E S D A Y

The Green Party of Monroe County is hosting a benefit show with Manaia, Le Bomb Squad, and Hum Machine at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10 p.m. It's supposedly Improv and Open Mic at Comix Café (3450 Winton Pl.) tonight starting around 8:30. Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. For this one, there's no microphones and it's pretty open ended.

W E D N E S D A Y

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Invasion of the Body Snatchers starting at 8. That dog-man-pod thing sure freaked the hell out of me. Tonight from 8 to 10 is an Open-Mic Comedy Night at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) While once it was a workshop type of environment, it's now more-or-less a regular open mic ... by default it's still a place to try out new stuff. Tonight at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is a Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered Open Mike starting around 7. It's for both pros and amateurs, so if you feel the need to listen, support, or express yourself, head on down.