Weekly Rochester Events #266: Getting Rid of One George Was How We Got Started

Thursday, February 12, 2004

But back to the fair-traded stuff for a moment—farmers get abused pretty bad way down south to get your $4/lb coffee, too. If this kind of thing bugs you, you can check out (among other places) Canaltown Coffee Roasters (1805 East Ave.) They recently had a coupon inside junk mail that offered buy-one-get-one-free on a pound of coffee. I have yet to get through the other coffee I have so I can't speak for any extremes of quality, but this was farmer-friendly coffee at farmer-beating prices.

One last thing about romancing ... if you want to get your sweetie something nice and terribly practical, try someting like the STABILicers on the Cold Water and Ice Rescue page from Lifesaving Resources, Inc. I've got a pair of these and I never fall on the ice (although they don't seem to dig in to tile floors much) and they're way better than the wimpy rubber-straps-with-cleats things you can buy.

What else ... oh ... the 6th was the last day to get in entries for the Name the Ferry contest so now I can tell you all what my entry for the contest was. The point was to make a good colloquial name other than "fast ferry" which we all know it will be called. The winner, of course, will be the CATfish which gets its name from the Canadian American Transportation Systems, LLC—CATS which is the company that is managing the Fast Ferry. However, I decided it should be called The Acer, and I supplied the following reason on the entry form:

Acer is the Latin genus of all maple trees—a name that reflects both the maple leaf of the Canadian flag (as well as the Maple Leafs hockey team in Toronto) and the botanical heritage of Rochester as the Flower City. "Acer" is also a colloquial (but incorrect) derivative of the word ace, which implies being the first or the best.

In completely different news ... I've been dying to tell people that I got to try marijuana for the first time recently, but I didn't want to get anyone in trouble, so I delayed the story. (Also, to protect the innocent, passive voice will be used. Ok, ok ... rather than "the innocent," how about "the people involved.")

Anyway, I had to have all the details explained first because there were great gaps in my knowledge. I knew a bit about the plant itself and THC but I was lost on the value of buds over stems, and the various ways to smoke it ... much less how to use a bong. For those who don't already know, that involves drawing the smoke from a lit bud through water into the body of the bong, then releasing the ... umm ... "part that sticks through the bong wall and holds the pot" to allow more air flow so you can draw the smoke quickly into your lungs. I took a hit and it really didn't affect me so I tried again. I was just starting to feel it when I was presented with some "good pot" and I did a third hit—the last stuff burned my throat a lot and was definitely more potent ... either that or I drew too fast through the water and left the smoke hot. The effects were quite dramatic and came on in only a few minutes. (From what I've been told since then, I probably should have stopped at two hits, so all you experts can just keep quiet!)

I was following a conversation between a couple people, but all of a sudden I couldn't relate the concepts anymore. It was as if one would speak something nonsensical (I could understand the words in English, but they weren't related) then the other would nod understandingly and speak more gibberish back. Also, my perception of my body and surroundings changed dramatically—it was as if space were distorted somehow along with my body as if the rules of basic geometry didn't apply. The concept of estimating distances was lost to me but I knew that things were supposed to add up so the universe would work.

I was surprised to find that despite all these problems, it seemed like my instinctive behaviors still were working. I found it wasn't too difficult to navigate over to the couch but it felt like I was about to fall at any time ... well, at least I don't think I fell or stepped on anyone. It felt like I had fairly good motor skills but I was perceiving that I did not. I stayed on the couch for several hours waiting for the spinning to pass. Oy—the spinning: every time I closed my eyes, I felt like I was spinning around, and my body was folding up and getting sucked through the couch. Oh, and I also felt like I had to manually breathe or else I'd forget to do so ... my heartbeat felt like it was erratic, but I think I was really quite relaxed—it was just that I couldn't comprehend ordered things.

I described it then as "annoying" almost right away and that's basically what it was like. I had to wait a couple hours for the effects to wear off, unlike drunkenness where you can try really hard and catch glimpses of clear thought. I was stuck in this terrible world where I couldn't think correctly, I couldn't perceive things correctly, and I had to wait two hours until the effects went away. It was pretty much as uncontrollable as a hangover, and ranks pretty similar in my enjoyment.

I gotta say, if this kind of experience makes your life seem better, then there's something seriously wrong with you. Of course, this may not have been a "good-high" because I was drinking at the time (although not particularly drunk) and, more importantly, that I took too much. Regardless, I'm not keen on trying it again any time soon.

In line with the more pedestrian day-to-day stuff I do, I stopped by the Thursday Thinkers which was Identity Theft: How It's Done and How Not to Get Taken presented by US Treasury Secret Service Agent Mike de Stefano at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) The presentation seemed to miss the latter part of the title—the part about protecting yourself. I asked a question where I made an analogy that the methods to protect yourself against identity theft is like methods of home security before doors and windows existed. The advice is like, "move your possessions away from the holes in your walls to discourage theft." I don't think I made myself very clear about it ... their advice was to do things like shred your receipts and not to give strangers your social security number. There was nothing like "before you move, be sure to go to your local office of one of the credit reporting agencies and let them know that you need to change your address or else you won't be able to use your credit"—something that might actually make a difference.

Afterward, I stopped by Brü Brewery and Restaurant (300 State St., formerly Empire Brewing) and tried thier Kolsch which was a good lager with a mild wheat finish (and note that just knowing how to put that sentence together makes me a beer snob.) I tasted their three light beers that were done brewing (mind you they'd only been open less than a week) and all of them were much better than those at Empire Brewing Company. I also tried the brie-and-mango quesidillas (how do you spell that?) which were quite good, but by the end, they were a bit too sweet—the yogurt and Grand Marnier dipping sauce was the most likely suspect.

Since I was in the area, I stopped in at Keys Martini and Piano Bar (233 Mill St., formerly Chrome Nightclub) next door and it's an acceptable piano bar ... apparently it draws quite a few people. It still looks a lot like Chrome but it's been dressed up to be a piano bar. I also dropped in at Spin Caffé (229 Mill St.) which is right next door. Things were quiet, but the staff is cool. I hung out there for a couple hours chatting up the wait staff (as they say across the pond.)

T H U R S D A Y

Abraham Lincoln's Birthday (1809) This evening's Thursday Thinkers in Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) is titled WiFi And The Next Generation Of High Tech from 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. Two experts from WXXI show What the Tech (RIT Professors of Information Technology Steve Jacobs and Elouise Oyzon) will be presenting information on wireless Internet (and the fact that the library will soon be a hot spot, so you can bring your laptop computer and access the Internet wirelessly.) [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] Tonight at the Tower Fine Arts Theatre in SUNY Brockport (350 New Campus Dr., Brockport) is The Neo-Futurists presenting their amusing 30-plays-in-60-minutes program Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind starting around 7:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] Tonight at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is another meeting of The Bertrand Russell Society starting around 7 p.m. Gerry Wildenberg will lead a discussion on Russell's views on the Problem of Continuity. [source: Betrand Russell Society e-mail] Updated: It seems My Penis pulled out tonight (these are so easy, kids ... I'm sorry that I can't resist) and it looks like it's eclectic modern rockers The Earl Cram Revue in their place along with Jim Lapetra will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 8:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Java Wally's in the library at RIT (One Lomb Memorial Dr., campus map image) will be hosting Lisa Dotolo starting around 7 p.m. [source: Java Wally's calendar] Tonight at the MCC Theatre (Building 4) of Monroe Community College (1000 E. Henrietta Rd.) is a presentation of The Vagina Monologues starting at 7:30 p.m., tomorrow at noon, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] Over at The Ritskeller (One Lomb Memorial Dr., on RIT campus) starting around 9 p.m. is their Open Mic Night. [source: CAB calendar] Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting The Spaces, and Hopper starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: WBER calendar] Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Accordian and musical saw duo Dreamland Faces will be at Starry Nites (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 8 or so. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

F R I D A Y

In the Stuart Steiner Theatre at Genesee Community College (One College Rd., Batavia, NY) will be hosting The Neo-Futurists for their show fast-paced, often funny show Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind starting around 7 p.m. (Ordinarily I wouldn't mention something this far away, but it's worth seeing if you're nearby.) [source: Freetime] The Club at Water Street (204 N. Water St.) will be hosting the Foodlink Unlucky In Love canned food drive—bring a (metal) can of food to this (metal) show to get $2 off (which makes it a normal cover of $5 if you're over 21.) The bands are Agiel, dark heavy metal from Avulsion, Endface, really good metal from Ghost, okay metal from 137, Down The Drain, Withered Earth, and Equadistance starting around 7:30 p.m. [source: Water Street calendar] Over in the Hochstein Performance Hall at The Hochstein School of Music and Dance (50 North Plymouth Ave.) tonight starting at 6 is a performance by the students in the Hochstein Music Therapy titled Broadway at its Best where they perform their favorite Broadway tunes (this was rescheduled from January when it was cancelled due to weather.) [source: Hochstein calendar] The relatively new play Coyote on a Fence will be at Shipping Dock Theatre (31 Prince St., new location at Visual Studies Workshop) starting around 8 p.m. and again on Saturday at 8 then on Sunday at 2 p.m. [source: Freetime] The All-Purpose Room (#8 in the Public Market, off N. Union St.) will be hosting the opening night reception for Gods & Spirits, a photography exhibit by Fennel Skellyman along with photographs from Kate Laux and Moxen N. Briddlebane starting around 7. The exhibition is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 7 to 10 p.m. until February 26. [source: the proverbial grapevine] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Vendredi soir (Friday Night) starting at 8. Leave it to the French to make a film celebrating the one-night stand. [source: Eastman House calendar] Over at Starry Nites (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) starting around 9 p.m. is acoustic soloist Silandara Bartlett. [source: Freetime] Modern rock and cover songs from Uncle Plum will be at Millennium (2235 Empire Blvd.) starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Freetime]

S A T U R D A Y

Valentine's Day O'Bagelo's, 165 State Street, noon. Over at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) tonight is the Opening Party: American Glory for the new exhibit, Augustus Saint-Gaudens: American Sculptor of the Gilded Age from 8 to 11 p.m. featuring food and stuff, plus music from popular music band (I think) Rochester Brass and Electric, jazz trio Elle, and accordion/musical saw duo Dreamland Faces. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] How can I resist this one: Rochester Museum & Science Center (657 East Ave.) is doing a show titled The Wonderful World of Black Holes starting at 1. Just in time for Valentine's Day. [source: Freetime] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! starting at 8. Leave it to the Americans to make a film celebrating sexy dancers who beat people up. [source: Eastman House calendar] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Los Halos, The Minstrels, and Kalpana starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Tonight at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is Latin Dance with Amarfis, Chaka, and Orquesta Antonetti starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Water Street calendar] At Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) tonight is their 3rd Annual Valentine's Day Massacre show with members of many local bands and nearly every Garage Pop band singing in random and strange combinations on stage and generally consuming lots of alcohol. I think it starts pretty early, so I want to say 8 or so. [source: Freetime] Tonight at Alexander Street Pub (291 Alexander St.) is modern rock and cover band Better Days starting around 10 p.m. [source: Freetime]

M O N D A Y

President's Day Over at The Community Darkroom at The Genesee Center for the Arts (713 Monroe Ave.) is another Meet the Photographer Series event starting at 7 featuring Rochester area photographer Gary Lee Heard. [source: Genesee Center for the Arts calendar] Over at the atrium near The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) starting around 8 p.m. is Sonic Openings Under Pressure. [source: Carbon Records calendar] Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. is Speedealer, JJ Paradise Players Club, Life of Violence, and rockabilly-influenced punk-rock/hard-rock from The UV Rays. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Over at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) starting around 9 p.m. is Dave Rivello's 12-Piece Jazz Ensemble [source: Montage e-mail]

T U E S D A Y

Today's Tuesday Topics in the Gleason Auditorium at The Rochester Public Library (115 South Ave.) from 12:12 p.m. to 12:52 p.m. is titled The Changing Hospital System in Rochester. It will be presented by Monroe County Legislator Bill Benet and Attorney Rene Reixach. [source: Rochester Public Library calendar] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Wattstax starting at 8. Re-live the 1972 R&B concert in Watts, California and the events surrounding it. [source: Eastman House calendar] The Reynolds Auction Company will be having an auction of the contents of some of the storage lockers from delinquent renters at L. A. Self-Storage (430 Lake Ave.) at 10 a.m. Preview starts at 9:30 a.m., cash only. [source: Reynold's Auction website] The Know How, and Carrie Went Crazy will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:45 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] Tonight at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (99 Court St.) is very good blues-charged rock-and-roll/groove-rock from Buford and the Smoking Section starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que calendar] At Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is another Rochester Poets Reading and Open Mike starting around 7. [source: Writers and Books calendar] 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. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

W E D N E S D A Y

Tonight's Big Drum—Songwriters in the Round at Montage Grille (50 Chestnut St.) features Mike Stroebel, Rick Van Fleet, Buford (from Buford and the Smoking Section) and Kate Silverman starting around 6:30. [source: Montage e-mail] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Girlhood starting at 8. Shown on closing night of the The High Falls Film Festival, I missed it to go to the awards show. It's about girls in a juvenile prison for violent offenders. [source: Eastman House calendar] 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. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Very cool jazz/jazz-rock band Margaret Explosion will be at The Little (240 East Ave.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Little Theatre e-mail]