the ocean

You know you're having a great weekend when you're compulsively searching your house for a pink spiral bound notebook containing the details of your 2000 European vacation so you can confirm whether it was the National Gallery or the British Museum you went to or both. See, I'm headed to London tomorrow for work and may have a bit of time for tourism, and god forbid I go to the same places I saw more than two decades ago. (Though the Tate Modern is exempt from that rule, as I love it and they've added a whole building since I was last there.) I mean, seeing the Rosetta Stone twice is basically an asshole move. So I have to get to the bottom of this vital issue through a little archeological dig of my own.

Other than that, I'm lightly working, getting up in the gym working on my fitness (hat tip to Fergie), and going to a Steppenwolf event that my friend is organizing tonight. Oh, and we watched Killers of the Flower Moon last night, bringing us to eight out of ten best picture nominees viewed. It was well made but so, so long. Like, we were thinking we'd split it in half but at the two hour mark just agreed that we felt a strong urge to get it wrapped up once and for all. We did take water breaks and pee breaks (circle of life), though. I can't imagine if we'd seen it in theaters and had to watch Leo make that frowny face for three and half hours straight without any kind of respite. 

I also went out and saw my niece and nephew for a bit. Maggie has been cast as a pirate in a production of Peter Pan (updated and non racist, to be clear) and is absolutely loving it. I did always feel she had the appropriate qualities for piracy. Jack has just finished book six of Harry Potter and is a bit too focused on the body count for my liking. But reading is in fact fundamental, as they say. 

Anyway, I'm sure to have an excessive number of thoughts on London when I return, so look out.

Can we talk for a minute about the things that Google, Facebook, etc. think that I will want to buy? I mean, some of it is dead on, like cute shoes I don't need and expensive lighting fixtures I will lust after but never purchase. But some of it is downright insulting. Like, generic Viagra? What am I, the elderly father of a Real Housewife? Hair regrowth products? Obviously they have not seen my glorious mane standing at full attention after a night sleeping in my CPAP. Bride Living magazine? I am offended that they believe this is something that I would like to know exists. 

And then there is the apparel they think I would like to wear: lots of animal prints, shiny fabrics, exceedingly slutty underwear, large eyewear. Unless and until I decide to audition for Mob Wives, these should remain off the table. 

And don't get me started on Facebook Marketplace! Why do they think I might want a 1990 Jeep Grand Wagoneer? A lightly used vending machine? An apartment in Midlothian? These are less offensive than just plain questionable. I worry for the future of technology. Though come to think of it, some of that slutty underwear was pretty cute.

I'm doing another show! Don't worry, it's definitely not a self-indulgent vanity production.

You can get your tickets here: Workin' It! And now I've completely made your weekend.

We did a quick weekend in New York in honor of my birthday. Well, really in honor of me wanting to see Merrily We Roll Along while it's still running since it hasn't been on Broadway for roughly forty years, but my birthday was a fine enough excuse. The show was great, and I take any bad things I ever said about Daniel Radcliffe, though I can't specifically recall there really ever being any. Jonathan Groff was great too and I guess I have to officially forgive him for being friends with Lea Michele. Lindsay Mendez was actually out that night, but her understudy (Sherz Aletaha) was beyond amazing, so we didn't feel too bad about it. Five stars, definite recommend, etc. and so forth.

While we were in town we also went to the Met and had some fun meals. I forgot how exhausting the Met can be; it turns out we walked seven miles just looking at art. And the crowds are intense and seemingly wholly unaware of the concept of personal space. But we saw some good stuff I hadn't seen before or at least don't remember seeing. Also? Thomas Hart Benton. Kind of a baller. Give it a google, you'll see.

Anyway, we're back. And working tomorrow. But I'm proud of us for having fun things to break the winter up this year. It's already February and I haven't yet reached the point of total despair!