Outages

Sunday was sailing on smoothly until about 2.30, when we lost partial power. Strange - only in places, including the television, the overhead lights for all rooms, excluding the kitchen where my slow cooker is plugged in containing Thai Pork Stew (explanation to follow) and excluding everything plugged into the surge protector in the second bedroom, which is why I am able to type now. Our superintendent is aware of the evident circuitry issue and is on it. I will refrain from mentioning Con Edison and the obvious ("Con Ed: We're On It." Right.) Anyway, snow fell today in New York City, but only for brief stint this morning. We've had a really great weekend, the kind you don't want to end, ever. Friday night we went to a concert with Lauren and Jeff. Unfortunately, Thursday night we went to an undesirable concert with a couple of people we've met along the way. I'm just going to say one thing: I knew who they were (the band) when I was a teenager. They are called My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult. Anything more and I risk sounding like a lunatic - they are weird. But we went. So by Friday, we were just beat down. Two nights in a row of staying out late on our schedules is not accommodating. But Friday's concert, despite how tired we were, was unbelievable, completely, entirely indescribable. It was our Andrew Bird show. I know I've mentioned him here and there, but after seeing him live, I can say nothing to do it justice.*First, we met Lauren, Jeff and their abrupt "mystery guest" (they were taunting me along the way: "Kristin, you just wait, you're going to be so happy...we're bringing this person at the last minute, can you run to the box office and get another ticket," etc.) and it turned out to be Eric!!! He is another person I admire around the same quantity as I admire Lauren and Jeff. We were in art history classes together, and a couple of drawing courses in college, too - he's a brain and a talent you don't just meet every day. So, first we all met at Ruby Foo's on the West Side (delicious Asian fare - I ate a rocking sushi plate with a variety of flavors happening, including in the dipping sauces) and then rushed over to the Beacon Theater. Craig and I spent (this is what the holidays do to New York) half an hour in a cab to cross the Park which normally takes us less than 8 minutes, thus we were late to dinner and had to scramble to eat and drink. Nevertheless, we made it in time for Andrew Bird's opening number. I'm never going to see a show anything like that again. How disheartening, but true. He is a violinist, a guitarist, he whistles, he sings like a beautiful bird (sorry), and he loops sounds. He loops sounds meaning he can be standalone - he can play the violin for 35 seconds, loop it, play overtop it, loop that, and play a third part, singing all the while, sometimes whistling, always a master of lyrics, always a master of his own mind. It was a sick, sickly beautiful display of skill and artistry. In fact, I was so blown away that by the end, I felt absolutely empty. During the show I whispered to Lauren, "What do you do with something like this?" and she said matter-of-factly, "The last time I saw him I didn't know if I should be inspired or should give up music altogether..." and I squeezed her hand. He is all too right up there doing that. And he did have support: a drummer and a bass player, but he could have done without them. He is a monster of all his own making. He played "Lull" (I gasped and Lauren let out a tiny laugh - I already had told Jeff and Lauren how much I need that song) and he played an abbreviated version of "Fake Palindromes". He played a ton of stuff I didn't know but want to know. He was dressed in a brown suit complete with necktie and just really turned the stage into a different universe - there were times when he would be plucking at the violin and singing in the exact same note, and once he did that very thing with a xylophone. This guy grew up on a farm in Illinois and created this world all on his own - does this turn me off even more to commercially advertised arts? Need I answer this? He is not famous, but the theater was packed. He has fans who know why he is up there doing that. He has fans picking up the pieces of their empty lives as they leave the theater with his shrill compilation of sounds ringing through them. What more success could one want?*Well, I did want to also talk about how much time I spent with my awesome recipes, logging them into my new recipe organizer, et cetera, and how I have immediate Thai envy and therefore am making Thai dishes 3 nights in a row this week (one which is curiously slow cooking as we speak, to be served over Jasmine rice after we seek out the Bears' game at a bar since our power is still out) (oddly except for the one outlet in the kitchen - fate) and how we're going to celebrate Mexico by counting Weight Watchers points again beginning tomorrow. Thanksgiving left us with a few undesirable added pounds.*Lots more to talk about, but Craig is beside himself to go see the Bears. I will work again on my writing at the bar, like last week. It works out rather well.