Absurdist Theatre

It is nice to be home. I haven't seen the sun in days, and the fog is laying over my apartment so much that I can't see the house across the street. I don't really care so much because I've got a box of excellent tea and a pair of slippers that look like bear's feet. It's been a wild one since I've been gone. This last week has worn me out. Mexico was it's usual backwards attempt at doing anything remotely close to a proper show. It was bitterly cold down there as well. Also, the lighting truss was in the shape of a giant star. Pretty fitting for the circus that was to follow.
















The generator (presumably powered by Jaritos or Tequila) powering the lights died towards the end of the band's set and they played the encore in the dark. It wasn't quite as romantic as it seems. Here's Yo La Tengo playing in broad daylight, because that's just the right thing to do in a place where electricity is an occasional luxury. They went down really well even though they played that first song from their new album for about 25 minutes, more than half of their set. Also, I was glad to see that a band called 'I have it' can be popular internationally. It's sort of like a Mexican band called 'what is that?' or 'I like things' doing well in the states. Whatever, I guess I have heard worse names (Wilt Chamberlin's Baby, anyone?). In other language news, Lexi was kind enough to inform me that 'ojos' doesn't, as I had previously thought, mean ice cubes, but in fact means 'eyeballs.' For the past few days I have been asking for water without eyes. Awesome.

Mexcio is a pretty absurd place. Mexico City, in particular is such a mad, overcrowded place that I am continually impressed by how people get by. For example (por ejemplo) when I was checking into my flight back to the states I noticed that the man in line next to me had, in his hands, his passport, itinerary, and luggage, which consisted of a bucket with a luggage tag on it. I was previously unaware that you could check a bucket.















Oddly enough my travels in the absurd didn't end when I got back to San Francisco. Before I left I got my absentee voter's package in the mail. This is all of the essentials that I need to vote for random things like free public wifi and a better public transport system as well as a mayor. Our incumbent mayor is pretty flashy, but not overly popular overall. I haven't really lived here long enough to have been fully entrenched in the politics of the city, but I figure change is good. Let me preface this by saying that I love San Francisco, but often quickly grow tired of the trappings of it's past. I mean, it's wonderful that someone, often the same age as my parents, feels comfortable enough to walk to the grocery store in a leopard-print leotard on stilts carrying a flaming crucifix, but why is it also that person who turns out to be a town council member or a sheriff? In (carefully) choosing a mayoral candidate I actually went online and tried to read everyone's platform to get a sense of their stance on the issues. I, for one, would love to have free public wifi and would like to decrease the likelihood of being stabbed when I go to The Tenderloin. These are my concerns. In San Francisco it seems that I can vote for a clown, an acrobat, a trapeze artist or maybe a bear on a bicycle to take care of them for me. Seriously.

So this guy was arrested four times while campaigning for mayor while naked. Yes, he's a nudist, running, presumably, on the 'check out my junk' ticket. He even does interviews, outside of city hall, in the buff. Wonderful.









There's also a florist, a cab driver, and a bartender on the ticket who want nothing more than more flowers downtown or something ridiculous. It's times like these that I wish there were the option to vote for someone who wears a tie. I'm into free expression, but I'm not into being governed by Peter Pan, and I don't live in Narnia. I know it's liberating to not wear pants or clothes at all for that matter, but I think I'll be voting for anyone else.

Almost anyone else.
Last night I drove down to San Jose, incidentally a vapid, miserable place, to see David Sedaris read. It was the most hilarious thing that I have ever seen on a stage. I love that crazy little man. I laughed until I felt a little sick.