13th
Livin’ it up, Chicago style…
I like a good steak. One of the things you miss when you go away to college and you don’t have immediate access to your parents buying you dinner, is steak. That’s why Parents Weekend is the best; it’s steak weekend. It’s that one weekend a year where you get good steak. I bring this up not because it’s parents weekend, but because for dinner, I made, what I guess could be called, “meat.” I’m sure it has some kind of real name, but I bought it for like 4 bucks at the Jewel, so part of me thinks I’d rather not know the name. Now, maybe it was my cooking (but I highly doubt that because, you know, it’s me) but the meat was such a disgrace to meat. Maybe that’s taking it too far, but the point is, even after I doused it with spices, and cooked it to my liking it was kind of tough, and kind of bland. Thankfully, I have barbecue sauce to solve that problem, but I feel that if meat is done right, I shouldn’t have to sauce it.
On a completely different note, we had a midterm in Writing class yesterday. I think this is the only class I have that will actually have us do a midterm. To call it a midterm is a bit of stretch. Yes, it was a test that happened roughly in the middle of the term, but “midterm” conjures up ideas of massive tests and all-night study sessions. This go around, we had to analyze a sketch, write a short essay on satire, and here’s the kicker, watch an episode of The Simpsons and break it down structurally. I’m gonna go ahead and repeat that: We had to watch an episode of The Simpsons for our midterm. If anyone was teetering between applying to comedy school and not applying to comedy school, I hope that changed your mind.
In preparation for that midterm though, I did watch a few episodes of The Simpsons, just to refresh myself. I forgot how much I loved that show. It truly is the gold standard (I’m referring to seasons 1-10 here) that animated comedy, and arguably, family sitcoms, should be held to. Yes, I think Family Guy is very funny. But, it couldn’t be where it is today without The Simpsons, and furthermore, the level of satire on The Simpsons combined with the over reliance on gags on Family Guy makes the former the victor in the animated comedy battle.
I caught some pretty good shows this week too:
The Armando Diaz Theatrical Experience and Hootenanny- This one was fun because Ike Rilly (singer/guitarist who does the song that opens every T.J. and Dave set) did the monologue.
Cook County Social Club- They are probably my favorite group so far. They are so smart and so energetic.
The Reckoning- We hadn’t seen them in a while, which was nice. The audience was small, and not all of the group was there, so the show was pretty much them fucking around, which, with great improvisers, is always fun to watch.
T.J. and Dave- This week was a little slow for my taste, but still amazingly good.
Bash- Blaine Swen does a one-man musical. I can’t even comprehend that
…and tonight we’re seeing Improvised Shakespeare. Livin’ it up, Chicago style.
