The Mike Birbiglia Show

Went to a Mike Birbiglia* show for essentially free, because I haven't paid my roommate back yet. I am going to try to watch more shows in the UCB space because it has a nice black box feel and it has $3 beer. The show was good, Birbiglia's set was more like a one man show than a stand-up routine compared to other routines I've seen on cable television. Although I felt engaged the whole time, there were a few moments where his choice to be serious and level with us came off as really rehearsed, which they probably are but... because of the one man show feel the rehearsedness was sort of jarring. But that gripe refers to two moments in an hour long show. It was really funny, really solid, and I would watch him again. Also, the confessional monologuey aspect to it worked really well in a small Black Box theatre style studio space, and I would be interested to find out if his delivery changes in different venues.

Leaving the house to go to the show there was a pretty kick ass sunset and as usual an eight year old trying to run me over with a Razor scooter. Apparently shouting "Excuse me!" really indignantly when you're about to hit someone with your scooter removes one from all liability and remorse. It was an 11 o'clock show and we stopped for a beer afterwards, but I had work the next morning so I needed to leave the group early. This resulted in a solitary subway ride back to Brooklyn, which was also the first late night solitary subway ride I have actually enjoyed. The trains go local late at night and that makes a trip that was 25 minutes trip take an hour on the return. The A train however has the really fancy seats that allow you to curl up and stare at the walls of the subway tunnel and just space out. It creates a thinking environment that is very similar to the nighttime long distance driving, basically it is really conducive to brooding. I still don't have a coherent 5 year plan, but I think I know where and when I'm going to develop one.

*A note to Mike Birbiglia if your google alert finds this blog: You are not pudgy.