I read naomikritzer's post about the mayoral race and have come to one inescapable conclusion: we need to charge more money to file for office.

I (in case you haven't guessed) am a big proponent of the Minnesota Fringe Festival as a way to introduce kids to theater. For just $5, your kid can see a one hour live production. Okay, so, you'll have to pay $12 plus the $4 button. But still, it's a good deal. And every year there is a nice selection of kid-friendly shows (as well as a wide selection of kid-unfriendly shows).

And since there's still a little time left, here are two recommendations for the 2009 kids Fringe, both at the Rarig Center Thrust.

Harty Boys and the Case of the Limping Platypus
Sat., Aug. 8 @ 2:30 p.m. Sun., Aug. 9 @ 5:30 p.m.

I have not actually seen this show, but the girls loved it. Their grandparents liked it. And I've run into a number of people who think it's one of the best shows of this year's festival - good for grownups and kids.

Sideways Stories From Wayside School
Sat., Aug. 8 @ 8:30 p.m.

We saw this one yesterday, and it was lots of fun. The actors did a good job of portraying a motley selection of schoolkids. The stories were fun. And the special effects were great. Which is not to say that they were good, but they were entertaining. Plus they play a concert for you while people are being seated. Ooh, such a hideous concert. You and your kids should both like this one.

If you go, tickets go on sale thirty minutes before the show starts. The Thrust is big, so there's probably no need to reserve tickets ahead of time. You'll get better seats if you show up early, but you'll also stand in line for a while. There are four theaters in the Rarig. The line for the Thrust will most likely be the line that's blocking your way as you try to get in the building. Tickets are $12 for grownups, $5 for kids under 12. Grownups also need to purchase a $4 button. On some nights they've been giving away free (small) chocolate.

Molly (age 8) and Naomi saw Parry Hotter and the Half Drunk Twins several days ago. Molly has now provided a review:

It was great! Funny, too. It does help if you have read the books, however. I'd rate it 5 kitties. Part of the reason the person doing it was able to fit all 7 books into the space of an hour was that he almost completely skipped book 2 and even more skipped book 5.

So, the Fringe is back! Time for our annual romp through some of the most interesting, affordable, and crazy theater in town. And the best time of the year for inexpensive kids shows. I know many of you count on me and my two lovely guest bloggers for info about the kids shows at the Fringe. And we saw a couple of shows last night. So, let's get to it...

Best Little Crackhouse in Philly

I suppose I should start off by saying that Molly and Kiera were seeing shows with their grandparents last night.

Some shows are dark. Some shows are comic. Some shows are darkly comic. And then there's this show, in which the cast dance and sing a show tune about a dead baby. I'm not sure what to call that. It's funny and generally well acted. Except when it's gravely serious and well acted. This is a musical - some of the cast members can both sing and act well, and some are clearly better at one or the other.

One of the dangers at the Fringe is that people will be trying to too hard to make a statement and won't tell a very good story. Well, this show makes a statement, and is pretty direct, but it works, because they're singing boppy songs! About how much prostitution sucks! And crack too!

They also interrupt the show several times for public service announcements, some of which are hilarious. A very Fringey show, worth seeing, though not if you're easily offended. (Um, but really, if you're easily offended, are you going to go to a show subtitled Crackwhore: The Musical?).

Mansion of Dust

Like the above, this is not a kids show, though I think you could bring kids. The great thing about the Fringe is that it provides an opportunity to see things that you might not otherwise see while only committing an hour of your time and $12. In our case, this would mean getting to see dance. Mansion of Dust is Sara Stevenson Scrimshaw's entry combining dance with the comic talents of her very funny husband, Joseph Scrimshaw. And, what I learned was, I'm not that interested in dance. But that's okay! This is a very funny show about two professional European dusters who have both been hired to dust an old mansion - and are not happy that the other one was hired or that the mansion appears to be haunted.

This show was short - about forty minutes - and felt a bit rushed at the end. It's about 2/3 comedy and 1/3 dance. The dancing is well done but not particulary exciting. Not a must see, but entertaining if you happen to be over near Southern Theater.

Molly and Kiera were also at several shows yesterday, and hopefully they will agree to write reviews. They saw The Sleuth Sisters and The Harty Boys in The Case of the Limping Platypus. They liked them both. Kiera preferred The Harty Boys. Molly claims she liked them equally but talked more about The Harty Boys. From what we heard, it sounds like parents would probably prefer The Harty Boys.

Aparently it's possible, as evidenced by the fact that you're reading this, to smash a router to bits (well, multiple pieces anyway) by sitting in an office chair which has one wheel on top of the router...and still be able to connect to the Internet.

(1) You wake up. You're in
A. The Twin Cities. Go to (4)
B. Athens, GA. Go to (2)
C. Anywhere else. Go to (3)

(2) Pocahontas the golden eagle escapes from the zoo. She pecks you with her beak until you finally succumb. You die. End.

(3) You are overcome with a feeling of immense emptiness because you can't experience North America's best fringe festival. End.

(4) You hear the words "Fringe Festival." You think
A. Oh yeah, what's good? Go to (7)
B. But I've got kids between the ages of two and ten. Go to (6)
C. God, I wish they'd stop talking about the Fringe Festival. Go to (5)

(5) Stop being a weenie. Go to (7)

(6) See An Inconvenient Squirrel. Laugh uproariously at the antics of such classic characters as Social Awkward Squirrel, Master Thespian Squirrel, and Thinks He's A Pirate Squirrel. Stinkin' hilarious. Shows Saturday at 2:30 and Sunday at 4:00.

Then see The Legend of Little Bad: Not Her Father's Fairy Tale. Not as insanely funny, but still good. And vaguely interactive (the kids in the audience get to howl). Sunday at 2:30.

Go to (8)

(7) See Shakespeare's Land of the Dead, widely regarded as the best show in this year's Fringe. Zombies attack the Globe Playhouse. What a premise! Could have sold hundreds of tickets based on that alone. But then they went ahead and wrote a great script with really excellent actors. Awesome! Buy your tickets online now. And show up early or plan to wait in a long line to get in. Sunday at 7:00. And almost certainly (edit: perhaps, see comments) again at 8:30 as the top-selling show in its venue.

Then see Mortem Capiendum. Snake-oil salesmen come to Minneapolis in the 1930's and try to get you the audience to buy ever more enticing self-improvement. Wonderful energy. A very fun play. Saturday at 10:00. Okay, technically speaking, you'd be seeing Mortem Capiendum before seeing Shakespeare's Land of the Dead. You understand that they are ranked in orders of importance.

Then see An Inconvenient Squirrel. Who the bleep cares if you don't have kids?

Go to (8)

(8) Thanks for playing! Have fun at the Fringe! End.

Molly (happily): Kiera gave me some of her crumbs (from her cookie)
Me: That was nice of her.
Kiera: Now she'll taste better when I eat her!

For the first time in the thirty years since Affirmed pulled it off, I was rooting against a triple crown. Nothing against Big Brown; he's an excellent horse. But I can't stand his trainer. And the death of Eight Belles took a lot of the joy out of this year's attempt. And he's named after UPS. Congratulations Da' Tara. Twenty-nine years seemed like a long time. But thirty...not quite long enough. Maybe next year.

I dunno, should I be concerned that Kiera just asked me to play Crazy Train?

ETA: Naomi thinks that the time for dealing with this was when Kiera started begging for Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap. Which, when she couldn't remember the title, she called "the song about killing people."

So, it's been a while since I've posted. So, here's a general update.

I've told some of you before that we're looking for a project manager to manage IT infrastructure projects. That position is still open. My boss is being very good about not overloading us, but still, it will be good when the position is filled. Once again, if you or anyone you know might be interested, please both submit a resume and let me know. We appear to still be looking for an AIX administrator, though I know that group has hired for one of their positions. (An excellent addition from what I've seen so far). I never did write the Advent post. Really, all it was going to be about was me noting that Molly was trying to impose Advent traditions on the family - to wit, each member of the family stirring the plum pudding once. We never did that in my family (nor, obviously, in Naomi's), but oh no, Molly read it in a book, so we've got to do it. That, and me talking about making the plum pudding correctly (i.e. with suet), and wondering if that meant it was going to taste better or if it was just going to taste wrong. It was excellent. I'm never using butter again. Even if I become a vegetarian.

In family news, Molly will be making her first communion in May, the weekend after Mother's Day. I don't remember a whole lot about my first communion. I do remember my first reconciliation - but apparently in today's kinder, gentler church, that's no longer a prerequisite. Another difference is that it's a much small group of kids than I was in. There are about a dozen, and this covers two years worth of communicants. It's also the largest group in some time. (The kid population at St. Albert's is growing, and I wouldn't be too surprised if they have a first communion class every year by the time Kiera's ready, but for now it's still every other year). I was one of about 100. I'm not sure how much of that is declining religious devotion, suburbs vs. city, and Massachusetts vs. Minnesota, but it is definitely a different experience.

My father will be coming out to visit, along with my Aunt Mary, which will be very nice. Except for passing through on a flight to Oregon (which just happened to come a few days after Molly was born, so he got to see his granddaughter), he hasn't been out here since - well, I was about to say since we got married, but of course we got married in Wisconsin. So, since we got engaged and he came out to meet Naomi's parents. He also bought Molly a veil, which is very nice and goes quite well with her dress. My impression is that, partly due to our own reactionary influence (which, honestly, has mostly just consisted of us telling other parents that it's just fine to let their daughters dress like little brides because ours will be), this may be one of the most traditionally dressed group of girls in a while.

My dear Minnesota friends,

(Apologies to those who aren't dear, Minnesotan, or friends).

So, like, go to your caucuses tomorrow. At least, if you want a say in your party's presidential nominee. And for Democrats, if you want an even bigger say in who your senate candidate is (as all three major candidates have agreed to abide by the endorsement). And if you want to influence the senate race, make sure to become a delegate to your senate district convention. Or, failing that, an alternate, which is usually a fairly sure ticket in. I've heard that there are precincts where the delegate races are contested, but I've always found that acting like you want to do it is enough to get chosen.

By the way, we've got a couple of openings for AIX system administrators. If you're interested, let me know, and I can let the hiring manager know to be on the lookout for your resume. I'm also happy to answer any questions about the company.

Okay, so, I hesitate to post this, because I'd have to say that it reflects poorly on me. But it was funny, so here we go.

Molly had been told that she couldn't use the stapler any longer because she was misusing it.

Molly: What if God came down and told you to let me use the stapler?
Me: I'd ignore him.
Kiera: You can't ignore God. He's...really important!
Molly: That's okay, Kiera. Dad will just become a Methodist.

Christmas night. A time to give thanks to God.

Thank God that's over.

Perhaps someday I will write my Advent post. But somehow I doubt it.

From Hickory Farms: "15 lb Turducken, serves 25 - 30"

Yeah, right.

We have a page-a-day trivia calendar in our break room at work. Today, I came in and one of the weekend's questions was sitting out. The question - I kid you not: Who is the only person to have won an Academy Award and a Nobel Prize?

(Incidentally, the answer they were looking for was Shaw).

Last week, I went backpacking on the Superior Hiking Trail from Lutsen to Cascade River. This was my first backpacking trip since Molly was born. Was lots of fun, with good weather and good scenery.  (Good weather from my perspective. North Shore residents would probably have been perfectly happy with some rain. They've missed almost all of the August rain that we've gotten down here).

Have posted pictures and something resembling a trip report here.

Molly wants to go backpacking. I'm not sure where she got the idea. She's been talking about it since well before I went on this trip. Anyway, we'll probably try to head out (on an easier trail) sometime before the end of fall.

So, I don't really know why anyone would want this, but it's possible. We've got two Wiscon 30 programs, and that's really one more than we need. So, if you're in the area and would like one, let me know, and you can come pick it up sometime.

(And, uh, don't be thrown off by the "for sale" in the subject)

Molly and Kiera saw Little Star with their grandmother yesterday. They also offer thoughts on the best play for kids to see if they're only going to get to see one. Here are their reviews.

Molly:

I think Little Star was a good play. I liked Little Star more than any of the other characters. At the end of the play, I got to meet the actress playing Little Star and the actress playing the child. I didn't get their autographs, though. I liked it because it was a good play. It had a good story with good acting.

Kiera:

I liked all the characters more than the pudgy. People who were invisible holded the pudgy. I got a star. I liked it when the guy went off of the stage and went close to me. I liked everything Molly liked. (I have no idea what a pudgy is - ed.)
And what's the best play? What would they recommed other kids see?

Molly: A Tale of Higgledy Piggledy Mumbo Jumbo, because I liked it the best
Kiera (who only saw two plays): Hansel and Gretel, because I liked the witch

As for the two plays Naomi and I saw, I think naomikritzer's reviews said it fine.

Molly (6) on A Tale of Higgledy-Piggledy Mumbo Jumbo:

I really liked Higgledy-Piggledy Mumbo Jumbo.  My favorite character was Mabel.  For most of the play they were lost in the library.  Usually they appeared on stage just as the other people left.  There weren't too many actors in that play. Three of the people were two people. And in Higgledy-Piggledy Mumbo Jumbo at the beginning of the play the parents won't believe that HIggledy-Piggledy was a real word.  And when she looks it up in the dictionary she finds out that it's a real word. 

Molly (6) on Buckets and Tap Shoes:

I didn't like Buckets and Tap Shoes anywhere near as much as I liked Higgledy-Piggledy Mumbo Jumbo.  That's because it wasn't really a play, just a music performance.  I did not have a favorite character.  There were also dancers.