This Week in the Mercury
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Worst. Night. Ever. Worst. Night. Ever. #4
Posted by Ned Lannamann on Tue, Jun 1, 2010 at 1:30 PM
Every week—until we get bored with this idea, or someone dies—a new staff member will be presented with five events that do not match their personality or interests. Each week's participant can veto a single event, but that is all. HERE'S THE FUN PART (FOR YOU): From the remaining entries, YOU will vote on and pick the event that must be attended by our unlucky staffer and then reviewed here on the blog.
Oh, if only my co-workers would send me to a wet T-shirt contest or a burlesque show. Alas, they know me all too well and have come up with a list tailor-made to elicit the most unhappy emotions possible from me…. Or so they think! Actually, some of these items don't seem too bad to me at all—and a couple look downright pleasant. But there is at least one thing on this list (and possibly more) that is gripping my heart with terror. Will you, Blogtownies, be able to guess which of these is my personal Worst. Night. Ever.?
Event #1: Alone in the Unknown (Thurs June 3-Sat June 5, Lents Commons)
CONS: This show is described as "a theatrical experience with all original music and a story about the mind's effect on reality." Um, so it is a play? It's the first production staged at the new Lents Commons art space in SE Portland, and this could actually go either way.
PROS: It's the theater, so it can only make me smarter. Plus I could always stand to learn more about the mind's effect on reality.
Event #2: Sting (Fri June 4-Sat June 5, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall)
CONS: As the closest thing Mercury Editorial now has to an English person, it stands to reason that I hate all Scottish people. And Sting is the most hate-able Scot of all. He's performing with an orchestra, which should take the harsh edges out of aggressive fare like "Fields of Gold." Plus, I bet he'll talk about the rain forest a whole bunch.
PROS: "Every Breath You Take" played on the lute. That is a pro, right?
Event #3: Bike Tour of Portland's Drinking Water Wells (Sat June 5, various locations throughout Portland)
CONS: At least one other Mercury writer is attending this ride voluntarily, but anti-bike and -water advocate Wm. Steven Humphrey thinks this sounds boring and terrible, hence its inclusion on this list. It's a tour around the drinking water wells throughout Portland: "Learn about the safety, functionality and history of Portland's underground drinking water system, which supplements our main supply from the Bull Run." This actually sounds fine. Plus, look at how much fun they're having in the picture!
PROS: Exercise, fresh air, and lots of cool clean water to drink.
Event #4: Oregon Bears Bear Paw Beer Bust and Bear-B-Q (Sun June 6, the Eagle)
CONS: My co-workers think sending me to a gay bar is hilarious, but I suspect it wouldn't be nearly as uncomfortable as they're imagining. I have a schedule conflict with this one, so it sadly gets my veto.
PROS: Beer, barbecue, and gentlemanly comradeship all sound delightful. Perhaps I'll attend next month's Bear BBQ, contest or no.
Event #5: Clown Town at Waterfront Village (Wed June 9, Rose Festival)
CONS: Unlike some of my co-workers (Ezra Ace Caraeff, I am looking in your direction), I am not deathly afraid of clowns. In fact, one of my close friends is a clown. (Weirdly, this is true—long story.) But hanging out with a bunch of little kids in the "Clown Town" section of Waterfront Village has been deemed to be punishment. (Side note: You'll notice that the June 4 Insane Clown Posse concert is nowhere on this list. It was decided by my co-workers that a journey into the clown's mouth can actually be pretty fun, not to mention how many times we've already gone to the Juggalo well for Blogtown fodder.)
PROS: Hanging out at the Rose Festival for a couple hours? Doesn't sound too terrible. Plus, I think Clown Town is during the day, which means I get to skip work.
WHICH EVENT SHOULD I BE FORCED TO ATTEND?
Let's not have a repeat of the last two Worst. Night. Evers, in which the participants actually had a decent time. Don't let it happen again, Blogtownies! Vote mean, and vote hard.
Voting ends at 3 pm tomorrow, Wednesday June 2!
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1) It lasts for FIVE HOURS.
2) It is 16 MILES LONG.
2a) Ned does not ride a bike. He might not even know how.
3) "At several stops along the ride, Portland Water Bureau staff will reveal the mysteries of groundwater."
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But only because I am going to a state government yard sale in Salem, a bicycle potluck and a bicycle awards show that same day.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jSPcQNy6uk
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I vote Clown Town with the provision that Ned has to go alone in a trenchcoat and mustache.
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You know how sometimes you have a week where a ton of awesome stuff happens, and then other weeks when absolutely NOTHING is going on? Ned's was one of those weeks. HOWEVER! There's nothing to prevent YOU or any other Blogtown reader for nominating future events if you hear about them! Just hit the Blogtown tipper next to the logo, and nominate away!
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Sitting with a friend, drinking and snarking at Sting is way to passive an activity. You could get stoned and have a blast. The same applies to clown town.
Mount up, lil' bikey boy!
Shame on the Merc for avoiding all things Juggalo-related. How does that fuckin' work?
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Here's the bad: While I think the bike ride will be enjoyable, I can't think of ANY way to make a lengthy blog post about a tour of Portland's well field remotely interesting in any capacity. So, look forward to reading that!
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