Ira Live!

So, I got my birthday treat a bit early.  One of my favorite things in this life is This American Life.  It's all I listen to on my iPod.  Literally.  They did their second live event broadcast to movie theaters tonight.  I missed the first one and swore I wouldn't miss the next one.  Then the next year I was due to give birth when they'd probably do it again.  But they didn't do it.  And they didn't do it the next year.  But they did one this year and I WAS GOING, DANGIT!

I made special arrangements to leave work early, which is quite a feat.  Blaine took the day off.  We got a sitter for the boy.  I downloaded the app.  I was going for my birthday and because I can't remember the last time I have done anything fun just for me.

We got there and got our popcorn and soda and sat and waited.  Nothing.  7:00.  Nothing.  7:05.  Nothing.  7:10.  Nothing.  Finally someone hopped up.  I'm pretty sure he cracked some skulls for them to turn on the feed.  "Maybe they're running late in NY," I thought.  "Maybe I'm not missing anything."  Then it came on.  It had already started.  They were mid-story.  I was not happy.  But I decided not to get too upset and just enjoy what I was watching.

I kept thinking of Stuff White People Like because, and I'll be honest here, I have a serious nerd-girl crush on Ira.  They say that white women love Ira Glass second only to Jon Stewart.  And it was some serious awesomeness to see what he put together.  And to watch and hear him instead of just hear him.

The OK-Go bit was awesome.  The apps were buttons that sound like bells to do a sort of group guitar hero thing.  Birbigs was awkward as always.  Sedaris had too much makeup on.  There was a bit about photography that blew my mind.  I found out I'm not the only person that likes Taylor Dayne non-ironically.  The Torey Malatia bit made me giddy with delight.  And David Rakoff was poignant as he talked about his chemo/radiation "nonsense".

I didn't win the poster, but I had a marvelous time.  I can't wait to do it again.