Theme Thursday - Masochism

A few things before I get to Theme Thursday. 1. Photos and a detailed description of The Mp3 Experiment 4 are up on Improv Everywhere's site. 2. I got to see a preview (or well, my friend called it a preview but according to their website, the play runs August 8th to September 9th, so I'm not sure why she called it a preview) of Shakespeare in the Park's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" last night. It was very enjoyable, despite the slightly chilly weather (but hey, it's no more chilly than most of the air conditioned theaters). And it didn't rain, so that's good. The second half of the play is definitely way better than the first half, so don't leave at intermission (I overheard a guy at a restaurant later saying he left at intermission because he was cold and I told him he missed out). I literally laughed so hard I cried. My favorite part (and I think everyone's favorite part) was the play-within-the-play. The only thing I didn't like was how much music they incorporated, particularly at the very end when they ended it with a boring song instead of just the monologues. The music seemed unnatural. It didn't quite fit and a lot of those actors aren't singers, so it didn't even really sound that great. For the most part the acting was great, although I didn't like the way Mireille Enos overplayed the role of Hermia. I'd have to say my favorites were the workers-turned-actors (who put on the play-within-the-play toward the end). They were all such characters and cracked me up every time they did anything. A word of warning to you if you go though, you have to get in line for tickets (because they're free) by about 7am even though the box office doesn't open until 1pm. I tried to go to Romeo and Juliet but I got there at like 9:30am and was already way behind the cut-off point. Luckily I got these tickets through a friend, so there was no waiting in line involved (I love theater but I am not about to stand in line - or "on line" as New Yorkers like to say - for 6 or so hours). Anyway, now on to Theme Thursday.

Since nobody gave me any suggestions, and since I did sadism last week, I thought I would make this week's theme masochism. Music for Masochists? Yay aliteration. This one should be a lot easier. As I said before, a lot of songs about unrequited love have a certain masochistic undertone.

Let's start with a classic 90s pop song: Love Fool [mp3] - The Cardigans - "First Band on the Moon" (iTunes). This song and I have a sordid (and masochistic) history and so it was the first one I thought of. It's so catchy and upbeat, despite it's rather depressing premise. Maybe this song doesn't seem masochistic to everyone else, but staying with someone you know doesn't really love you is pretty masochistic in my book.

Another upbeat-sounding song: Again and Again [mp3] - The Bird and The Bee - "The Bird and The Bee" (iTunes). This song's masochistic undertones are more subtle. But the lyrics have that sense of repeating mistakes because you just can't help yourself and it hurts but you can't get enough of it. Lyrics: "You're so stupid and perfect and stupid and perfect. I hate you, I want you, I hate you, I hate you. Again, again, again." I'd say it fits.

Mama Mia [mp3] - ABBA - "ABBA Gold" (iTunes). This song is the epitome of that whole "not letting go when you really should" thing I have been describing this whole entry. This one's pretty upbeat too. Why are all masochistic songs so upbeat? Strange, right?

Kill! Kill! Kill! [mp3] - The Pierces - "Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge" (iTunes). I don't know if this song is so much masochistic as just about not being able to get over someone. But I'm totally obsessed with The Pierces and have been looking for a excuses to post about them again. Seriously people, "Thirteen Tales..." is definitely on my list for best albums of 2007. Listen to it. Love it.

My Man (Medley) [mp3] - Regina Spektor - "Live at Bull Moose" (iTunes unavailable). I'd say this one fits the theme best so far. "My man don't treat me right... but he loves me, he loves me, he really really loves me..." And hey, this one's not so upbeat either.

Ok, that's all for today. Leave theme ideas for next Theme Thursday! Tata dahlings.

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Mp3 Experiment 4

Yesterday I discovered, rather last minute, the Mp3 Experiment 4 and so I decided to go. I've always wanted to go to something "mysterious" like this. Created by Improv Everwhere, this is an annual event (different each year) in which you download an mp3 from their website and go to a specified location with specified things at a specified time and once you get there, you (and everyone else there for the same purpose) listen to the mp3 and follow the instructions.

Here were the directions for this mp3 experiment:
Date: Saturday, August 18
Location: The World Financial Center Plaza by the North Cove Yacht Harbor
Time: The event will begin at exactly 4:00 PM. Arrive early and remember to budget time for weekend subway service delays. The event will be over at 4:36.
Wear: A Red, Blue, Yellow, or Green t-shirt.
Bring: A watch with a second hand; a digital camera or camera phone (if you own one.)
Instructions:
1. Download the Mp3: Click Here to Download (you can listen to it if you want to see what you missed for those of you who didn't go).
2. Load the track onto your mp3 player (iPod, etc) or burn to a CD for use with a “Discman.”
3. Do not listen to the track.
4. On Saturday, wear a t-shirt that is one of the following colors: Red, Blue, Yellow, or Green. (I wore blue)
5. Pack a digital camera or camera phone, if you have one. Keep it stowed away until directed to use.
6. Bring a watch with a second hand (or use your cell phone if it displays seconds.) Before you leave, sync it up to this atomic clock. (I had no clock with seconds or even a watch I could sink up to the atomic clock, which became problematic).

7. Anytime before 4:00 PM, arrive at World Financial Center Plaza and find a seat. Sit anywhere one would normally sit - park bench, concrete seating area, steps, etc. Spread out and don’t sit too close to others who look like they might be a part of it.
8. At exactly 4:00 PM, press play.

Some of the highlights of the various things we were instructed to do were play twister on the tiles of the plaza, find and skip around the "German tourist," parade to a park giving strangers thumbs up and high fives (the people there who didn't know about the mp3 experiment were SO confused...), play human darts (form a dart board shape with our various colors and then yellow were the darts who had to push their way to the center) and played freeze tag.

It was silly and the basic point was to make a fool out of yourself and be ok with it since there were so many other people doing it too, but it's always nice to have an excuse to be a little silly and I had lots of fun and I'm so glad I went. It was such a beautiful day too, I was so happy to be outside. It was 70 and sunny, and there was a nice breeze since we were by the water. I spent the rest of the day walking around because I just couldn't stand being inside. And now some photos:

The parade of colors as we went from the harbor to the park area

We were instructed to photograph a person in blue standing next to person in red.

We were instructed to photograph as many people as possible with nobody in yellow in the picture. I almost did it but people were moving as I took the picture, so there's a sliver of a guy in yellow in the background.

There's no one in yellow in this picture, but there's not that many people in this picture either.

People chilling out afterwards.

Maybe I will post more pictures later, once they put some up of the various activities (I couldn't take pictures while engaging in most of the activities). I went and looked at the stuff they did in previous years, and I have to say the past years actually looked even more fun (they had more crazy characters and stuff), but it was still plenty of fun, and I will definitely go next year if I can.

Oh, and while I was on my way there I saw that fire on Liberty Street and tons of firetrucks racing for it. Craziness. Tata dahlings.

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