Bob Plyler, our Critical Eye, spent last weekend on Broadway. While there, he took in one of the most acclaimed shows of the season and had opportunity to interview one of its actors. Read all about it on Page C7.
If you've read Bob's column over the years, you know that one of his favorite phrases is "Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death." From the 1955 novel and 1958 film "Auntie Mame," it's a statement about the fact that you need to soak in as much as you can while you're here on Earth, lest you miss out on the glorious opportunities all around you.
I won't be traveling to Broadway this weekend or interviewing any of its stars, but the numerous choices on the banquet table of life mean I am facing a dilemma over what to do with myself.
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Instead of staying home all day doing yardwork or watching television - "starving to death," Auntie Mame would say - I will be finding my way out into the banquet hall today. But which menu item should I choose?
One tasty offer comes here in Jamestown, where local roller derby divas the Babes of Wrath will make their season debut at the Allen Park Ice Rink against a squad from Youngstown, Ohio. The event includes a pre-bout concert from Smackdab, girls in fishnets and a possibility for violence. Sounds like a winning combination for me. I could easily see myself putting that on my platter.
Then, of course, there is the Bigfoot Expo that kicked off yesterday in Chautauqua and will continue today. Most interesting to me of all the events planned during that conference is the "Bigfoot expedition" that is scheduled for this evening. Traipsing through the woods in search of a mythical (or is it?) creature. Hmm. Yes, I might just get a heaping helping of that.
And let's not forget it is both Cinco de Mayo and Kentucky Derby day - and that means parties all around. I found an announcement yesterday about a taco-eating challenge at a restaurant in Fredonia that I am quite interested in making the drive up Route 60 to participate in. And a decision between mint juleps and margaritas is a definite win-win. Looks like there is some literal food and drink as part of this banquet as well.
No matter what I, you and everyone else do this weekend, let's all be safe and let's all have a grand time. After all, you only participate in this banquet once. Make it count.