Running away to the circus

Yesterday I ran away to the circus...

Cirque du Soleil presents La Nouba at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando -- so we went.

It has been a while since I've had such a good time. Like many people, I've watched videos of Cirque du Soleil performances, but a recording can never capture the true essence of a live performance.

So much is taking place during the show that you would have to attend at least a dozen performances to see everything that's taking place. Even then, each show would be different.

That's the joy of live performance - the shows vary because there is no way to have identical conditions each time. Even when the performers in the show don't change and have consistent performances, the composition of the audience and their reactions will not be the same.

If you can, attend a live performance soon. The opportunities abound in almost every community, even if they are as simple as a kindergarten play or a community band playing in the park.

If you can't find anything, perhaps it's time to schedule a live performance of your own!

IKEA

IKEA came to Orlando in November, 2007. We finally visited the store in March. What an experience!

The parking lot and store were filled with people at mid-afternoon on a Sunday. It was like being at one of the local theme parks. People of all ages strolled through the various displays while chatting in English, Spanish, German, French, and a few languages I couldn't identify. (Swedish, perhaps?)

It is a good idea to take the virtual tour of the store before you go. The Quick Links to Sneak Peek Films and Slideshows are especially helpful.

You will find a treasure trove of information and see lots of ways to organize and upgrade your living spaces. They have incredible examples of living well in small spaces.

We were so inspired that we are in the midst of purging the excess from our home so we can effectively organize the things that remain. (Freecycle is a great way to find homes for the stuff than no longer matches who you are.)

In the mean time, we whistle while we work, or hum along to Jonathan Coulter's IKEA song.

Meteor landing ahead

One of the streets in our neighborhood will be closed for construction for a while, so an electronic sign has been set up for about a week to warn people to change their route. As I was coming home yesterday, what I saw on the sign made me laugh. Someone had reprogrammed the sign with an additional message.

The sign still informs of the road closure, but also warns

"Meteor landing ahead" .

I thank the reprogrammer for making my day.

It reminded me of the infamous "The cow is OK" sign and of two other scifi related sign incidents.

Of course, there will always be hackers who enjoy playing with signs. Again, thank you for making my day.