2003-07-05 - 11:24 p.m.

Saturday In The Park (I Think It Was The 5th Of July)

It has been a great week.  I have not felt so good in a long time.  I saw a great show on Thursday night.  It was one I have wanted to see for a while.  The premise is that a psychologist solves problems of audience members using improv scenes and tough love.  It was pretty funny.  The premise is more of a tangent really.   But those performers are incredible.

Tonight, around midnight, I am going to another show created by my first improv teacher, Christian. He and some other folks are going to improvise an entire play.   It is what is called Long Form and I have never seen it before.

My friend Joel was in town this week.  He and his fiancé Anna are visiting his parents.  They invited me to Six Flags with them.  We went today and had the best time.  The park was relatively empty.   It rained a little, not too bad. That kept the crowds away.   We went straight to the Superman ride, there was no line at all. We got off of it and got right back on it again.   I love that ride.  Joel's brother and a buddy of his came along too.

We went on the Batman ride and that was pretty good too.  Both of these rides move very fast and have a lot of loops.

Now, here is the thing about thrill rides.  I keep forgetting that some people actually frightened by these things.  We wanted to get on a ride called Acrophobia.  It is an uncomplicated ride.  It is a very tall tower.  About 20 people are seated at once, feet dangling.  The seats are lifted quickly to the top of the tower, suspended for about 10 seconds and then dropped.  The breaks are applied about 30 feet from the ground.  It is a real rush.

Joel tried to get out of going on the ride.  He does not enjoy the feeling of free fall.  His brother was all for it until we got on it.  When I looked over at him he was all pale and holding on tight to the brace in front of him.  I was mostly concentrating on my crotch (as is often the case).    The seat requires the rider to be suspended by his crotch and it hurt.

I like the feeling of falling from this height.  It honestly doesn't shake me up.  After the ride the brother said he was scared shitless by it, but he liked it.  Joel said he needed a few minutes to get oriented again.

What is that?  What is that like?  The more I go on these rides the harder it is for me to recapture the thrill.  I think I know why some people go for more dangerous sports.  And why drug addicts keep doing harder drugs.  And why sex addicts need more and more and more.

Joel's fiancé was a good sport. She didn't like the plummeting feeling either.  She liked all of the rides and was not a wimp at all.  I really like her.  She is very direct and very opinionated, but she adheres to a clear logic and she is a "this is me, take it or leave it" kind of woman.

But I had a good time.  I was amazed at how short the lines were for this time of year.  The weather cleared, though it was hot, it was ok.  And it was good to spend time with Joel again.  I miss him.  There are few people I have known in my life who understands me like he does.

Yesterday was quiet.  Tomorrow is my last day before I go back to work.  Feh.

I had better head downtown now.

Jimmy
 
 

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