FKO, somewhat briefly
Left Michigan Friday at 2 with friends paltergo and Shalla (who were also delightful roommates). Got stuck in the line at Canada Customs that had an agent who insisted on Doing His Job by spending a couple of minutes questioning the occupants of each car. Some time later, encountered a lane-shut-down-by-an-accident on the 401, causing us to take an hour to cover three miles. As a result, pulled into the hotel parking lot at 7:15. Left everything in the car and rushed in to watch the last half of Tom and Sue's wedding. It was beautiful.

Otherwise, I had a very laid-back weekend. Friday night, after saying some hellos and buying vixyish and tfabris's new CD, I crashed at 11:30. This led to getting up early enough on Saturday to have breakfast, do half an hour on a treadmill, and soak in the hot tub (sadly, the jets weren't working) all before the con opened.

Everything I heard of the Saturday concerts was good, and Tony and Vixy's set was wonderful. The highlight was a sequence involving visual aids (held by Erin, Jodi, Allison, and Debbie). First, Vixy's song about Edward Gorey's "The Gashleycrumb Tinies" to a tune I'd never heard before, "Pepper" by the Butthole Surfers". Then, Jonathan Coulton's "Re: Your Brains" in French. Then a surprise group rendition of "Happy Birthday" to Tony.

The Interfilk auction was fun, as always, and in the non-voice part, I bought a book. Neat.

I spent a chunk of Saturday evening in a great open circle in the alternate room. Didn't do any solos, just harmonizing, and had a wonderful time. Crashed at 1.

And the highlight of Sunday? Winning this year's Penguin Instafilk Contest. The list of words (handed out Friday) that had to appear in this year's song were emerald, rainbow, shingles, meniscus, and, of course, penguin. (I admit, I had to look up meniscus.)

The result:

View From A Balcony
Lyrics: Mark Bernstein
Tune: "Cabaret" by John Kander and Fred Ebb

I used to have a life I knew was boring
Just list’ning to my roommate’s gripes and snoring
But then we heard someone was renovating
A theatre to hold a show that we’d love hating

The host was this green felt and ping pong vision
Who sang of rainbows – perfect for derision
He also sang of being emerald green
He was the sappiest host we’d ever seen

We knew that we could have some fun that day
I remember hearing my friend turn and say . . .

What good is sitting cooped up in our room?
Come where the bad jokes flow
Life is a Muppet Show, my friend
Come to The Muppet Show

Hear the roof shingles fly off with a boom
When Harry makes his bombs blow
Life is a Muppet Show, my friend
Come to The Muppet Show

Come boo the bear, come jeer the pig
Come mock the penguins in the chorus
It’s like it was made just for us

Let your meniscus pain deepen your gloom
It sharpens the darts we throw
Life is a Muppet Show, my friend
Come to The Muppet Show

And as for me, and as for me
I’m sitting here with my friend Statler
Old as dirt and mean as rattlers

‘Til these performers are all in their tombs
This balcony holds their foe
Life is a Muppet Show, my friend
Only a Muppet Show, my friend
And we hate The Muppet Show