Return From The Land Of Rush & Rollercoasters

The Bald Monkey: So, you guys are back from your RUSH and rollercoasters trip?
Mumi: Yeah!
The Bald Monkey: So, how was it?
Mumi: Hold your fire. I'm still unpacking my adjectives...

Okay, I'm done now. It was great. We had a really fun time. The weather was actually really nice everywhere we went, so we didn't get swept away in the high water. The sun was a little intense at times while waiting in line for coasters, but the hot mens factor in the parks was great eye candy during the boring waits.
The Bald Monkey: So, you had fun at the parks?
Mumi: I had fun at Cedar "Arrow." Bubala and I spent a fantastic day there together on Friday, but after having spent four hours there on Thursday followed by a 3 hour Rush concert Thursday night and then eleven more hours there on Friday, by the time we got to "A Farewell To Kings Island" on Saturday, I must admit that I was quite over the families and their unruly kids and with waiting in in line in the heat.
The Bald Monkey: But, you had a good time at Cedar Point?
Mumi: Yeah. Cedar "Arrow" is so gay. No, I mean Sooooooo Gayyyyyy. We even saw a couple of those crazy Lez-beans holding hands. They were obviously very in love. I kept wanting to hold Bubala's hand in the lines, but you know that is not allowed. If you didn't see the gays in line or walking around the park, then there were plenty of them to be seen operating the rides. And, you know the park just had to give these megalomaniacal, microphone wearing queens the freedom of witty speech with their pre-ride instructional speeches, because they were talking up a storm. My favorite thing that I heard one of them say was, "Please do not sit on the silver handrails while waiting in line. The silver hand rails are our friends, and we don't sit on our friends." You could just tell that it was something he looked forward to saying every day that he worked.
The Bald Monkey: So, you and Bubala rode a lot of coasters there?
Mumi: Yeah, but you'll have to ask him for details about all of that. But, be prepared for an earful. He's a big roller coaster nerd and will probably try to tell you who made all of the coasters, how old they are, how tall, how fast, what kind of supports. All that boring stuff. When he goes on and on about it while we're standing in line, I just kind of look around and hope that no one thinks that we're together.

"Who me? I've never seen that guy before in my life. I'm just a single rider."
The Bald Monkey: And, how were the Rush concerts?
Mumi: Fantastic and energetic. A local college radio station in Cleveland was playing an 18 hour RUSH marathon while we were there. They were playing all kinds of obscure Rush tunes like the 18 minute long "Hemispheres." Cleveland is where RUSH first started getting radio airplay of there independent first album. That led to them getting signed to a major label back in 1974. After 33 years, they have a developed big following around those parts. That's why there are three shows in just that one state.

The Cleveland venue was a pain in the ass to get to. We left in plenty of time, but played creepy crawly in the traffic for about 6 miles. There actually is a concert venue worse than the Nissan Pavilion. We were almost late for the show, but after jogging through the endless parking lot, I finally managed to make it to my seat with only about five minutes to spare. Then, I danced like crazy for the rest of the night.
The Bald Monkey: Dance? You can't dance to Rush.
Mumi: Sure you can. It's just a little more intense and spacious then regular dancing. And, there are a lot of air drums fills and air guitar and air bass solos involved.
The Bald Monkey: Oh. I see.
Mumi: That's why I need Bubala to go to the shows with me. All of those air drums and air guitars can get really heavy. I'm mean, that's a lot of air equipment. And then there are the air amps. Bubala makes a great air roadie. He even sets the stuff up for me. Except in Cleveland. I had to do it myself there, because we were late.
The Bald Monkey: And, how was the Cincinnati show?
Mumi: It was magical. Turns out we were in the 8th row and the place was right on the Ohio river across from Kentucky. America's heartland. There also was a little amusement park just outside of the venue where we got to ride another rollercoaster.
The Bald Monkey: A Bubala and Mumi wet dream. A roller coaster just outside of a RUSH concert.
Mumi: Truly! My favorite part was during the song "Workin' Them Angels" when the image of a soldier's silhouette with angel wings appears on the screen behind them. The crowd really responded to that. In fact, the crowds are really responding positively to the new Rush album, "Snakes & Arrows." It's theme is spirituality and the obvious religious battle between the Middle East and the Middle West. They are playing some older songs that have a lot of the same themes throughout them also.
The Bald Monkey: And, did the professor play a seven minute drum solo?
Mumi: It was more like 10 minutes.
The Bald Monkey: Will he go back to working for that watermelon in the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie after the RUSH tour is over?
Mumi: Yeah. I think that's his real job. That, and riding motorcycles. I hear that he also wants to get into voiceover work for nature shows though.
The Bald Monkey: What else happened?
Mumi: Let's see Lerxst and Pratt were seen in bed together. Some old friends from SCTV showed up to introduce a song. Lerxst gets lost on the Leela playing board. (Plane of Dharma) The South Park guys showed up to introduce a song. Dirk almost gets fisted by a Scottish man in a kilt named Harry Satchel. And, for the sixth time during this RUSH tour, Bubala and I are left with incredible cravings for rotisserie chicken and absolutely no feelings that we have to go home and do laundry.



The Bald Monkey: I just can't see it all being worth it. Going to all of those RUSH concerts, I mean.
Mumi: You may be right. It might all be a huge waste of time. I guess that's just the chance I'm prepared to take. The danger I'm prepared to face. Cut to the chase.