Sunday – 30 January 2011
We’re almost done with the month and my fingers still want to type “2010” half the time…

Yesterday was a long and event-filled day. I started the day by volunteering at the Salt Lake City Habitat for Humanity ReStore. I did a mix of things from some retail-prep work to organizing (yet more) doors to helping to unload donations.

Leaving the ReStore, I met SaraRules! at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center for our final movie of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, Salvation Boulevard (1 , 2):

Pastor Dan is a charismatic preacher who has captivated a city with his charm. Ex-deadhead and recovering hippie Carl is one of the loyal sheep in his flock. When Dan finds himself in a compromising situation, Carl is called into service in a most unconventional way. The megachurch is cast into shadow, and a hellish storm begins brewing that could jeopardize its entire existence. The road to hell—in this case, Salvation Boulevard—is paved with good intentions—gone hysterically wrong.

This movie cast a very satirical look at mega-churches and their followers. I liked the movie; SaraRules! didn’t. I stayed after the credits for a brief Q&A with the director, George Ratliff, and his co-writer, Doug Stone. An audience member asked:

“Was there any problem from any real mega-churches, since you were making fun of them?”

Ratliff and Stone looked at each other, and with a tone that was filled with both mock-incredulity and mock-innocence, both proclaimed:

“We weren’t making fun if them!”

After the movie, I stopped at The Train Shoppe. I’ve been looking at picking up some SuperStreets to my layout… and the shop has had some on their discount table for the past few weeks. I decided to bite the proverbial bullet. Not only did I take a fair portion of their stock, but Jeff cut me a rather nice deal. Win!

Next, it was down to Thanksgiving Point (again) to meet Perry and the kids at the train show. I wound up getting another railroad car: Lionel’s Railway Post Office Boxcar and a few street signs. On the way back home, I drove out to the Hobby Lobby in South Jordan to see what – if any – O-gauge items they had. Not too much, but what they had was 40% off. I left with an Atlas O Norfolk-Southern Tank Car.

Back home to clean up and have dinner before SaraRules! and I headed to Abravanel Hall to see Utah Symphony’s performance of selections from Bizet’s Carmen, Mark Adamo’s Four Angels (Concerto for Harp and Orchestra) and Stravinski’s Pulcinella. The symphony was conducted by Gilderoy Keith Lockhart. Before the performance of Four Angels, Mark Adamo came out and spoke briefly about it and how much of a pleasure it was to work with Louise Vickerman, Utah Symphony’s principal harpist, and the symphony. One doesn’t often see/hear concertos for harp, but this was a very spirited piece. Attendees could also see the sheer… joy… on Ms. Vickerman’s face as she played. It was not only quite fun to hear, but also very fun to watch.

Today has been relatively lazy and quiet; that’s not a bad thing. Hopefully, the day will remain that way.

Stray Toasters
Yeah… not so many right now.  Check back tomorrow.

Namaste.