Monday Morning Commute: Wednesday. Goddamn.

Welcome to the MONDAY MORNING COMMUTE, OL’s celebration of escaping workweek ennui with comics and movies and video juegos and other such godsends. As can be inferred from the name, this feature is posted on the first day of the week. Usually. Sometimes, when work is too overwhelming and the pile on my desk is more difficult to navigate, the MMC drops on Tuesday.

And then there’s weeks like this one.

I could blather on and on about my work woes, computer problems, and persistent bone-pains, but I think I’d rather show off some of the bits of entertainment that’re going to keep me from washing my wrists with a razor. Life’s great, so let’s deliver stress a fun-time uppercut to the ballbag!

Let’s go!

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Rockin’/TH1RT3EN (Megadeth)

As a fan of Megadeth for nearly fifteen years,   I can be hard to please. After seeing the Rust in Peace lineup live (during the Cryptic Writings tour), suffering through Risk, and scratching my head during the post-The World Needs a Hero break up, I don’t usually have expectations for Mustaine and the Mega-men. To me, the last couple of albums have been incredibly inconsistent, with United Abominations edging out Endgame via a combination of shreddery and supreme lyrical ridiculousness.

Fortunately, it seems as though Th1rt3en is a return to form.

No, not the form of Megadeth as it was known with Marty Friedman or Nick Menza or Chris Poland. But the album does prove that Mustaine can still assemble solid riffs into rockin’ tunes that get toes tappin’ and heads bangin’. Lead axeman Chris Broderick shines throughout the disc, and it’s great to have Dave Ellefson back in the fold even though he’s not a virtuoso.

If only they could toss out Shawn Drover, who is by far the least inspired drummer in Megadeth history.

Overall, Th1rt3en is a worthy addition to the Megadeth catalog, and will serve any headbanger well.

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Peepin’/Slutcracker!

On Saturday I’ll be heading to the Somerville Theatre to see The Slutcracker, a burlesque reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s celebrated The Nutcracker. As a proponent of both holiday cheer and nude revelry, I’m pretty amped to see what this is all about. Based on the reviews I’ve read and the firsthand accounts I’ve heard, The Slutcracker is a hilarious, exhilarating, and jaw-dropping feature.

Three cheers for the XXX-Mas Season!

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Readin’/Cosmos (Carl Sagan)

I’ve finally taken it upon myself to read Cosmos, the companion book to Carl Sagan’s classic television series. I’ve only managed to find time for a few chapters thus far, but I’m absolutely blown away. As non-scientist with an interest in science, I often feel overwhelmed by the prospect of rooting through journal articles or theory-heavy books. However, Sagan does an amazing job of clearly presenting the universe.

Not only does Sagan explain the known order of existence, but he provides a perspective that is nothing short of spellbinding. Carl Sagan writes about humanity’s place in infinity with an optimism and benevolence that occasionally makes me stop reading so that I can ponder the magnitude of life itself. I’m not a religious individual, but reading this book is a spiritual experience.

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So that’s my week.

What’s your week looking like?