Kodo

Matt and I went to see Kodo at U.C. Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall tonight as an early Valentine's Day (since MIL wants us to spend real Valentine's Day "as a family". Sacrilege! But, she's had a HARD 6 months so it's fair to give her V-Day this time.) It was absolutely amazing!!! It's an ancient Japanese style of drumming, often called "samurai drumming". Samurai is right! These guys (and two girls) were KILLING their drums, throwing everything they had into pounding massive drumsticks into enormous drums. It was an incredible sight (and sound). They were amazing athletes too, holding exaggerated lunges and sit up positions while throwing their weight into drumming for so much longer than anyone should be able to hold that position. At one point they wheeled out a drum about 5 feet long and 4 feet in diameter (cut from a solid tree trunk!) and this guy POUNDED on that thing with drum sticks that looked wide enough to be rolling pins.

This night inspired Matt and I to start budgeting in a $60 "culture allowance". We'll just buy cheap seats or buy tickets the day of the show from one of the half price ticketing agents once a month, and think of the amazing shows we'll experience! Our two tickets plus the processing fee was $54, and it was an experience we'll remember for years. If you really think about it, how easy is it to blow $60? Two movie tickets and dinner, a night out dancing and drinking, entry for two to the zoo plus parking and lunch... And ultimately, which experiences do you keep longer and affect you more deeply?