How we here at OptimusHalifax lament the days when we had a television. Actually, digital cable to be more precise. Ah, the days when, after coming home, we would sit on the couch and watch Dr. Phil, Oprah, 7th Heaven, reruns of CSI that we'd seen about one million times before and then the prime time hits depending on which day of the week it was. Now we've been reduced to going to a friend's house every Monday evening to watch Prison Break and 24, and living in eerie, non-televised silence the rest of the week. Today, for example, there will be no Super Bowl XLI for us. Instead, we are stealing internet and hanging out on the superbowl.com website for live play-by-play updates. You must not have thought this about your humble editor, but alas, she has a soft spot for the Super Bowl. Mostly just because she likes making appetizers and drinking lots of beer. And missing the halftime show! YEGADS! It's PRINCE, people, PRINCE!!

This is what it feels like when doves cry..what a sad, sad day.

Man oh man, what a week...Gemma Ray Ritual on Monday, A/V and Gary Flanagan on Thursday, Holy Fuck with Instruments and Land of Talk at the Marquee, then Fucked Up at Stage Nine and some other bands at the Attic last night, and tonight...back to the Marquee for Jon Rae and the River, We Are Wolves, Duchess Says, Candence Weapon and then god knows where.  It's a good thing this only happens once a year! Our body and our pocketbook can't take much more!

This weekend, we here at OptimusHalifax made our first sojurn out of the city. I know, shocking isn't it. Two years and not even a picture of Peggy's Cove to show for it! Thanks to Mr. Mark Black, we got to experience the wonder that is Cape Breton! The excitement included driving through unpredictable crazy downpours (hooray for maritime weather!), listening to late-night call in shows on "the station for MEN" (where men would discuss their sexual conquests and borderline pedophilia), shopping at Value Village in Sydney (where a cool red crushed velvet blazer was purchased for $5!), and of course...the highlight of our LIFE...eating at this fine establishment:

It was the best...thing...ever...So good in fact, that vegetarians will break down and order chicken burgers at this joint. Maybe that's just a rumour though. Cape Breton was fun. It could have been the company of Mark and Steph (former Optimus Paul's better half), it could have been the onion rings, I guess we'll never know.

Those looking for fresh Optimuscrime Halifax updates should consult Sharplikeknives.com, where Paul's road diary is found.  He and Sharp Like Knives are now in British Columbia:

"Like I mentioned before, we ran out of gas on the way to Vancouver, but we still managed to get to the Alf House basically on time. Sort of. That night was my birthday, and I think the best present I got on that day was the seemingly endless slew of surprise guests that kept showing up throughout the evening. Friends from Halifax, friends from highschool who I hadn't seen in almost 6 years. It was crazy. The show itself was also amazing! We played with my friend Lianne's band The Mutators, who were awesome. And the little basement was packed with crazy, sweaty kids. They lost it for Windom Earle, and seemed to really like us too. That tiny show, in that dingy basement had 1000 times the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement than any bar show we've ever played. It was inspiring, and exciting."