‘Summertime’ in the fall

Just a quick rundown of some of this month’s events:

• Nov. 1: Chicken Little. I had won tickets for an advance screening in D.C. The movie has its moments (supported by a great cast, including the lovable Zach Braff), but I think the writing lacks the depth that helps other animated features be more than just kids’ movies.
• Nov. 6: Porgy and Bess at the National Mall. The Washington National Opera’s matinee performance at the Kennedy Center was broadcast live to a giant screen on the Mall, where thousands of people (including me) sat on the lawn and enjoyed the show. Other than a few of the more popular songs like “Summertime,” I didn’t know Porgy and Bess at all beforehand, so it was great to finally see it. I nearly got all teary at the end. Oh, Bess, why you done him wrong?
• Nov. 8: Election Day. To get informed about the candidates and the issues, I watched the televised debate on Sunday night. Oh wait, no. That was The West Wing. Seriously, I stopped watching the show years ago, but this season it’s sucked me back in.
• Nov. 12: The Kinsey Sicks, performing as part of One in Ten’s Laugh Out Loud series, at the Carnegie Institution.
• Nov. 19: Ira Glass, host of This American Life, at Lisner Auditorium.
• Thanksgiving week: I’ll be visiting my folks in the Bay Area, and taking a side trip with them to Las Vegas for a few days. My high-school reunion also takes place that week in San Francisco (two words: open bar).

Thom and I may try and catch Cavalia, an equestrian-inspired show produced by one of the founders of Cirque du Soleil. The show has set up camp near Pentagon City and runs through Nov. 23.