WOTBA New York Events Calendar: Rainy Day Slacker Edition Monday, May 4 - Monday, May 11, 2009

This week appears to be one of those weeks that highlight change and transition, a tentative time between before and after. Nothing seems settled. Students at local universities and colleges are studying for finals, with commencement and graduation ceremonies coming up soon. For those of you not in college, WOTBA gives you permission to take the week off. That's right. Go to a play. Read a book. Bike around town. Stroll through the garden. Many people are under-employed or working as freelancers anyway, so why push it? You don't want to exploit yourself, do you? Let's spend the entire week watching others work.

• Monday, May 4. k.d lang and Meaghan Smith. St. George Theatre. 35 Hyatt St (at Central Ave). Staten Island. $50, $65, $85. 7:30 pm.

• Monday, May 4. Salman Rushdie and Kamila Shamsie. Barnes & Noble. 33 E 17th St. Free. 7 p.m.

• Tuesday, May 5. Branford Marsalis Quartet. Through Sun 7:30pm, 9:30pm. Jazz Standard 116 E 27th St. Tickets: $35

* Wednesday, May 6. Adrienne Rich. Reading from her new book of essays, The Human Eye. Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch. Grand Army Plaza (at Flatbush Ave). Wed. 7 p.m. Free

• Wednesday, May 6. The Merchant of Venice. Brooklyn Academy of Music. BAM Harvey Theater. May 6—9, 12—16 at 7:30pm. May 10 & 17 at 3pm. By William Shakespeare. Watermill Theatre (UK) and Propeller production. All-male production directed by Edward Hall.

• Thursday, May 7. First day of Affordable Art Fair. 7W New York. 7 W 34th St . Tickets: $20, seniors and students $15, children 12 and under free. Sun 10 free for mothers with children. Thu noon–6pm , Fri–Sat noon–8pm , Sun noon–5pm

• Thursday, May 7. Brooklyn Blogfest. Bloggers chat up the bloggiest borough. The powerHouse Arena. 37 Main St. Dumbo. 7pm. Tickets: $10, seniors and students $5. Website.

• Thursday, May 7. Roxy Paine: Models and Drawings. Artist Reception and Book Signing: May 7, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm. James Cohan Gallery. 533 W 26th St. Through May 30 at the gallery. Paine's sculpture Maelstrom, a site-specific installation at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, is on view through October 25, 2009.

• Friday, May 8. Harlem in the Himalayas with Billy Bang and William Parker. Part of the Friday night series at Rubin Museum of Art, dedicated to art of the Himalayas, this time with jazz. 150 W 17th St. advance $18, day of show $20. Website.

• Saturday, May 9. Lincoln Center Guided Tour. 10:30 a.m. I highly recommend a guided tour of Lincoln Center, with visits to the New York State Theater, Avery Fisher Hall, the Metropolitan Opera House, or the Vivian Beaumont Theater. Call the Lincoln Center tour desk at 212-875-5350 to make your reservation. Theater availability is subject to change. $15.00 adults, $12 students, $12 seniors (65 and over), $8 children (12 and under).

• Sunday, May 10. Tofu Takedown. Highline Ballroom, 431 W 16th St. 4 p.m. $10.00. Renditions of tofu, for your vegan pleasure. Official site.

• Monday, May 11. Simon Loekle discusses 160th Anniversary of the Astor Place Riots. 7:00 p.m. Merchant's House Museum (29 East 4th Street). Cost: $15 per person; $10 MHM members.

Image: "Subway Cinema Frames" by Walking Off the Big Apple, on an IPhone camera.