There are an uncertain number of things in this world that are worth every penny you spend on them. This summer I've been blessed with two of them: our trip to Greece in July (especially the extra time Laura and I spent on the island of Santorini) and now, as of this afternoon, the two super-high-quality tickets to Cirque du Soleil's Kooza that I bought on impulse Friday morning.

It was the perfect thing at the perfect time – I've been having a rough go of it at work for the last week or two due to the usual start-of-semester shenanigans (believe me, it's even worse for the staff than it is for the students, although perhaps not as bad as it is for the actual full-fledged faculty), so when I spotted a Cirque clown on the cover of this month's WHERE BOSTON in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in Kendall Square, I grabbed it up and flipped to the article about how Cirque was opening up in town this weekend. I jumped on the website and discovered two amazing tickets for the 5PM Sunday show (five rows back, more-or-less center stage!) and I nabbed 'em. Pricey as the dickens, but worth every penny.

The show was amazing. Wheel of Death! Confetti cannon! Contortionists (and Jesus are the contortionists impressive when you're sitting right up close). Wheel of Death! High-wire acts with a bicycle! An acrobat balancing himself on a chair ten stories tall! Wheel of Death! Thus usual Cirque array of clowning around! Really, really great music! And did I mention the freaking Wheel of Death?

If you're in Boston and can spare the scratch, get yourself down to the Expo Center before October 10 or thereabouts. You'll be very, very glad you did.