Well, dear readers, we had a full day of sun yesterday and what a pleasant and needed change of pace it was. Towards the end of the afternoon the sky got a bit cloudy, and there were some pretty gray clouds over towards Pasadena, but thankfully no rain appeared at all. It was nice to get out of the home environment and drive about in my motor car, and I got some errands done that needed my attention. I’ve been doing some major head-banging on my new book – I went through the same thing just before starting Writer’s Block. There are so many ways to go with every story, and I’m also having trouble deciding which of three time periods to set the book in. And now I’ve thought of a fourth time period. The milieu is set, as are quite a few of the characters, but I keep waffling about which way to start the book and how to tell the first part of its story. But, I well remember beginning Writer’s Block and not having a clew as to who would be murdered or who the killer would be. But this book is entirely different and I have to decide on just a few details before jumping into it (although, that said, I did write the opening sentence today – we’ll see if it sticks). I’m getting close to wanting to actually write every day, so that’s good. As I’m writing these notes, I have a splitting headache. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, have a splitting headache. I feel like there are little people in my head walking around with big boots. If there are going to be little people walking around in my head I prefer they do it in toe shoes or bunny slippers). I have just taken two Advil. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?
If you missed any of our wonderful postings yesterday, do check them out – there were quite a few priceless posts which furthered the story, The Mystery of the Leeks. I must say we have quite an entertaining and smart bunch of people around these here parts.
Last night I attended the opening of a play entitled Anna in the Tropics. I had no idea what it was about, only that it had won the Pulitzer and had a not-that-long run on Broadway. I enjoyed it very much – the actors are all terrific and the play is interesting and well-written. I’m not sure if I’d say it was Pulitzer material, but it’s an excellent piece. The production design was interesting, too, but I’m not sure I loved it. I also found some of the direction a little much and I might have preferred a little less “art” in the staging. I’m curious to know what the look and staging was like on Broadway (where it had a different director, Emily Mann). A couple of the actors here seem to have been encouraged to go a little large, but otherwise they really can’t be faulted. I’m sorry I don’t have my program in front of me so I can’t give you their names – I especially liked the young lady who played Marela (I think that’s the name). In any case, since I have, of late, not really liked much theater, it was nice to see a solid production of a solid play, even with my few little caveats. I’d recommend it to anyone in the area.
What am I, Ben Brantley all of a sudden? Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because the little people in my head have just put on tap shoes.
For the first time in ages I managed to only eat one meal yesterday. I want to try to do that every other day because it’s the only way I will ever become lithe and slim and trim and marvy-looking.
The little people in my head are doing a Mazurka. No, I’m mistaken – they are dancing to the music of the Ocarina. I do not like headaches. Frankly, headaches give me a headache and right now I’ve got a doozy.
Oh, I forgot to mention who I saw at the play. Who I saw at the play: I saw the ubiquitous Joanne Worley, I saw Mr. Steve Orich, with whom I’ve worked many times, I saw those wacky Plaids, David Engel and Larry Rabin, I saw my pal Harry Groener and his ever-lovin’ Dawn, I saw Mr. Paul Lazarus, who did You Never Know, which I recorded (and I got a scoop from him that will excite any West Coaster who loves Sondheim), and I saw Miss Teri Ralston (who never remembers who I am).
And what shall I be doing today? Well, I shall be doing things. Yes, Virginia, I shall be doing things. I’m expecting packages every day this week, so that will be fun. I love getting packages. Packages are the berries. And sometimes the berries are the packages.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must go hither and thither and also yon, oh, yes, I must go yon, and I must try to eat only one meal, and I must try to make book decisions and I must try to watch a DVD or three. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you’d like and we get to give any old answer we like. Let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we? And hopefully the little people in my head will do a minuet or, even better, sit down and go to sleep.