Well, dear readers, another week has just sped by like a gazelle doing the jitterbug in the middle of a snowstorm. Last I looked it was Monday, and now it’s Friday. Go know. Well, I must get these here notes written and posted because it is late and I am falling asleep at the computer. I have droopy eyes. Yes, Virginia, I, BK, have droopy eyes. Hence, we’ll dispense with the amenities and get right to the hard news. For example, yesterday I awoke quite early in the a of m, shaved, showered, and was on my way to conduct the musical theater workshop (MTW). More people sang their solo songs, having addressed the notes from the other day. Several of them did much better, several didn’t progress enough, and a couple just weren’t prepared. We’ll be finishing up on Tuesday, and some people will be singing their songs for a third time. Then we begin working on their duets, which we’re going to approach a little differently. After the class, I met up with dear reader Jane and her ever-lovin’ Keith, and we had a splendidly splendid repast at Du-Par’s. After that, I came home and began to write, then did some errands, then wrote some more, and that was that. I also had several important telephonic calls, and I got caught up answering a plethora of e-mails. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too? If not, it’s the best I can do with droopy eyes.
Last night, I managed to watch two count them two motion pictures on DVD. The first motion picture on DVD was entitled The Assassination of Richard Nixon. I’d never heard anything about this film – I believe it escaped into a few theaters a year ago, disappeared instantly (grossing less than $700,000), never to be heard from again until the recent DVD release. It’s a shame, because it’s actually quite a good movie as today’s movies go. Oh, I didn’t love the direction, but the performance of Sean Penn as Samuel Bicke, would be assassin of Richard Nixon, is terrific. I’m not always a fan of Mr. Penn, but he’s great here. Naomi Watts is along for the ride, in a somewhat thankless role as the former Mrs. Bicke. Don Cheadle is very good, but again, doesn’t have all that much to do. It’s really Penn’s show from start to finish. The film moves right along, and it’s just a good character study and I enjoyed it very much. I then watched the second motion picture on DVD, which was entitled Droopy Eyes – sorry, which was entitled Lord of War. I don’t know why I bothered, but I was told it was a very good film. And, of course, the back of the DVD package promises a “stylish thriller” (at least some totally brain dead critic called it that). If that’s how they tried to sell the film, it’s no wonder it was a complete and huge bomb at the box-office. Lord of War doesn’t ever really know what it wants to be, but the one thing it isn’t is a thriller, stylish or otherwise. It’s a black comedy, certainly, for at least half its running time. Then it gets all serious and preachy and just dies a slow death. Of course, at the end we’re told it’s “based on actual events” – what isn’t? Nicholas Cage is very good as the amoral gun runner, and some of the black comedy narration is amusing, but once the film turns in on itself it’s just deadly.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because my eyes are drooping so much that the lids are on my chin.
Dear reader Jane’s ever-lovin’ Keith had a fun suggestion for us hainsies/kimlets who are trying to diet. Starting today, we are on the honor system – every three days we say how much weight we’ve lost or gained and we never lie about it. The first one to lose ten pounds wins a sparkling prize (and that includes me). So, on your mark, get set, diet, baby, diet. Our first report will be next Tuesday. If I forget, someone remind me.
Today I have quite a busy little day. I have to buy shipping supplies and get everything ready for when the Kevin Spirtas CDs arrive (hopefully end of next week). I must also ship some things tomorrow, polish new pages of the musical, finish any unfinished lyrics (all in preparation for our first read-through in a week-and-a-half), and I’ve several important errands to do including finally getting over to storage and pulling some charts I need to pull. I may be getting together with dear reader PennyO for an hour or two, and then I think I have an afternoon meeting with a singer who wants me to help her with her club act. It wouldn’t be like Kevin or Linda Purl – just help figuring out an order, and maybe giving her a bit of direction, but that’s about it. We’ll see if we both feel like forging ahead. And then I shall attend the evening performance of the play – a bit scary since they’ve all had six days off.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must take my droopy eyes to the bedroom environment, I must sleep a beautiful sleep, and then I must arise and greet the day with a smile and a hearty hello. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, Fred Karlin’s marvelous soundtrack to The Stalking Moon, and some tracks from the San Francisco Sondheim benefit. DVD, more Miss Marple. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I go rest my weary droopy eyes.