Well, dear readers, I must hurry and write these here notes because today is quite a busy day and I must get my beauty rest and then be on my way to greet my very busy day. Yesterday, on the other hand, was not a very busy day – it was the sort of day I needed, a nice, relaxing day. Oh, I did a little thisa and a little thata, with an emphasis on the latter, but mostly I took it easy. What I did do was a bit of writing, a bit of mailing, a bit of eating, and a bit of telephoning and e-mailing. Otherwise, I just sat around like so much fish, cleared my head, and am now feeling fit as a fiddle and ready for love. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I’m fit as a fiddle and ready for love. Isn’t that exciting? Isn’t that just too too?
Last night, I managed to watch two count them two motion pictures on DVD. Prior to watching two count them two motion pictures on DVD, I managed to watch the first episode of the new season of The Sopranos. After a very weak beginning, the show settled in, and it was nice to see all the familiar faces again. I found it not as good as the best of The Sopranos, but entertaining nonetheless, despite the fact that I feel they have basically spit in the face of their loyal fans by going on a two-year hiatus. After The Sopranos, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Murder She Said, starring Miss Margaret Rutherford as Miss Jane Marple in a very loose adaptation of Miss Agatha Christie’s 4:50 From Paddington. I must say that even though Miss Christie found much displeasure in the Rutherford Marple films, I find them very enjoyable, even though they have very little to do with Miss Christie’s character or books. In fact, two of the four Rutherford films are based on Hercule Poirot novels. Go know. Murder She Wrote is a little less humorous than the subsequent films – it’s really more of a straight mystery, although just watching Miss Rutherford is always cause for a smile. One interesting thing – the young boy in the film is completely dubbed from start to finish, and those with a keen ear will recognize that it’s the same voice that dubbed the young boy in Village of the Damned. I love Mr. Ron Goodwin’s Miss Marple theme, and other sections of the score are almost virtually note-for-note cues found in Village of the Damned. The transfer is great – crisp, great contrast, and nice mono sound. I then watched the second motion picture on DVD, which was entitled The History Of Violence, a film by David Cronenberg. Despite the film’s title, and Mr. Cronenberg’s reputation, it’s one of his least violent films (there are a couple of gruesome shots, but nothing you haven’t seen in a million other movies). The film is beautifully directed by Mr. Cronenberg, and the cast is top-notch. I was very surprised by the performance of Viggo Mortensen, an actor whom I’ve loathed heretofore. He’s really great in the film, as is Maria Bello as his wife. Ed Harris is his usual fine self, and William Hurt chews the scenery briefly. Howard Shore’s score was the best of last year’s scores – of course, it wasn’t nominated. It’s an odd little film, but it’s short and I liked it very much – it and Good Night, and Goodbye are now my favorite films of last year (of course, I haven’t seen many others). Transfer is excellent, as you might imagine, and the sound is great.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because frankly I’m feeling fit as a fiddle and ready for love in all the right or wrong places.
Today I shall be conducting a musical theater workshop class – the students will be singing the songs they did last Thursday, and addressing the notes they got on Tuesday. If we don’t get through everyone, we’ll pick up on next Tuesday. I’ll then meet dear reader Jane for some foodstuffs, and after that I have to go to storage and find some sheet music. And I must write – I’m hoping David Wechter sends me the final pages, even if they’re really rough, so that I can then polish them and we can meet and go over everything on the weekend. I’m also going to really sit down and figure out a first pass order for the short stories. I’m also trying to figure out what to call the collection – there’s only one of the story titles that’s appropriate as a title, and I like it, so it will probably end up being that. I think I may have something to do tonight, as well, but I’ll be hornswoggled if I can remember what that something might be.
Now wait just a darned minute. Quick, let’s put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s dance the Hora and The Swim, because today is the actual birthday of JB – JB doesn’t really post here anymore, but she’s getting a birthday cheer anyway because JB just happens to be my very own actual darling daughter. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to my very own actual daughter. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO THE DARLING DAUGHTER!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, teach, meet, eat, write, plan, and organize, as well as drive about in my motor car doing a little thisa and a little thata, with an emphasis on the latter. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite musical numbers done by Mr. Fred Astaire, Mr. Gene Kelly, and Miss Judy Garland? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and let me reiterate that I am fit as a fiddle and ready for love.