Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry because this morning we have our musical theater workshop (MTW), and it’s an extra-long class today, so that we can see the two remaining duets, and then everyone gets their second chance, having addressed the notes from the other day. I’m looking forward to see the progress that’s been made. I then must rush back to the San Fernando Valley to deal with a few things, and I’m hoping to actually begin writing this new play idea I have. I’ve been making lots of notes, and during last night’s jog the opening scene came to me and I’m anxious to write it. I am also gestating on several ideas for a new book. And then I’ll be having a post-closing supper celebration with Miss Tammy Minoff, which I’m very much looking forward to. We haven’t decided where to sup yet. Yesterday, I got a reasonable night’s sleep, and then boxed up a few orders and got them shipped out nice and early. I’m completely caught up now with shipping, except for the Dress Circle order (which I’ll do today), and the review copies. I then worked on playing and singing the music of the new musical, so that I don’t come off as a complete baboon come Thursday when we do the reading. Then this singer came over – I was really ready to just say no to doing her act, but she came on pretty strong and was willing to meet the price, shall we say, so, in the end, I said okay. I don’t think it’s going to take the sort of time and energy of a Kevin Spirtas or Linda Purl show – it’s just a one-hour show, and she’s trying to be more of a jazz singer, so I’ll mostly be working on the structure of the songs, her performances of them, and making sure everything is interesting and that it all moves along. Our first meeting is on Thursday. I then booked an editing room and my editor, so we’ll be starting to work on the editing of Deceit this weekend. I then had a bite to eat (some yummilicous Wacky Noodles), did some rewriting on some lyrics, then took a one mile jog. Finally, I sat on my couch like so much fish for the rest of the evening.
Last night I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Ziegfeld Follies. It’s a hit-and-miss affair, one of those all-star extravaganzas, that I gather was torture to edit and get in theaters. There are some lovely things in it – Lena Horne’s sizzling Love, Limehouse Blues with Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer, Red Skelton doing Guzzler’s Gin, and the very outré opening number. It’s also fun seeing Fanny Brice on screen, although it is clear why she never had a film career – the camera hated her. I’ve never liked The Great Lady Gives and Interview with Judy Garland. But, I do enjoy The Babbitt and The Bromide with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. The Danny Kaye version of that song used to give me nightmares when I was a child. I know not why. The source material used for the transfer, while not perfect (it’s got occasional scratches and wear), does feature incredibly eye-popping color, and it’s pretty sharp for most of the film.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? Why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst I contemplate whether to jog again today. I tell you, I am the talk of the neighborhood with my jogging. I’ve been dubbed The Jogging Jew.
It occurs to me that I have already talked about everything in the first part of the notes. I hate when that happens. Now here I am with a big ol’ blank page and nothing to write about. Well, I could say that I’m going to see my friend Miss Jessica Rush in the new musical she’s doing at the Ricardo Montalban Theater (formerly the Dolittle, formerly the Huntington Hartford, the theater where I discovered theater). It’s called Pilgrim or something like Pilgrim. I know they’d just begun preview a week or two ago, but I’m afraid it’s closing this Sunday – I’m not even sure they opened yet. When I had lunch with Jessica a few weeks ago, it really sounded like the producers were complete amateurs, so I’m not surprised, really. I will, of course, have a full report for you.
The Jogging Jew – that’s the title of my next novel. Actually, I think I’ll put that in my new play. I tell you, I am a Man On A Mission and I will be the first to lose that ten pounds, Wacky Noodles notwithstanding. I’m really trying to just count calories this time around, because that’s the way I always used to lose weight – counting calories and exercising. The nice thing about pasta is that it doesn’t have that many calories – about 200 calories per serving (there are six servings per 12 oz.) – so even if you at all twelve ounces of pasta (four per meal) it’s only 1200 calories. Since the ingredients for Wacky Noodles are very calorie friendly, the whole thing probably tops out at 1600 calories, and I can definitely maintain or lose weight by doing under 2000 calories a day, as long as I’m moving around and keeping busy.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be a Jogging Jew, I must do class, I must ship, I must pick up some overdue packages that will hopefully arrive today, and I must sup with Miss Tammy Minoff. Today’s topic of discussion: What is the strangest food dish you’ve eaten and/or prepared? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we?