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March 27, 2007:

IN A MELLOW MOOD

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I’m in a mellow mood. Yes, Virginia, I, BK, am in a mellow mood. That is because I am listening to mellow music, namely Mr. Johnny Mandel’s discarded score for the film Author! Author! Said score has just been issued on a CD with Dave Grusin’s replacement score. The Mandel is gorgeous and I’ve played it about twelve times already. And it has put me into a mellow mood. I feel like I’m floating in a marsh. Of course, that would make me a marsh mellow fellow, wouldn’t it? We don’t allow groaning here at haineshisway.com. Where was I? Oh, yes, I am in a mellow mood. I like being in a mellow mood – I’m not in a mellow mood all that often. Maybe I should sing the Donovan song, Mellow Yellow. If one of the Three Tenors sang Mellow Yellow the fellow would bellow Mellow Yellow. I, for one, like to eat Jell-O whilst I bellow Mellow Yellow. Well, I think I’ve beaten this into the ground, don’t you? Speaking of beating this into the ground, yesterday was a day filled with this and that. For example, I got up. That was that. Then I wrote a couple of pages. That was that. Then Mr. Nick Redman arrived and we went to Art’s Deli for lunch, where I had a yummilicious pastrami sandwich. We had a lovelier than lovely time, and then I came home and wrote three more pages and then it was time for my meeting. This meeting was with LACTAA, which is the theater academy alumni board. I’ve been a member of this board for ten years, but have attended only a handful of meetings, because I found it an organization without a purpose or clearly defined goals. A couple of months ago, its current president stepped down, having gotten a new job that was going to take up much more of her time. I wrote a mass e-mail at that time saying that I completely understood why she would want to step down – there really wasn’t an organization anymore. I felt they should basically just shut it down. Since then, I have been thinking about it, and a couple of weeks ago I had a meeting with one of the board members, at which I proposed that I might be interested in taking over. But, I had many stipulations, the main one being I completely wanted autonomy and wanted to clean house and have a different energy and structure. So, during the last two weeks I’ve been formulating how I wanted things to be, and tonight I presented my plan to as many board members could be mustered for the meeting. I think my radical proposal shook some people up, but I also think they knew that what I was proposing made sense and that it was, most likely, the only way the organization would survive. In fact, depending on what ultimately happens, if this, for example, weren’t to go the way it should, the organization would effectively die and we’d start a new one. They seemed to understand that, too. One fellow in particular really “got” what I was saying and he really wanted to bring it to a vote right then, even though we were missing a couple of people. But, it was decided that the couple of people would be called and then a vote would be taken via e-mail and phone. One other fellow was concerned about the structure and didn’t seem to really grasp what I was getting at. Basically, I want to create a governing board of just a few people, which I would run. Then, we would have an advisory committee and the current board, if they so chose, could remain on that committee as long as they were willing and able to do what was asked of them. I outlined my plans and goals – deep down everyone knows that I’m basically right about this, that if I take it over that I am the kind of person who will make things happen, and that I am a leader. But, for a couple of them, this is their once a month little get together, and they are resistant to change, even though if the organization were to go under, there would be nothing at all – or I suppose they could just go on meeting once a month and never doing a thing. I’m told them that I wanted a decision by mid-week, because I’m ready to go and ready to begin the long process of restructuring and getting some really fun and interesting things in the works by October. If it all works out, then I’ll be choosing the two or three people for the governing board, and then meeting with other folks about how they can best serve as committee members. I’ll have more to say once things are ultimately decided.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because frankly I’m in a mellow mood and I was thinking about playing something mellow on the cello.

Today is a day for writing. I have no other plans until six o’clock, at which time I shall be working with Miss Merissa Haddad and Mr. John Boswell for two hours. Tomorrow morning I’ll be back with Mr. Boswell, this time working with Miss Joan Ryan.

Have I mentioned that I’m in a mellow mood? I’m so mellow that I am falling asleep whilst I am writing this paragraph.

I may have to make a field trip to do some location scouting for the book. I’m not sure yet – I’d much rather just see photos online, but my LA research assistant has to find out some exact information first – what I’ve gotten so far is confusing to me. Meanwhile, our very own Cillaliz has been providing me with lots of useful information which has been very helpful.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog (weather permitting), write, do an errand or two, write, and then attend a rehearsal. Today’s topic of discussion: What organizations and boards have you served on and what was the experience like? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I try to remain in a mellow mood.

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