Well, dear readers, I am up in arms. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, am up in arms. Not down in arms, mind you, but up in arms. Why am I up in arms, you might ask, and I might tell you because why should I withhold such things from the likes of you dear readers. Not only am I up in arms, I’m up in feet and knees, too. And all because once again the woman who I deal with in terms of getting Kritzerland CDs pressed has screwed up and has not delivered our new release on its scheduled due date. I’ve had the problem before, most recently with the Skinner/Ripley repressing, which came to me seven count them seven days after they were due. At that time, I told the lady there could not, under any circumstances, be a screw up on the Milla CD due date and she assured me she would do what was necessary to not have one. Well, Milla was due Monday. It is Wednesday. I do not have the disc. I have repeatedly asked for the number of the pressing plant so I can call them and have one of my special BK-esque conversations, but that phone number has not been forthcoming, nor has the name of the plant. That would lead me to now believe that perhaps there is something more going on than may meet the eye. I wrote her three e-mails yesterday and left one message, all without response. I have since sent her another e-mail, and this time I have laid it on the line: Either I have discs today, or I want all print and masters back in my possession by the end of the day today. Those are the only two options, and if neither are met, this woman will RUE the day she ever met me. Luckily, there is an outstanding invoice (which she actually hasn’t sent yet) for the Skinner/Ripley repressing, so until I have what I want, that invoice will never be paid. If necessary, I have my mastering guy alerted to overnight me a new copy of the master, and I’ll go elsewhere and put a rush on the pressing. My booklet designer might know where the print shop is, and if so, we’ll try to get the print – if not, we’ll send that to another printer and put a rush on it. By this time, I’m sure this woman has the print and she’ll be charged for it and again, I will not pay any invoices until I have my masters and all extant print back. If the CDs should arrive, then I’ll have a meeting with her and determine whether we will work together anymore. If we do, I will be guaranteed in writing of all delivery dates, and it will be signed by both her and the pressing plant. If that cannot happen, then I guess that’s just one more thing to add to my plate that I’ll have to deal with myself – in other words, I’LL have to get this stuff to the plant and the printers, I’LL have to get the print to the plant, and I’LL have to pick it up and stay on top of all of it. This does not please me and, as stated above, I’m up in arms, legs, and knees and also Ye Olde Eyeballs. End of rant.
Speaking of rant, yesterday, other than the above, was a really productive but very long day. I got up, answered e-mails, made telephonic calls, did errands, and then went to a lunch meeting. That was long and went well, and then I had to hie myself to rehearsal with Miss Joan Ryan. We got through the first act (we have yet to run the second act all the way through – so I’ll start with act two today), and some of it went well, but she’s still struggling with lyrics – the staging was a little more in her body, so that was good. I then had to hie myself back and do a bunch of stuff, and then Mr. David Wechter arrived and we went and had some supper and then we had a long but very productive and exciting work session on our new project. When we came up with the idea for what became The Faculty, we knew it was a great idea. And that’s how we feel about this new project – just one of those one-line great ideas one gets every now and then. We fleshed out all the characters last night, and we have our structure planned, and as soon as he finishes the rough-up of The Brain polish, he’ll begin writing, while I polish The Brain polish, and then I’ll join in on the writing. He’ll be taking the lead on this project, so most of my work will be reading and polishing his stuff until we have a rough draft. After that, I didn’t even have time to sit on my couch like so much fish, because I had to begin to deal with this Milla CD situation.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it is late and I’m exhausted and I’m up in arms and there’s a huge flying thing in my kitchen that I cannot corner long enough to whack the very life out of it. I don’t know what the HELL kind of bug it is (it looks like a mutant moth/bee) but I want the sucker DEAD. I tell you, I am up in arms and there are no two or even three ways about it.
This morning I shall be dealing with Milla CD matters. I now have my mastering guy awaiting word from me, the print has been uploaded to a new printers, who will also be awaiting word from me, and I’ll be talking to a pressing plant first thing this morning, to alert them to the possibility that they’ll be taking over this job. I’m hoping that none of this is necessary, but better to be prepared than not. If we have to go this route, I’ll still have discs before the street date.
After that, I have a noon meeting with the LACC Foundation, then a two-hour rehearsal with Miss Ryan, then a dinner with Miss Liz Larsen and her ever-lovin’ Sal Viviano. After that, I really shall be sitting on my couch like so much fish, and hopefully by that time I will not be up in arms any longer.
On Thursday, it’s more of the same, and then in the evening, Mr. Grant Geissman begins designing the new book – I’m very excited about that.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up in arms, hope for a positive resolution to the Milla CD issues, meet, rehearse, and then have a lovelier than lovely supper with two lovelier than lovely people. 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 like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I try not to be up in arms anymore.