Well, dear readers, ho, ho, ho. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, ho, ho, ho. And by that I mean that the Christmas season is in full swing and all I can say about THAT is oh, oh, oh, which, of course, is ho, ho, ho, spelled backwards. Of course, driving by certain neighborhoods in our fair city, the expression ho, ho, ho, takes on an entirely different meaning, if you get my meaning, which I know you do. I will say that the city of Los Angeles has already gone completely mad. People who barely knew how to drive in the first place, are now complete idiots behind the wheel. They sit in their giant vehicles, children in the back seat with a DVD playing, parent in the front, driving and talking on the cell phone and having no clew as to where they’re going, what lane they’re in, or even why they exist. All the “good” times to go to the post office are now gone – all times are bad times as far as the post office goes, and that goes for my mini-post office in the pharmacy, too. Interestingly, it was not like this at all last year – the “good” times to go to the post office were always good and were good right up until the last minute. So, I’m going to do my best to get everything shipped by Saturday, and then as of the 20th there will be no shipping until after Christmas. So, if you’re thinking of giving Kritzerland items (or BK books) as gifts, now would be a good time to order them, so they can reach their destination on time. Remember, that for people on this here site only (and lurkers), we are offering free shipping until the New Year. All you have to do is order, you will be charged for shipping, but then you’ll receive an immediate credit back via paypal. So, check out all our goodies at www.kritzerland.com. Speaking of kritzerland.com, yesterday was one of those days one simply has no memory of. Oh, I remember getting up at four-thirty in the morning with a touch of Ye Olde Heartburne, and I remember going back to bed around five and sleeping until nine. Oh, I remember doing several important morning errands, and I remember doing several afternoon errands, as well as picking up some mail, although none of the expected things were there. Oh, I remember having several telephonic conversations and booking even more meals and meetings. Oh, I remember making some halibut and eating same (along with some cheesy potatoes – a LOT of cheesy potatoes). Oh, I remember finally sitting on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched two count them two motion pictures I’d TIVOd. The first motion picture was entitled Roadblock, a C-picture wannabe noir from RKO, starring noir stalwart Charles McGraw. I watched it because most of it was set in LA, but up until the last five minutes there were virtually no exterior shots of consequence, hence it was very disappointing. The film was directed by someone I’d never heard of, and it was all very mediocre. I then watched the second motion picture, which was entitled Autumn Leaves, starring Miss Joan Crawford, Mr. Cliff Robertson, Miss Vera Miles, and big, bad Mr. Lorne Greene. Those who’ve read Benjamin Kritzer know my story with this film, and I don’t think I’ve seen it since I saw it back in 1956 (the cover of Benjamin Kritzer has Autumn Leaves on the marquee of the Lido Theater). The film’s most famous sequence, which sent me running up the aisle and kept me out of the theater for most of the rest of the film, is exactly as I remember it (the typewriter throwing scene). Of course, that enabled me to go upstairs to the restroom, which enabled me to see the projection booth door slightly open, which enabled me to peek inside and ultimately be invited in by the projectionist to see how it all worked. That episode occupies an entire chapter, and if you haven’t read that book, you might want to check it out. In any case, it’s a very well made film, directed by Robert Aldrich. It’s really just a melodramatic sudser, but it holds the interest and moves right along. Miss Crawford has very big, black eyebrows and plays an older woman, kind of a spinster, who’s courted by a much younger man with severe emotional problems. Once one meets his ex-wife and his father (who are carrying on together), one knows what caused the severe emotional problems. As an added bonus, we get several renditions of the title song, including a lovely one by Mr. Nat King Cole. It was really interesting to see this film some fifty-plus years later, and there actually are a couple of nice location shots of LA.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because, after all, ’tis the season we all say ho, ho, ho, not necessarily in that order.
Today has turned into a busy little day. I have to have a nine o’clock phone meeting with choreographer Adam Cates. Then I have an errand to do, and then it’s off to the West Side for lunch with dear reader Hisaka, and believe me, I shall once again try to convince her to come back regularly to the site.
After the lunch, I have a couple of things to do on the West Side, then I must return to the Valley to have a brief meeting with Mr. Kevin Spirtas, sort of a pre-meeting to the lunch meeting we’re having tomorrow with he and Sean McDermott.
I also have to address and send out Christmas cards. I actually got them printed early this year, so I’m not in the time crunch I’m usually in.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do errands, lunch, meet, do more errands, and then sit on my couch like so much fish. 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 whilst we all continue to say ho, ho, ho.