Well, dear readers, while I am enjoying this brief respite from busyness, I am, I’ve noticed, beginning to get antsy to begin my new book and get on to new projects. Of course, I needed this time as I think had I continued without a break I would simply have gone insane. If one can go insane can one go outsane? I would much prefer to be outsane than insane, wouldn’t you? Where was I? Oh, yes, I believe I’m ready to tackle all manner of new projects and I await the coming New Year with baited and also bated breath. I gotta tell you. Meanwhile, I’ll enjoy what there is left of this year. And what IS left of this year? Well, there is my annual Christmas Do, which, unbelievably, is tomorrow evening. The good news is that I’ve done all my shopping except for rolls – rolls I’ll pick up an Monday morning, first thing. But I did my big shopping yesterday, and I think it was the smart thing to do, because, while the market was crowded, it was not overcrowded and I got in and out of there without having to fight crowds or wait in a checkout line. I did manage to forget two things I needed, but I went back and got them, so I’m all set to begin cooking up a storm come tomorrow noon. My cart was full, full of various and sundried foodstuffs, a log for the fireplace, plastic silverware, paper plates and many, many other items. Other than the Big Shopping, the rest of my Saturday was spent doing very little. Mr. Donald Feltham stopped by to get a copy of Murder At Hollywood High to read on his upcoming trip to India. I did a few errands, and picked up a package, but there are still two packages that haven’t arrived yet. I began the final clean up for the Do, made some halibut and a sweet potato for my meal, and finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I dove into the new The Mod Squad – Season One set. Now, know this – back in 1968 I never missed an episode of The Mod Squad. I knew it was not a good show, and Michael Cole’s acting used to annoy me, put I liked pretty Peggy Lipton (who always looked heavy-lidded, like she was about to doze off), and its defiantly 60s vibe was fun to watch. Could I ever have predicted that within a few moments of the show’s premiere that I would be married (less than three months out of college), and that a mere three months from then that I’d be living in Brooklyn, trying to be an actor in New York? And that a mere year from then I’d be back in Los Angeles, an about-to-be father and soon-to-be professional working actor? No, I could never have predicted any of it. But enough about me. We’re talkin’ about Pete, Linc, and Julie, aka The Mod Squad. The first episode was the ninety-minute (well, seventy-six minute) pilot, which was pretty bad and the show hadn’t quite found its real vibe yet. However, they sure had found it by the first real episode. In it, Linc and Pete go undercover as teachers at Marshall High School, while Julie poses as a student. The story is inane, but the show is faboo because so much of it is shot on LA locations. And imagine my delight when the last third of the show all takes place at the closed-up but not yet burned down Pacific Ocean Park. In one shot, they actually are shooting directly toward where my grandparents lived (the Hotel St. Regis), only it wasn’t there and what was there shocked me. What was there were the Shores, the two high-rise apartment buildings that replaced most of the Ocean Park boardwalk. I didn’t see how that could be, but I Googled and found that the two buildings were indeed built in 1965 and 1966, which, now that I think about it, makes sense, since my grandparents had to move to the Wilshire district. Of course, from 1988 to 1997, I lived in The Shores. For this show, they mostly use the entrance (really exit) down by what used to be the Dome Theater (which was used for the Magic Carpet Ride). You can still see the dome of the Dome, and there’s a long scene in the inside of Davy Jones’ Locker. Also in view, the diving bells, the roller coaster, food stands, and boarded up rides – very sad to see, but fun, too, although no sign of the Flight To Mars ride. In any case, the shows move right along, the three stars are amusing in that 60s way, and Tige Andrews is, well, Tige Andrews (his toupee radically changes from the pilot to episode one). I’m looking forward to each and every episode just to see the location work. The second episode, which I began but didn’t finish, begins in a prison. The “prison” being outside a soundstage at Paramount. Did they think they were fooling anyone? I’m sure I’ll know many of the actors – already spied was the beautiful Brooke Bundy, and such fine character actors as Norm Auden, Noam Pitlick, and Henry Jones. The transfers are top-notch.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst I ponder whether I am going insane or outsane.
Today, I shall do all manner of cleaning and getting the home environment sparklingly sparkling. I shall also get all the plates and dinnerware set out, along with the Christmas candles and such, so that all I have to do tomorrow is cook and look presentable. There will, of course, be photographs aplenty. There are two motion pictures being screened at the DGA, but I don’t think I really want to see them, so I’ll probably just hang out here, clean, and watch more The Mod Squad episodes. Also, I’ve decided to actually start watching the two years’ worth of movies I’ve TIVOd.
Now wait just a darned minute – 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 polka, because today is the birthday of occasional dear reader but beloved William F. Orr. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to occasional dear reader but beloved William F. Orr. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OCCASIONAL DEAR READER BUT BELOVED WILLIAM F. ORR!!! And a very happy birthday to non-dear reader but brother o’ mine, too.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do things I do, I must, for example, do all manner of cleaning, eat something small but interesting, and then do whatever comes to mind. Of course, one thing I have to do is try to quiet down these eleven pipers piping that my true love brought over last night at the eleventh hour. At least the ten lords a-leaping can now leap to music, but these piping pipers are playing the score to Kelly and it’s all very outré and, frankly, it’s driving me both in and outsane. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics (but no ten best lists – those are for this upcoming week), and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, as we prepare for the night before Christmas.