Well, dear readers, it is 2008. Can you believe it? Why only yesterday it seemed like it was 2007. Of course, yesterday it WAS 2007 so that explains that. But now it is 2008, oh, yes, it is 2008 and I say let’s welcome in 2008 with a smile and a laugh and high hopes for a healthy, happy, prosperous (oh, yes, prosperous), creative, successful, and wonderfully wonderful year. I know that 2007 was a sometimes good and sometimes frustrating year for most of us, so let us keep our spirits high and our minds positively positive for only the good in 2008. I, myself, am looking forward to 2008 and I’m hoping that it will bring all good things. Certainly it’s nice knowing that The Brain From Planet X is already booked, and that I’ll be directing two count them two two-person shows in the first half of the year. Frankly, 2008 is already flying by, like a gazelle eating an oyster cracker. I gotta tell you. I spent the final day of 2007 doing not much of anything – I did and errand or two, did some work on the computer and at the piano, but mostly I sat on my chair like so much fish, right here at Ye Olde Computer. I cleaned the home environment and ate an early dinner, and then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, une film de Jacques Demy. I love this film and it never fails to put me in good spirits. Despite its weirdnesses, the film has amazing energy and beauty and joy, and the cast is terrific, as is the score by Michel Legrand. And the ending is so simple and perfect, it never fails to tug at Ye Olde Heartstrings. The film was restored several years ago by Mr. Demy’s widow, director Agnes Varda. But I don’t think Mr. Demy would have settled for this restoration – the colors don’t pop as they should (I had a stunning IB Technicolor print of the film and let me tell you it was unbelievably beautiful and rich), there isn’t enough blue, and we’ve come a long way since this transfer was done. I hope they revisit this title and do right by it.
Of course, we had our annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve partay, and a grand one it was. The posts were flying fast and furious and also furious and fast. There was much merriment and mirth and laughter and legs and it was just the most fun way to ring in the New Year. There’s nothing quite like the balls dropping here at haineshisway.com. Last year was our most extraordinarily popular year ever. We tripled our usual number of posts on an almost daily basis. Many records were broken. In December alone, we had over 5000 more posts than the previous December, and over 100,000 more hits than the previous December. Every month of the year was like that, and let’s hope our popularity continues to rise in 2008, because if it does I feel that soon we will be the most popular site on all the Internet.
I spent my usual half-hour doing my New Year’s Eve thing and I hope that many of my resolutions will come to fruition and that some of the things I’d like to fix, me-wise, I fix.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it’s 2008, I must get my beauty sleep, for I shall arise at a reasonable hour and begin working for the first time in the New Year.
Has anyone noticed that it’s 2008? Oh, and did I actually say an officially official HAPPY NEW YEAR? I don’t think I did – HAPPY NEW YEAR!
If you haven’t heard Mr. Donald Feltham’s new radio show (which will be up until he returns at the end of January) give it a listen – it’s his countdown to the best CDs of 2007. I still believe Mr. Feltham is the best musical theater disc jockey on all the Internet, as he has been since the year 2000, when we began his radio show. Certainly he has the longest-running DJ’d Broadway radio show in the history of the Internet, so check out his new show.
Today, I have some work to do in the morning, and then it’s off to a New Year’s Day partay at Mr. Barry Pearl’s home environment, which I’m looking forward to. Other than the morning work, I shall probably just watch motion pictures on DVD and attend the partay and that will be that, for tomorrow I’m back on my various and sundried projects. In addition to those I’ve mentioned, I’m really hoping to get into the studio this year and do a couple of albums of the kind that I am noted for – it’s been far too long. And we’d love to get a new Guy Haines album into production this year, as well.
So, let’s all feel the light shine on us for 2008. Let’s make this year an affair to remember. Let’s go for the gold or the gusto or whatever the HELL we’re supposed to go for. Let’s pull out all the stops and let’s pull out all the starts, let’s go out there and give all we’ve got and win one for the Gipper, let’s dance and sing and be merry and gay all the livelong year. Let’s lift up our collective glasses and toast in the New Year with a smile and a laugh and a peek-a-boo hairdo. In other words, fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars and then come back and have a wonderful year Here On Earth.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do some work, watch some motion pictures on DVD, attend a New Year’s Day partay, and that sort of thing. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time sports-related films? I don’t like sports at all, but I must say I’m fond of sports-related films. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we welcome in the New Year with all the excellent vibes and xylophones we can muster.