Well, dear readers, good times and bum times, I’ve seen them all and my dear, I’m still here. Yes, like Yvonne De Carlo, I’m still here. I didn’t think I’d be here after flipping out in my motor car yesterday, but more about that in the flipping out part of these here notes. Oh, why wait, let’s hear about the flipping out now, while I’m remembering it very clearly. The drive through Hollywood and Downtown yesterday was excruciating, taking a full twenty-five minutes longer than usual and for no discernable reason. It would be easier to understand if there WERE a discernable reason, but there wasn’t. Once I got onto the 5, even though it was crowded I actually moved right along, more so than usual. As I listened to the traffic reports on the radio I couldn’t believe what I was hearing – accidents on every conceivable freeway – three-car collisions, people driving over the side of the freeway, fender-benders, one after another. I finally got to the Heim of Ana about ten minutes later than ever before. I decided to eat at Marie Callender’s which is very close to the theater. About two blocks from the theater, traffic came to a complete standstill. We were two signals from Imperial Highway, which one crosses to get to Marie Callender’s parking lot. This has never been a problem in all the times I’ve been there – until yesterday. And we just sat there, not one car moving one inch. After ten minutes of it, watching my eating time evaporate, I flipped out. Yes, I, BK, flipped out and I began screaming at the top of my lungs at everyone around me – silly, but that’s what happens when you’re a claustrophobe. Yes, there’s construction going on, but there were no workers and no real lanes blocked. No, the problem is because of mistimed signals and the people who programmed this signal should be strung up by their stupid, ignorant, pathetic thumbs. I could see that it was going to take thirty minutes to go a block and a half, so I whipped around into the left turn lane at the first signal. Thankfully, the cars to my right had left a gap there for the parking lot to the right and I turned right in front of those cars and went into the parking lot, which is the theater parking lot. I got out of my car (at that point I thought workers were causing the problem) and I went looking for the perpetrators. There weren’t any – just the mistimed signal and so I couldn’t vent my anger the way I wanted to. I walked over to Marie Callender’s and had the salad bar and calmed down, but I didn’t have the time I wanted to unwind and relax. And there you have the tale of BK flipping out.
Prior to the flipping out of BK, I had an okay day. I had a telephonic conversation first thing in the morning, then did work on the computer, then I decided to jog for the first time in seven months. I thought I was going to die after three blocks, but I persevered and went the entire distance. My legs are really sore now, but it was nice to get the exercise. I’m going to try and jog at least three times a week now. I then filled the car up with gas, shipped a couple of packages, and then came back home and did some more stuff around the home environment, after which I began my drive.
Rehearsal was very brief. We only had four actors, and all those scenes really only took about an hour to block, since they don’t involve much blocking. We ran each scene several times, which I don’t love doing – I like to get the scene blocked and then let the actors work on it and make it organic. So, rehearsal ended around 8:45 and I headed back to the home environment.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I got through all of last year and I’m here.
Over the last few nights I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Payday, a 70s film starring Mr. Rip Torn. It was a low-budget feature directed by Daryl Duke. I remembered enjoying it back then (well, I don’t know if enjoying is the right word), but viewing it now it’s a movie that could never be made today. It’s “hero” is one of the most reprehensible, obnoxious, ego-ridden peckerwoods ever put on screen. He’s loathsome, and Mr. Torn plays him for all he’s worth, and he’s great. But unlike Screenwriting 101, the character starts in one place and goes nowhere – he’s exactly the same at the end of the film as he is at the beginning. You can’t divide this film into acts (other than arbitrarily), it has almost no structure and only one character that is remotely likable. I don’t think it made any money, but I think it got some good reviews. The transfer is quite good, although my DVD had some real problems with freezing throughout the entire film.
Today, I shall try to not flip out, and I shall try to keep head and hopes high. I don’t have much to do today, just a few errands and whatnot. Then I’ll be heading to the Dena of Pasa to the opening night of the new musical based on the film Mask at the Pasadena Playhouse. I’ll probably sup at the El Portal Mexican jernt nearby then mosey on over to the theater.
Tomorrow, we have a three-hour rehearsal in the morning, when I’ll be blocking all the ensemble bits = all the newscasters and newspaper bits, and putting the kissing couple and the nurse into the opening scene. Sunday, Easter, the cast has the day off, but not I – they’re having a production meeting and I must attend. I shan’t be there for more than an hour, though.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, relax, keep head and hopes high, and then attend an opening night. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, a few different Chico Buarque CDs, all excellent, especially the one with Ennio Morricone conducting and arranging. DVD, something called Torture Garden, an anthology film with Burgess Meredith. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, and remember, plush velvet sometimes, sometimes just pretzels and beer, but I’m here.