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June 19, 2009:

BUSH TRIMMING

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I’m still enjoying my few days off. And frankly, my few days off are still enjoying me. This morning I awoke to large amounts of wood being deposited loudly on the ground. I took that as a wake up call and got up. I went to the computer and was rather happy to see a large amount of orders for Show Girl. I then spent the next hour printing out the large amount of orders for Show Girl. I also packaged up a few extant orders and got those ready to ship. I then thought I’d take a drive in my motor car to West LA. I got on the freeway to find bumper-to-bumper traffic. I went two stops before I could stand no more. According to the traffic report, there were no problems at all, so why there was this traffic is anyone’s guess – it’s just stupid, stupid drivers driving stupidly. I got off the freeway and decided to drive down to Ventura Blvd. and take that directly to the 405 South. Unfortunately, the entrance to the 405 South was closed for bush trimming. I don’t know about you but bush trimming at eleven-thirty on a Thursday is just stupid, stupid, stupid (that is three stupids). Why can’t they bush trim at six in the morning so they don’t have to cause people grief? Better yet, why don’t they leave the damn bushes untrimmed? Let the damn bushes alone, that’s what I say. I’ve had it with the bush trimming, frankly. So, I went to Islands and had a bacon cheeseburger and endless fries. After that rather yummilicious meal, I began to drive back home. The traffic on Ventura Blvd. was suddenly as bad as the traffic on the freeway had been. Not only that, they were still making with the bush trimming. What should have been a ten-minute drive turned into a thirty minute drive. And guess what – for no reason. No accidents, no roadwork, no nothing. I picked up a single, solitary package from the mail place and then came home, where I found more Show Girl orders, which I printed out. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu-Ray entitled Phone Booth. I’d seen it once before when it came out and there was something about it that I enjoyed and watching it again there’s still something about it that I enjoyed. First of all, it’s very reminiscent of a bottom half of a double bill programmer – remove the end credits and the picture barely runs seventy-five minutes. So, it’s fast-paced and basically takes place in real time. I think it’s Joel Schumacher’s best film, not that that’s saying much. It was shot in ten days, and there’s something to be said for doing that sort of schedule. Colin Ferrell is not one of my faves, but he’s good in this film, as is Kiefer Sutherland (mostly in voice-over) as his nemesis. The film basically takes place in and around a phone booth, which was the conceit of the screenwriter, Larry Cohen, a rather wacky screenwriter and sometimes director. The Blu-Ray looks grand. I then watched another motion picture on Blu-Ray, this one entitled First Knight, starring Mr. Sean Connery, Mr. Richard Gere, and Miss Julia Ormond. I’d never seen it before, but since I like a good Camelot tale, I gave it a chance. Unfortunately for all concerned, it’s not a good Camelot tale, it’s a mediocre and poorly-directed Camelot tale. Richard Gere plays Lancelot – that should tell you most of what you need to know. Mr. Connery is always fun to watch, and Miss Ormond, while comely, is a bit of a stick as Guenevere. It’s nicely shot and all and the Blu-Ray looks fine, but what a big ol’ bore. And I have to say that the score by Jerry Goldsmith is, for me, one of his worst – typical of his bombastic 90s output with not one memorable theme – just chords repeating over and over again. Dreadful. I know some find his work in the 90s stellar, but I’m not one of the some.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I have things to do, places to go, people to see, not necessarily in that order.

Today is the last of my totally free days, so I shall revel in it and it shall revel in me. Perhaps I’ll try the journey to West LA again – hopefully the bush trimming is done, and the bushes are trimmed and some other off-ramp is closed. I shall find something amusing to eat, and hopefully pick up a package or three, as well as ship a couple more packages.

Saturday, I must write the liner notes for the new Kritzerland release – we’re going to try and get that ready to announce in a week or so. It’s very cool.

And then I must plan some meetings, meals, and other stuff for next week. But most importantly, I’ll be working with Grant Geissman on the new book, which I want to get done in the next two weeks.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog (yesterday, the air was so smoggy that I only did a mile and a half), and then just do what takes my fancy. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – Blu-Ray player – Fletch, which I’ve watched about twenty minutes of and which I’m finding completely irritating. I think after that it will be a Japanese import of Monster’s Inc. CD, Grant Geissman’s new album, Goldsmith’s In Harm’s Way, and the new upcoming Kritzerland soundtrack release. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we hope to not run into any further bush trimming.

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