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July 17, 2009:

FLY DOES TIME

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, this week has flown by, like a gazelle in Capri pants. Also, has anyone besides me noticed that July is more than half over? How did THAT happen? Last I knew, it was the 4th of July and there were fireworks in the sky, and now it is the 17th of July and my how the time does fly. Time does fly, doesn’t it? And, if a fly were to kill another fly, then it would be fly does time. We don’t allow groaning here at haineshisway.com. I had quite a something or other day yesterday, although I don’t really remember much of it, and that is because I’m so overtired from having to wake up so early every day, thanks to the noisemakers next door. I got up early (thanks to the noisemakers next door), and I answered e-mails, made a couple of telephonic calls, did a few errands, and began writing the liner notes for the new Kritzerland release. Then Time Warner went down and I had no Internet, so I took that as a sign that I should beat a hasty retreat to Jerry’s Deli, where I met a friend for lunch. I had my usual small turkey sandwich and fries. That passed the time nicely, and then I went and picked up a package (still several way overdue) at the mail place, then came back home. I finished the rough draft of the liner notes and then did some other work around the home environment. I sat on my couch like so much fish for a moment and immediately fell asleep for almost an hour. I then decided to take a bunch of trade-in stuff over to Amoeba, which I did, and for which I got quite a lot of credit. I ran into a friend of mine and we had a nice chat. He was looking through the just arrived section of LPs and pointed out an LP of Spartacus signed by Alex North. Amazingly, it was only $14.98 so I had an Amoeba person open the plastic so I could see the signature and it was indeed Mr. North’s signature (I have a book by Pauline Kael that came from his library and which has his signature). So, I thought that was pretty cooliscious. I got some new Blu-Rays and one CD. After that, I came home and once again sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Falling Down, starring Mr. Michael Douglas and Mr. Robert Duvall. I saw it when it was originally released and I quite liked it, and the audience I saw it with at the DGA really liked it, too. Watching it again was interesting. I still quite like it, but realize that a lot of the script is just poorly written and too polemic for its own good. There is a long scene between Douglas and the owner of a surplus store, who just happens to be a neo-Nazi type bigot and it just goes on and on and the character of the neo-Nazi (played by Fred Forrest) is just a writer’s concept of a person and it just comes off as a big cliché. What makes the film still compelling and interesting are its ideas and the performances of most of the actors. I don’t think Michael Douglas has given a better performance, and Robert Duvall matches him all the way. Rachel Ticotin is very good, as is Barbara Hershey. And it’s always a treat to see Tuesday Weld in anything. For anyone who knows Los Angeles, the geography of this film is hilarious. One minute Douglas is downtown, and the next he’s at La Brea and Wilshire – an amazing bit of city hopping. Joel Schumacher’s direction is very good, too. So, despite the overt quality of the script, I still enjoyed the film. The Blu-Ray is fine.

I’ve also been continuing my Star Trek original series viewing and have now seen about fourteen episodes. I must say, I find most of them truly uninspired and uninteresting, with the occasional excellent episode presenting itself every now and then. But boy do these look great on Blu-Ray. I’m very much looking forward to the Harlan Ellison episode, but since that’s the second to last one of season one, I probably won’t get to it for a while.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we ponder the homicidal fly doing time.

I just can’t believe it’s Friday already. And yet, I must believe it because, you know, it’s Friday. Today, I’m sure I’ll be getting up early, doing the long jog, doing errands and whatnot, and then having a two or three hour work session with Mr. Kevin Spirtas. We begin putting together the new act for Kevin and Miss Linda Purl on Monday, which I’m very much looking forward to, since we’ll be working with one of my favorite pianists, Mr. John Boswell.

Tomorrow, she of the Evil Eye comes, and I’ll be attending The Hollywood Show for a few hours, and then hopefully I’ll be meeting with Grant Geissman to get the book design all finished. If it doesn’t happen Saturday, it will Sunday.

Sunday, I will be addressing all of the Topkapi packages and putting postage on them. I’m hoping to have CDs by Tuesday but I haven’t had confirmation of that yet.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog, I must do errands and whatnot, I must finalize my liner notes, and I must have a work session and, at some point, eat something amusing. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/Blu-Ray/video player? I’ll start – CD, the soundtrack to Up and Jerry Goldsmith’s wonderful score for Lonely Are The Brave. DVD, next up is an import of Max Ophuls’ film, Lola Montes, finally getting the stunning transfer it’s deserved. Blu-Ray, next up is probably season one of Lost. Yes, I’m going there and I hope I do not RUE the day. I have never seen an episode of the show, but I figure watching on Blu-Ray will be a fun experience. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst the fly felon begins doing its time for offing a fellow fly.

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