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July 25, 2009:

HAMLET NACHOS

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, why have I become so obsessed with Hamlet Nachos? No, it’s not a Hispanic reconceiving of Shakespeare’s play, it’s the nachos as served at Hamburger Hamlet in Van Nuys. I was there a couple of months ago and, on a whim, ordered the nachos. I’ve had nachos prior to that, but had never loved them, but these nachos, which were simply ground beef, cheese, guacamole, and chips, were something wholly other – a taste treat. I went back a few days later and had them again and again they were great. Since then, I’ve been back quite often and always have them, always splitting them with whomever I’m dining with, and then having a big salad or a small sandwich. I just can’t get enough of Hamlet Nachos, frankly. I mention it since I went yesterday and this time I had an entire plate of them all by myself. I was smart enough not to have anything besides the nachos, but having an entire plate of them was a little too much and I’m now paying the price ($3.27), as my tummy is not feeling so great. So, I have learned that one must split the nachos and have something else with them, otherwise it is nacho overload. Why am I going on about Hamlet Nachos? Don’t I have notes to write? I do, and I shall, and I must, not necessarily in that order. Prior to eating Hamlet Nachos, I got up. I’d already decided to take a one-day break from the jog, as I’ve just done five days in a row. So, I went to the post office and shipped out five international packages, then did an errand, then came home and began proofing. I then toddled off to the Hamburger Hamlet, where I ate a large plate of Hamlet Nachos and proofed an additional two chapters. Whilst dining I had a nice telephonic chat with Mr. Brent Barrett about our upcoming album production. I then went to the mail place and picked up a couple of packages, including one of the ones I’ve been most anxious to get. As some of you know, I love to collect illustration art, and I’ve shared photos of many of the pieces in my collection. I used to have some pretty amazing stuff, including three original paintings for Saturday Evening Post covers – the latter all had to be sold thanks to a certain frivolous and malicious lawsuit by certain people. But, such is life. I still have a handful of nice pieces, but buying new art is difficult. But, occasionally I’m able to acquire new things by doing a little trading for things I’m not that interested in anymore, and I was able to do so recently and got a fabulously fabulous original painting by one of my all-time favorite paperback cover artists, Robert Maguire. I formerly had a fantastic Dell 1960 paperback cover painting by him that I had to sadly sell for the reasons above. So, I was thrilled to be able to wheel and deal and also deal and wheel and acquire this new piece – and it’s a doozy. It’s from 1957, a paperback publisher called Hillman Books (which I’d never heard of) – the book is a Georges Simenon mystery called The Witnesses and the cover painting is just incredible. I’ll post a photo of the book itself in today’s posts. Anyway, the painting is spectacular in person, and I’m just figuring out which wall it will reside on. I did some more proofing and then I was done for the day and I sat on my couch like so much nacho-filled fish.

Last night, I watched the final two episodes of Lost, Season One. It seemed to have been a three-part season finale (I’d seen the first of the three parts the night before). These final two episodes were quite good, although very typical for a J.J. Abrams show. I will move on to season two now and hope it gets better and that they don’t go down silly roads. One thing that drives me a little crazy is when a plot point is needed and they do it and then have no use for it anymore, they just sort of forget they did it. One example is when the Terry O’Quinn character, who has received a “miracle” from the crash landing on the island, said miracle being the use of his legs (he was in a wheelchair, his legs paralyzed), suddenly has a problem using them again, because they need that to happen, story-wise. So, he rants and screams about “why are you doing this to me?” as his legs become more and more useless during the episode. By the next episode, his legs are fine again and they don’t really tell you why or anything. Maybe it will all be explained later, but I found it rather annoying. I watched the making of on disc seven, and some of that was interesting, including the interviews with casting director April Webster, who I’ve know for many years. All the ABC execs seem like they’re about twenty years old, and I did find it sort of nauseating to listen to them pontificating. In any case, on to season two, which I’m looking forward to.

Whilst I was watching the episodes, I was also uploading videos to YouTube – selections from my musical revue What If, so be sure to check them out at youtube.com/haineshisway. Rate them, comment on them, and spread the word. I then had a late-night meeting with Miss Alet Taylor over at Du-Par’s and that was fun.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we all do a monologue from Hamlet Nachos.

Today, I’m hoping to sleep late, and then I’ll proof some more, and then I may take a drive, just for fun. Then I’ll eat an early dinner and then toddle off to the DGA to see the new Harry Potter movie.

Tomorrow, if I have any proofing left, I shall do it, and I may get together with Mr. Cason Murphy – if not, we’ll get together during the week. And this week will be a very busy one, with a bunch of meetings and work sessions.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the long jog, proof, take a drive in the motor car, sup, and see the new Harry Potter movie. Today’s topic of discussion: Old topic, new posts – what is the single best Mexican meal you’ve ever had – where was it, what was it, and what made it so great? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst my tummy gets over the Hamlet Nachos overload.

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