Well, dear readers, I am ready for a nice, relaxing weekend and I have got over 500 pieces of candy to hand out to all the trick or treaters who will show up at my door. This is the first time that I’ll be home when Halloween falls on a Saturday – this neighborhood is the most popular in all the San Fernando Valley for Halloween. They come from far and wide and also wide and far to both trick and treat, and I’m expecting more than the record crowds we usually get. I shall be dressed as an Old Jew. I shall not be in my jogging cut-offs, I shall not be in my sleeping shorts. I’m quite sure I will be getting up and down and down and up as all the little hobgoblins show up in their various and sundried costumes. I’m sure it will be a lot of fun and I, of course, will personally consume any candy that’s left. I’ve already consumed a lot of bite-sized Big Hunks – I got a little obsessed with them. So, get ready for SCAAAAAARY doin’s around these here parts. I think all our dear readers should post photographs of themselves in their Halloween get-ups. I hear, for example, that elmore is going to be the Faerie Queen. I hear, for example, that Jose will be dressed as a piano and people will actually be able to finger his keyboard. I hear Jane will be dressed as a puppy. I hear DAW will be dressed as gazelle. I hear MattH will be dressed as a Blu-Ray player and he will look VERY sharp in 1080p. I’m told that JMK AND Jrand will both be dressed as Francis Farmer, sort of our own dueling Farmers. I hear der Brucer will be dressed as Chef Boyardee and S. Woody White will be dressed as absentia. I hear Sam will be dressed as Joan Crawford and will be greeting anyone who knocks on her door with an ax. I believe edisaurus will be dressed as an Avid. I hear Druxy will be dressed as his latest book and Pogue will be dressed as Tarzan. I’m told George will be dressed as The Brain, just to spite his director. I’m sure I’m leaving out people but that is all my brain can process right now. In other words, this is the place to be for Halloween.
I suppose I had an interesting day yesterday, if you don’t mind me saying so and even if you do mind me saying so I already said so so what the HELL can you do about it? I got up, I did a two-mile jog, and then I toddled off to a luncheon with Mr. Jason Graae. We had a delightfully delightful meal and conversation, and we are now actively choosing the songs for his CD. Jason is also going to be our first guest when we start up our LACCTAA events in early February. We’ll do a Q&A with him, plus he’ll be singing a few songs. After that, I went to the mail place and picked up a couple of packages, both with items for upcoming Kritzerland releases. In fact, one was our source material for a project that just landed in my lap – it’s something I asked about quite a while ago, but no tapes were found and I despaired that this would ever see the light of day. And then a little birdie told me that a fellow who’d gotten tapes from the composer’s estate might have some material. I e-mailed him, he did indeed have this particular score, and I made a deal with him to get the tape, and we’re doing it – and not only are we doing it, I’m moving it to the next release after the one we’re announcing this week. This score is really interesting, and it’s from a film I really love from my favorite year in films. This will be the third or fourth score I’ve been able to do from that year. It’s a composer I truly love, and this is without a doubt the weirdest score he ever wrote, but that’s because he wrote perfectly for the film he was scoring. It’s another Holy Grail for me personally, and I played the music and it sounds great (in mono) and every note is there. Then Cason Murphy came by to help address packages and put postage on them – I pay him to do so, but today I must say he really earned his dough. We had a lot of packages, and a lot of overseas packages, which are now a total pain in the ass because we’ve got to fill out customs forms for even packages under an ounce – I loathe the USPS more with each passing day. It was, I must say, a day almost free of conversations about the long musical, and that will continue right through the weekend. After we finished, I went to Gelson’s for a snack, and then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finished watching a motion picture on DVD entitled Straight Jacket, starring Miss Joan Crawford and Miss Diane Baker, directed by Mr. William Castle. It’s a very odd little film, not quite reaching the giddy heights of Homicidal, but still fun thanks to Miss Crawford’s completely over-the-top performance, and good performances by Miss Baker (replacing Anne Helm, whom Miss Crawford didn’t think up to the task), George Kennedy with his original teeth, Howard St. John and others. By the time Miss Crawford is done, there is no scenery left that she hasn’t chewed and swallowed. I then watched two more episodes of The Prisoner. While I don’t find the show itself to be up there with my favorite classic TV shows, this Blu-Ray is just so astonishing-looking that I’m having a blast watching. After I finish the seventeen episodes, there apparently is a wonderful ninety minute documentary on a bonus disc.
After my viewing, I listened to several potential upcoming releases, and then I took a nice hot shower. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because soon the hobgoblins will be at the door and I will be handing out a plethora of candies whilst wearing my costume of the Old Jew.
Today, I will do the long jog, and then I’m finally getting a haircut from Teddy as I am most unkempt – my hair got really long and does not look good at this length. After that, I’ll just mosey on over to the mail place, and then I’ll eat something amusing and then I’m relaxing until the trick or treaters arrive.
Don’t forget that you must set your clocks back one hour at two o’clock in the morning. Yes, Daylight Savings Time is over – it’s just amazing how long it lasts these days.
Tomorrow, I have no plans whatsoever and I’m keeping it that way. I’m just going to write liner notes and finish prepping the next CD for our mid-week announcement (and early announcement here) – it’s a really fun 1960s score to a big old flop comedy by a wildly underrated composer.
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 get a haircut, I must do some errands and whatnot, and I must hand out lots o’ candy. Today’s topic of discussion: What was your most memorable Halloween and your most memorable Halloween costume? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland and get ready for the hobgoblins. Oh, and in case you haven’t noticed, this is the last day of October – this month flew by, like a gazelle watching Snooky Lanson. And tomorrow we shall welcome November and hope for a beautiful, happy, healthy and prosperous November for all.