Well, dear readers, 2010 is already flying by, like a gazelle eating liverwurst. I just don’t know about liverwurst. There is something oddly fascinating and yet thoroughly nausea-inducing about liverwurst. I’ve eaten liverwurst, and there have even been a few times when I’ve enjoyed liverwurst, but there’s no getting around the fact that liverwurst is really odd. Why am I talking about liverwurst? Don’t I have notes to write? Now I’ve got images of liverwurst dancing in my brain. Images Of Liverwurst – that’s the title of my next novel, a story of oppression and greed and lint amongst the smart set of Barbados. Is there a smart set on Barbados? Is there lint on Barbados? What the HELL am I talking about? The first day of 2010 was a perfectly fine day in just about every way. I slept until ten-thirty (I didn’t get to bed till almost two), got up, was lazy, answered some e-mails, was lazy, and then did the long jog. Since I’d actually begun writing the new book just after midnight and had already done four pages, I smoothed out what I’d done, did some deletions and additions, and then wrote a couple more pages. I was actually surprised that I sort of liked what I’d written. I did get off on a little tangent that wasn’t sitting well with me, so out it went. I have the feeling it will take a few days to get my footing with the style and structure, and where to write long and where to just move things at a steady clip. But, as those who’ve read my books know, I’m very detail oriented and I don’t want to lose that. And I want it to be amusing. So, I’m just feeling my way as I go. I then shaved and showered and toddled off to the Barry Pearl and his ever-lovin’ Cindy’s partay. It was a stellar partay, and it was a really fun group of people. A lot of them I knew from previous partays, but there were a few guests I knew that I hadn’t seen in ages, including Laverne and Shirley director Joel Zwick (great guy, and we had a really fun chat), writer Sam Bobrick (he’s written a new musical and we’re going to chat about it), director Sheldon Epps (we reminisced about Play On and how much fun we had making that album, and how much we don’t care for that show’s producers), director Don Petrie, a former dancing dildo, and lots of other nice folks. I met some people I didn’t know, the food was faboo, the hosts did their usual wonderful job, and a grand time was had by the likes of me. I left the partay around four-thirty and came home. I rewrote some of what I’d written earlier, and finished the introduction and began the prologue. I then sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finished watching Anatomy Of A Murder, which I’d recorded in high definitions on the DVR. Every time I see the film I appreciate it even more. The script by Wendell Mayes (from the novel by Robert Traver, a pseudonym for a trial lawyer – the book was based on an actual case) is fantastic, the direction by Otto Preminger seems effortless, but is really excellent, and what a cast and what performances. James Stewart, Lee Remick, Arthur O’Connell, Eve Arden, George C. Scott, Murray Hamilton, Ben Gazzara and an amazing number of wonderful character actors, all at the top of their game. Add to that the absolutely brilliant Preminger stroke of genius casting Joseph Welch as the judge (Mr. Welch is the man credited with almost single-handedly bringing down Joseph McCarthy with his famous “have you no sense of decency left” line). Duke Ellington did the music and even though it’s not really a conventional score, it somehow works really well. It’s a two hour and forty minute film that never ever feels long. The hi-def transfer looked pretty pleasing.
After the movie, I went back and decided I hated the first paragraph I’d written for the prologue of the new book and I figured out a much better way to start it, and then I just kept writing, so I ended up doing a little over ten pages, which is the most pages I’ve ever written on a first day of a new book. I then made a small amount of pasta with butter and cheese, since I’d eaten very lightly at the partay and had also done the long jog. All in all, it was a perfectly perfect first day of 2010.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’m anxious to see if the images of liverwurst continue into the next section.
Yes, some people see dead people, I see liverwurst. Today, I must leave early for she of the Evil Eye will be here to do her thing. I have to ship a big overseas package, and then I’ll do some errands and whatnot, perhaps have a sandwich somewhere interesting, and then I’ll come home and do a little writing (I don’t really have to do a huge number of pages, since I wrote double what I expected to), and then I’m thinking about going to the DGA to see a motion picture – if I don’t, then I’ll watch a movie on the DVR or on Blu and Ray.
Tomorrow, I have no plans other than writing, and I’ll try to keep it that way. I may or may not have a dinner to go to.
Monday, I have a meeting with the co-author of the long musical, and then the rest of the week will be filled with writing, meetings, and meals and prepping the next Kritzerland release, which we hope to announce sooner than later. But I’m a little behind on it due to everyone being so busy with the holidays. The mastering guy is working away on it, but I still have to write the liner notes and do all that stuff. And then we have to move right on to the next project – I’ve got master tapes for quite a few things here, so I’ve got to get over to the tape transfer guy and listen to them and then get them on their way to the mastering guy.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship packages, do errands and whatnot, eat something light but fun, write, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your all-time favorite courtroom plays, films, and TV shows? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we all have images of liverwurst.