Well, dear readers, welcome to 2010, a year that we hope and pray will be filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. It seems like only yesterday that it was 2009 but then again it WAS only yesterday that it was 2009, so that explains that. 2010 is already flying by, like a gazelle chopping parsley with a Ginsu knife. I’m actually writing these here notes in 2009 so my mind is a little discombobulated or, at the very least, a little discomronaldulated. I had a fine last day of 2009. For example, I got up. That was fine. Mr. Handy Man arrived at nine-thirty and I gave him his list o’ things to do, and he dove right in and began doing them, whilst I toddled off to a meeting with a producer. Just prior to my leaving, men in sunglasses arrived – the DWP had arranged for them to come and chop down the biggest of the palm trees in the yard, because three times a year this palm tree, which is really tall, screws up the power lines because its branches lay on them heavily. So, I gave them permission to get rid of it. According to Mr. Handy Man, they decimated this thing in about thirty minutes and were out of there and you would never have even known they were there and frankly you’d never even know the palm tree was missing or had ever been there. My meeting with the producer was very interesting and she’s really got a lot of energy and passion for the Hofstetter books and we discussed many things and she has my blessing to try and get them sold. None of it means anything at all until they’re sold, but it’s nice to have such a loyal and passion-filled person out there championing the books. After the meeting, I came home. Mr. Handy Man had finished the first of his tasks and then took the old motor car to the local service station, where we got a new battery for the darling daughter. He then came back and began the second set of tasks, whilst I went and had some bacon and eggs and toast and tomatoes, not necessarily in that order. After that, I picked up a package but no mail, and then came back home. I had a brief visit from a local dealer, who brought me several CDs, and then I worked with Mr. Handy Man on the organization of several drawers and one cupboard. I threw out lots of crap, boxed up some papers I didn’t really need in the house, and everything is now in an easy to find place and very clean and organized. He also fixed one of the blinds in the dining room – the draw string had broken, so he had to take them down, re-thread with new string, and then hook it up again. And now, all is well in blindsville. He also came up with a very good temporary solution to the problem of the muffler on the new motor car slightly scraping the concrete as the car finishes entering the garage environment. Eventually, he’s going to get some kind of jackhammer and smooth out this little “hump” that’s causing the problem, but until then, he taped some cardboard to the garage floor – I just fold that out before I back the car out and before I put it in, and we tested it out and it works just great. He was on his way at around four-thirty, and then I answered some e-mails and printed out all the book notes I’ve made. I then sat on my couch like so much fish and started to watch Anatomy Of A Murder in high definitions on the DVR. I do love the film. Given its length, I watched the first hour and will finish it today or tomorrow. It looks pretty grand in hi-def, and for the first time in the US on TV or home video it’s in its proper screen ratio.
After that, I attended our annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve partay, which was, as always, lots of fun with much merriment and mirth and laughter and legs. We had many lovely postings and a good time was had by all. The East Coast balls dropped at nine my time, and at eleven-thirty I did my annual New Year’s Eve thing where I contemplate my year and my life, what I liked, what I didn’t like, what I’d like to do to be a better person, and what I’d like to achieve in the New Year, and then our West Coast balls dropped at midnight and we officially rang in the new year and the new decade (I know some pundits don’t consider it the new decade, but I do).
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below as we say an optimistic and positive hello to 2010.
Today, the first day of 2010, I shall try to do the long jog, and then I shall begin the introduction to my new book. I may only get a page or two done, but that’s usually all I ever do on the first day of a new book. I’m in uncharted territory with this book, so I’m sure it will take a few days to get my footing and see what the style and structure feels like. At around two I’ll mosey on over to Mr. Barry Pearl’s annual New Year’s Day bash, which is always filled with nice folks and good food. That lasts for about four hours and then I’ll return, maybe do another page or two, and then I’ll watch some more Anatomy Of A Murder or listen to music.
Tomorrow, she of the Evil Eye will be here bright and early and also early and bright, and I will do some errands and whatnot, after which I’ll return and do some writing. My plan is, in fact, to write every day until the book is finished. Just how long that will take is anyone’s guess. Sunday is completely free, and then we resume work on the long musical – I’ll be meeting with the co-author come Monday morning, and we’ll be going over act two’s outline so he can get started. The rest of the week will be filled with writing, errands and whatnot, a couple of meetings/meals and other stuff.
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 begin a new book, I must attend a party, and I must relax and perhaps finish a motion picture. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your DVD/video player and your CD player? I’ll start – Blu-Ray, maybe The Princess Bride next. CD, a whole assortment of soundtrack releases from various and sundried labels. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we all welcome a little year I like to call 2010, a year that we hope and pray will be filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.