Well, dear readers, today is the day I reach a new plateau. Kritzer Time, heretofore my longest book at 97,000 words, will be surpassed. I am definitely in the home stretch now and moving right along. Yesterday, I Xeroxed pages and delivered them to muse Margaret, then had lunch with a friend, and then around two o’clock I began writing. I did about twelve pages. I then heard from muse Margaret who said she was exhausted again from reading 130 new pages – but she seemed to really like them, save for about six things she wanted me to either adjust or cut entirely. We went through each and I ended up cutting four or five pages out, while adjusting a few other things. In other words, she was unerring as always about little moments that didn’t need to be there. She was also specific about what she liked and that’s always helpful. Because I’d just cut out four or five pages, I then wrote about seven new pages at which point I simply had to stop. I didn’t’ really need to write the additional seven pages except certain chronological things were driving me a little crazy and I wanted to at least get them close to what it must have been, which I think I finally did. It took quite a while and I’m still not sure I’m exactly right, but it’s close enough. If I go back into storage and actually locate my two other big memorabilia boxes, then I can probably be completely accurate, and if I’m way off I could probably just move things around. For now, though, I’m sure it’s fine.
Last night, I did make time to watch a motion picture on Blu and Ray. Now, I know this will astonish and amaze you dear readers, but I had never seen this motion picture before. It is entitled Forrest Gump. I simply never could get up the interest to watch it. But last night was the night and watch it I did. And I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by it. It’s quite an affecting film with great performances, decent writing, and good direction, and a lovely score. It’s a long film at two hours and twenty minutes, but it held my interest. The transfer is superb and there are some very good extras, as well.
The night before, I also finished watching a motion picture on DVD entitled The Flight Of The Red Balloon, which was supposedly based on the Albert Lamorisse masterpiece. However, other than brief shots of a red balloon that were clearly inspired by the other film, this film has nothing to do with a red balloon and I must say, for me, it is one of the most insipid, terrible movies I’ve ever sat through. It truly was like watching paint dry. It is filled with “natural” scenes of characters talking about mundane things in mundane ways and it just goes on and on with no point at all ever. This director obviously thinks that watching a piano being moved up some stairs is worth seven minutes of screen time. I mean, we watch this piano being moved in real time. That’s followed by a mesmerizing scene of a blind man tuning the piano. That one was so exciting I had to catch my breath. Of course, on the imdb we’re told that if we don’t love this film that we only like Jerry Bruckheimer films. Um – no. We endure the pointlessness for 110 long minutes and then the film just ends. Several of the imdb fools use the exact same words in their “reviews” – something about this being a movie about the quotidian way of life. It means they read that in some review or press release and think they now understand the point, of which there is none. Perhaps the filmmaker was going for an Eric Rohmer feel, but if he was he certainly has no idea what makes Mr. Rohmer tick. Awful.
Well, why don’t we all click on the unseemly button below because I have a very important piece of news in the next section.
Has anyone noticed that we are in a brand new month called February? Where in tarnation did January go? So, let’s welcome February with open arms and hope it is a month filled with happiness and joy, health and wealth, and all good things.
Today I do have to do a little shipping and a couple of errands, but otherwise I will be writing all the livelong day. I may take a friend out for a birthday dinner at six, but I won’t know until mid-day.
I actually have very little planned for this week. On Thursday I may or may not see this eight-person version of Camelot at the Pasadena Playhouse – I’m waiting to hear if that’s happening. Otherwise I shall just write and then write more – being in the home stretch is very exciting and I just want to get everything down before I begin forgetting things.
I hope everyone left on their pointy party hats and their colored tights and pantaloons, I hope every left out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, I hope everyone has is still dancing the Hora and the Monkey because today is the birthday of dear reader Kerry and our very own beloved DJ, Mr. Donald Feltham. So, let’s first give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader Kerry. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER KERRY!!! And then let us give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own beloved DJ, Mr. Donald Feltham. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN BELOVED DJ, MR. DONALD FELTHAM!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do some shipping and errands and whatnot, I must write, I must hopefully pick up a package that might just contain the new Blu and Ray of The Music Man, and then maybe take a friend for a birthday dinner. Today’s topic of discussion: Who was the first artist whose work you fell in love with? The first composer? And the first author? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we welcome February with open arms and hope that it is a month filled with happiness and joy, health and wealth, and all good things.