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October 21, 2010:

MY OPENING SALVO

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, the days are long and the nights are short, at least that’s how it feels over here in the city of Studio. For example, today was a long day and tonight was a short night, hence my comment above. Had it been the other way around, I would have had to adjust my opening salvo. My Opening Salvo – that’s the title of my next novel, an erotic story of obsession and depravity amongst the jet set in Bakersfield. You see, I’ve learned over the years that one must always have an opening salvo (ovlas, spelled backwards) because one simply must. One is simply not with it, one is simply not happening without an opening salvo. I, of course, am with it and happening having sallied forth with an opening salvo. What the HELL am I talking about? Don’t I have notes to write? Don’t I have to be up very early to ship CDs? I do, I do, and I do (that is three I do’s). So, as mentioned in my opening salvo, yesterday was a long day. I got up just prior to the arrival of the helper. We then worked for about two hours on our reorganization project, which is going very well. Then we did a Costco run – I was completely out of water and just about everything else. I never buy much there, but we did get three things of waters, a bunch of Kleenex (so cheap in bulk, and so expensive singly at Gelson’s), soap (so cheap in bulk, and so expensive singly at Gelson’s), Fruity Snacks (see above), some Baby Bonbel cheese things, and a four-pack of English muffins. I put three of the packs in the freezer – it’s the first time I opened the freezer since the last Costco run about five weeks ago. Funnily, I hadn’t remembered at all that I’d bought a big box o’ coconut M&Ms, which I’d put in there because some like them frozen, me being one of the some. So, that was an unexpected treat. Then the helper left and it was already after one-thirty by that point. So, I went and picked up no packages and a few bills from the mail place, and then I decided to have a foot-long spicy Eyetalian sandwich from Subway. I took it home and ate it all up, and then had a package of the coconut M&Ms for dessert. I then spent a while trying to coordinate the schedules of five singers so we can have our two Gardenia rehearsals next week – that’s always the toughest part of these shows. But it all got done. After that I did some work on the computer, listened to the first of four CDs of an upcoming project (these are not full CDs – and the score will fit comfortably on one CD), and then finally sat on my couch like so much fish.

And that was the end of the long day. Then began the short night. I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Moulin Rouge, the one from 2001 and not the one with Jose Ferrer. I really did not care for Moulin Rouge when I first saw it back in 2001 and I’m ambivalent about it now. It’s certainly dazzling to look at, but it’s like eating a hot fudge sundae followed by a double chocolate cake with ice cream and whipped cream, followed by an apple fritter and six donuts, followed by a huge slice of the Brooklyn Diner’s coconut cake. It’s just a huge sugar-high and after a while it’s just too much. The quick cutting in the musical numbers, accompanied by endless meaningless shots of feet, really annoyed me – all that said, it’s visually very appealing. The anachronistic songs are kind of irritating, too, but I just went with the flow and took it all in and wasn’t any the worse for wear. The transfer is, in a word, spectacular, as is the sound. So, if you like the film, you will be very pleased with the presentation on the Blu-Ray. After that, I finished watching a motion picture on DVD I’d begun over the weekend, a film I really like a lot entitled The Counterfeit Traitor, starring William Holden, Lilli Palmer, and lots of German character actors. It’s one of the best WWII espionage films ever, wonderfully directed on location by George Seaton. It’s a film that pulls no punches – I first saw it at the Pacific’s on Hollywood Boulevard (the former Warner Cinerama Theater – I believe that either Flower Drum Song or Counterfeit Traitor was the first show after the name change). I loved it so much I stayed for a second showing, and then I went back and saw it a couple more times that week. The performances are great (a good deal of the film is narrated by William Holden, and he does that really well, just as he did in Sunset Blvd.), and the score by Alfred Newman is a favorite of mine. The transfer is okay color-wise, but it’s really difficult to watch some DVDs (even upscaled) after watching a pristine Blu-Ray.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we think of that as the first section closing salvo.

Today, I shall be up early to ship a LOT of CDs. After that, I have to go directly to LACC to do a Q&A and talk. Then I’ll grab a bite to eat, then do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up some mail and packages, and then do some work at home. In the evening I may or may not go to my pal Diz White’s book signing at Samuel French. She didn’t make my signing at Book Soup and I’m trying to be equally supportive of those who don’t come to my events, but I like Diz and she wrote me a nice note, so I’ll probably mosey on over there.

Friday is kind of a light day, and that’s a good thing. But at five I’ll head out to the Cabrillo Theater for the Happy Days pre-show partay – I’ve heard there will be many interesting folks there. My guess is that I’ll be the only one there who actually appeared on the show in its earliest of days. I wonder if anyone will actually realize that. Then we’ll all see the show, and then there’s an opening night partay after that, so it will be a long evening and a short day, rather the opposite of yesterday.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship CDs, do a Q&A, do errands and whatnot and hopefully pick up packages and mail, do a jog, eat, and then maybe attend a book signing. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films set during WWII, especially the espionage films, which are my favorites in that genre. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, as we hit the road to dreamland and dream of new and greater opening salvos to come.

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