Well, dear readers, yesterday was a somewhat trying day and I am glad to be done with it. I slept no more than ninety minutes before having to arise at six to announce our new title. Then I was not able to go back to sleep because CDs and helper were arriving at nine. So, I just sat up and printed orders as they came in. Then CDs and helper arrived and we got all the big orders and about half the other orders shipped and she’ll do the rest this morning. And then the trying part happened – I went to the bank and saw the Kritzerland bank balance. That was a little shocking because it was so much less than I thought it would be. But these last two months have been absolutely killer in terms of outflow. We’ve made very good money so far this year, but with all the bills and the new thing that the minute I license something I now have to pay for it (in the old days I didn’t pay till we actually announced the CD – now I’ve paid for five or six titles in advance and that’s just a huge problem), plus all the other bills that come in and it’s just eaten up most of the lovely cushion we had. The real problem is that my biggest dealer pays a fixed amount every week (the important envelope) and while that’s lovely in theory, the practicality of it is very difficult. He is basically six CDs behind, so we’re being paid on CDs that were released in December right now. Added up, all those invoices come to a considerable amount of money, but it trickles in and we’re always up against trying to balance what comes in with what must go out. Again, these last two months have had huge outflow. So, I had to e-mail the dealer and ask him if he’d please just pay down one invoice in its entirety – that would give us more than double our weekly check and would at least sort of give us a little bit of our cushion back. He was, at first, not willing to do anything, until I reminded him of what we’re owed and told him that we really needed help during this little bump we need to get over. He finally heard me and said he and his business partner will discuss it on Friday and hopefully be able to do something the week after. Another reason the balance looked shocking was that there was a sizable deposit that hadn’t cleared yet (I deposited on Saturday, so that doesn’t actually post until midnight on Monday). Then I transferred money from Paypal and also got a small check today and that went in, too. So, it’s okay for another week and even if he doesn’t send anything extra, between the next two weeks’ checks and what’s coming in via the site and the fact that we have a new show release announcing next Monday, and the majority of those sales are via the site and not dealers, we should squeak by. I’m hoping because it’s a UK cast album that there will be enough interest to get us a few hundred orders right away. Certainly Gone With The Wind has done extremely well for us – we have less than 150 left. I guess it will go like it goes and I just have to stay focused and positive. So, please send most excellent vibes and xylophones for a nice cash infusion by next week.
One thing I did do was call the bank and make sure all deposits had gone through and that there was nothing suspicious going on. I grabbed some matzo brei for an early lunch, and then picked up the music, which I then had to organize. Richard Berent, our MD, came by and got his stuff, as did young Melody Hollis and Alet. I guess everyone else will show up this morning. Then The Singer came over and we had our rehearsal, which was mostly consumed with getting John Boswell up to speed. He didn’t remember a lot of the stuff we’d done, so he has some homework to do before tonight’s rehearsal. I also did a couple of small staging things, adjusted a couple of lines of patter, and gave some performance things. It’s a really fun act. Then I was really hungry and irritable, so I went to Hugo’s and had some pasta mama for my late supper.
I did pick up a lot of packages, so that was fun, and printed out more orders (and need more today, let me tell you), and never even had one chance to sit on my couch like so much fish. I really wanted to be in bed by ten-thirty but since it is now a little after eleven I guess that didn’t happen.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I am way overtired and ready to be done with the trying day.
Today, I’m hoping to awaken from a good night’s sleep. Then the other singers will come by to get their music, after which I have some errands and whatnot to do, hopefully some packages to pick up, and then at one I have to be at the tape transfer place to go through some new tapes for upcoming projects. That should take an hour or so and then I come home, hopefully print out more orders, and then we have a rehearsal/run-through at six.
Tomorrow and the rest of the week is more of the same. I have a lunch to go to tomorrow, and rehearsals with The Singer, and all that stuff, including a Friday night run-through with a small audience.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, give singers their music, do errands and whatnot, listen to tapes, have a rehearsal and at some point eat something. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Alan Menken songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland and divest myself of the trying day.