Well, dear readers, I have, over the last months, taken to writing everything I’m supposed to do into my iCalendar – that is, of course, then synched to my iPhone. I do this because if I don’t and I don’t happen to see the paper I scribbled information on, then I mostly do not remember what I’m supposed to do when. This is a very good thing in theory. The problem is that I never actually look at my iCalendar. This is what happened yesterday. I was supposed to attend a birthday lunch for two previous LACC theater department head, both recently turned ninety-three. I had no other things planned. And yet, I completely forgot about it. First, I got up late, at ten-thirty, after a much-needed good night’s sleep. I then had to go over to Public Storage to do the deal for the new and much less expensive space. I finished that at noon and then began to drive to the Dale of Glen to meet some people I’ve never met at Mystery and Imagination Books. As I got on the freeway, the cell phone rang and it was an old pal o’ mine asking where in tarnation I was. I didn’t know what the HELL he was talking about, but then it hit me that I was supposed to be at the birthday lunch that had started at eleven-thirty. So, I was able to head over there, but missed the off-ramp, just didn’t see the off-ramp and ended up in deep and dangerous downtown – I turned around, went back from whence I came, found the off-ramp and got to the restaurant around 12:45. Happily, everyone had JUST gotten their food. I said hello to everyone, said happy birthday to the two birthday boys, ordered a lettuce wedge with light Eyetalian vinaigrette dressing and caught my breath. I then showed my friend my iCalendar, with the party information there, plain as the nose on my face and the ear on the side of my head. So, the lesson learned is that I am now going to have to train myself to be diligent in looking at the iCalendar first thing after arising in the morning. I can’t afford to miss meetings and meals and appointments and rehearsals and work sessions. So, beginning this very day, I check Ye Olde iCalendar every morning.
After the lunch, which was fun, I headed home, stopped at the mail place and picked up no packages and the important envelope, then I came home. I then did a four-and-a-half mile jog, which was VERY difficult, but was very good to do. Then I went to Gelson’s and got an eight-ounce hunk of halibut filet for my dinner. I’d basically burned off my lettuce wedge so I needed something light but good for dinner – eight ounces of halibut, as it turns out, is really calorie friendly if you’re just baking it – only about 350 calories. I’m hoping I start to see some results in the way my clothes fit – that’s the way I can tell instantly if I’ve lost weight. I’ve now been one week on this strict regimen of running and eating light, but nothing’s really happened yet. Hopefully, this week it will, as I must be once again slim and svelte with abs and buns of steel.
The halibut was fantastic and just what the doctor ordered and frankly I am so damnably tired of the fershluganah doctor ordering everything I do. Then I finished watching a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Rififi. I’ve talked about the film before – it’s just a great movie, and its heist sequence should be required viewing for anybody making a heist film. Even today, almost fifty years later, that wordless, music-less sequence is a marvel. But the whole feel of the whole film is quite marvelous – very nihilistic and classic noir. The direction by Jules Dassin is great, and the performances are, too, especially Jean Servais. The transfer, which is supposedly based on a new restoration, is a little TOO grainy for my taste, and it’s the kind of grain that just doesn’t look natural – it looks digital. But it’s nice and sharp with good contrast and some scenes do look quite nice. It’s an import, so you have to have a multi-region player.
After that, I sat for three hours and wrote my contextual commentary for the next Gardenia show – not exactly a fun way to spend a Saturday evening, but I’m really glad to have it out of the way. I’ll finesse it during the week, but at least it’s done.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must try and get another really good night’s beauty sleep because I sure won’t be getting one tomorrow (which is now today) – very confusing when having to write about two nights of sleep.
Today, I shall jog, I shall eat something light but amusing, I will hopefully deliver a big box o’ CDs to a local dealer (the box has been sitting here for weeks and if he doesn’t take care of it, it’s the last stuff he’ll get from me), and then I’ll begin liner notes. I’ll relax, watch a motion picture or three, and then drive out to LAX around eleven to pick up Mr. Barry Pearl and take him home to his ever-lovin’ Cindy. I hadn’t remembered that I have to be up at seven the next morning, but I should be home by two at the latest and I’ll at least get a few hours of sleep.
Tomorrow, I’ll be at the lab by eight for a five-hour session, after which I’ll do errands and whatnot, jog, and banking. I think I may have something in the late afternoon but whatever it is wasn’t made firm and I know I told the person to call and that we’d make a plan. Tuesday is another early session at the lab, and by the end of that I’ll know whether we have to continue on Wednesday. After the Tuesday session, we have our first Gardenia rehearsal.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, jog, eat something light, deliver CDs, write, and then watch motion pictures until I go pick up Mr. Barry Pearl. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland – I know I have to hit the road to dreamland because I put it in my iCalendar and I think you all know from now on I am I, Calendar.