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November 21, 2011:

ANKHS FOR THE MEMORIES

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, this week is flying by, like a gazelle wearing an ankh. Does anyone still wear an ankh? Ankh if you love Jesus. Isn’t that a bumper sticker. Ankhs For The Memories. Isn’t that a Bob Hope song? I mean, Sunday just went so damn fast and now it’s Monday and the next three days are going to be quite busily busy, but then it will be Thanksgiving and I shall hopefully be able to completely rest up and relax, not necessarily in that order. Sunday was sort of a relaxing day. I got up after nine hours of sleep. That was sort of relaxing. I answered e-mails, saw some nice comments on episode two of Outside The Box, and then had to deliver a big ol’ box o’ CDs to a local dealer. I grabbed some lunch at a deli called Mort’s in Reseda. It’s not great, but I had a cup of chicken soup and a tri-salad – two scoops of turkey salad and one scoop of egg salad. It was very good, and I had a toasted sesame bagel and cream cheese with it. Since it was pouring rain for most of the day, the four-mile jog was out.

I came home, did some work on the computer, prepped our new release announcement, and finally sat on my couch like so much fish. Yesterday, I watched a Maigret episode from the French TV series starring Bruno Cremer. The series began in 1991 and lasted through about 2005. For some reason, the first DVD box set begins with a show from 2002, I think. But these aren’t episodes, really, they are full-length films of ninety minutes or so. As I’ve mentioned, the Michael Gambon UK episode I watched, while okay, wasn’t to my liking. The first of the three Jean Gabin Maigret films was very good in that 1950s sort of way, and I enjoyed Gabin. But, at long last, I have found the Maigret for me in this superb show from France. I can only judge the one film I’ve seen, but if they’re all as good as it, I will be buying the other four box sets. Bruno Cremer is everything you’d want in Maigret – he’s such a wonderful actor and I’ve always liked him in everything I’ve seen him in, but he just becomes the Inspector and he’s so much fun to watch. All the other actors in the show were really fine and did stellar work. It’s shot on film and looks fantastic. This film took place in 1956 and the production design and photography were great. The story was compelling and although it wasn’t hard to figure everything out, that’s not, apparently, what these Maigret stories are about – they’re complex, filled with interesting characters with interesting motives, and it’s about watching the Inspector sort through it all. The revelations, at least in this one, were not surprising but, as I say, that’s not the point, the point is the ride there and the ride was a great one. Tying it all up in a pretty pink ribbon is the truly excellent score of Laurent Petitgirard. In a nutshell, my kind of mystery show and, on the basis of this one film, highly recommended by the likes of me. Transfer was excellent, too. The DVD set is region two so you have to have an all-region player.

After that, I went to Sterling’s at Vitello’s to see a club act. As most here know, I’m very opinionated when it comes to club acts and what I like and don’t like about them, so no need to dwell on this one – it was simply not my kind of show. Miss Juliana Hansen sang a couple of songs, and Mr. Richard Sherman played Feed The Birds. I had a small Caesar salad and was surprised at how few people I knew there.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because it’s late and I must try and get another good night’s beauty sleep.

Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s beauty sleep. I must make some CDRs, leave music for the musical director of the next Gardenia show, do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up some packages, have a paper tech meeting, eat something light but amusing at some point, and then have a rehearsal. I haven’t decided whether we’ll do a complete run-through, or whether we’ll stop and start and do detail work. I may not feel like doing all of the commentary – I may just do the opening commentary and then just go number to number, especially is lighting is being done. We shall see.

Tomorrow will be more of the same and also same of the more. And so will Wednesday, which I know will be a full-out run-through, and then it will be Thanksgiving and I will give thanks for all the bountiful bounties that are in my life.

Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Black Bottom, for today is the birthday of dear reader KevinH. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader KevinH. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER KEVINH!!!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do the four-mile jog if there’s time and good weather, I must make CDRs and leave music, I must do errands and whatnot, I must hopefully pick up packages, I must paper tech, I must rehearse and I must eat. Today’s topic of discussion: Who are your favorite French actors and actresses and your favorite of their films? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall ankh if I’m having a good dream.

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