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January 27, 2012:

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I believe the intense three weeks of writing is finally getting to me. After I finished, I felt great, felt relief, and looked forward to getting it in shape with muse Margaret, my proofing, and my other proofers. I had no time to actually even think about anything as I went directly into working with the East Coast singer on her act. And that was intense, trying to get everything together in four days, but the show is now assembled and feels good, and I’ll be finessing her patter over the weekend. But yesterday, after we finished working I suddenly felt as if I’d been hit by a truck. I think I’ll probably have that feeling now for a few days – it’s happened on every book, but I’ve never written this fast before and with such ferociousness, turning out over twenty pages a day. And speaking of the book, I called muse Margaret yesterday morning to run by her four little changes I wanted to make, all of which she was fine with – they were basically just little sentences or paragraphs where I felt the writing was awkward and hence the points were obscured. I read her my changes, all of which she thought were much clearer and cleaner. That done, she had about eight little things she wanted me to look at – I did, and we made tiny subtle changes to those eight things and now she is very pleased with the entire book. She’s like my little angel, always protecting me from looking bad because I’m unnecessarily editorializing or occasionally being a smart-ass for no reason other than I’m pretty good at it. It’s not a question of making me look like a saint – I most certainly take myself to task where I should, just as I did in the last book, she just doesn’t think I should get down in the mud with those who are already there. And she’s right – the reader doesn’t need me to help them see what the deal is. It’s always just minor adjustments – a word there, and added sentence here, a deletion, whatever. So, on I will proof, but that’s pretty slow going.

I worked with Shelly Markham and we went over all the songs for the Kritzerland show. Then Lanny and the singer came, we went and had a yummilicious lunch at Casa Vega, then we worked for four hours, running all the songs, making little adjustments and then I just gave really general notes about how to approach everything – not to be too big, to be real, not to “comment” on the lyrics – the usual stuff. They left and that’s when the feeling of being hit by a truck hit me. I took a hot shower and that made me feel better. And then I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Spellbound. I know the film is usually not considered one of Hitchcock’s best, but I’ve always loved it, probably because of its many TV showings, which I saw at an impressionable age. I never cease to be amazed at how great Ingrid Bergman is and how beautiful she photographs. And Gregory Peck is just wonderful in it, as is Leo G. Carroll. The score by Miklos Rozsa is big and in the classic 40s style, which is fine by me. I adore the Salvador Dali-designed dream sequence, too. The transfer is really great with no downsides whatsoever. It very much looks like the 35mm release prints I’ve seen over the years and that’s all one could want.

Then I began watching a motion picture I’d TIVOd entitled Best Seller. I remember seeing it when it came out and enjoying James Woods and Brian Dennehy – I’ll have a full report after I’ve finished it.

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

Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s beauty sleep. I shall then do a jog (the weather has been beautiful), then I shall eat a light lunch, then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages and an important envelope, and the we have our first Kritzerland rehearsal.

Tomorrow, another jog, then relaxing, prepping the announcement of our first two Kritzerland releases of 2012, and then I’m seeing our very own Mr. Barry Pearl in a play about Roy Cohn. Sunday I’ll relax, but I’m also attending some sort of soundtrack event, which I hope will not go on for hours. Next week is, of course, very busy and then we have our Kritzerland show – I also have to write my contextual commentary and figure out the show order, and I’ll continue proofing every day until I’m through.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, eat, hopefully pick up packages and an important envelope, rehearse, and watch motion pictures. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, nothing. Blu and Ray, next up is Notorious and Rebecca and then Annie Hall and Manhattan. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall dream sweet dreams and hopefully awaken to feel but alive, but alive, but alive.

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