Well, dear readers, today is Tuesday. You see, I always feel it’s important to occasionally throw in a little useful tidbit. The Useful Tidbit – that’s the title of my next novel. I feel today’s notes should be filled with useful tidbits, don’t you? Unfortunately, I’m too tired to think of any. Therefore, we will skip directly to the useless tidbits, just like we do every day here at haineshisway.com.
Yesterday, for example, was a day. I was up at six in the morning to announce the new Kritzerland titles. I then went back to bed and slept until nine-thirty. I then got up and spent the next hour printing out orders, which I’m happy to say were very healthy. Then the helper came over to pick up some older invoices. By that time, I’d missed my jogging window of opportunity, so instead I printed out more orders then went and had a salad, a bagel, and rye toast. Whilst eating, I proofed. Conversely, whilst proofing, I ate. Then I went to the mail place and picked up a few packages, one of which contained thirty-five homegrown DVDs of Jack Benny shows including some really rare 60s and 70s specials. I found them on eBay and the price was certainly right at thirty-five bucks. One of the other packages contained Stephen King’s new book, 11/22/63. Since I’m not writing any fiction for another year, I think I may just read this book after I finish Druxy’s short stories. It’s a whopping 900 pages but I’m told it’s the best thing he’s written in years. The last fiction I read at all was read the year before I wrote Benjamin Kritzer – and ironically that, too, was Stephen King – Dreamcatcher, which I thought was just about the nadir of his writing career.
After that I came home, printed out more orders, and then proofed another sixty pages. There are two little sections so far where I’m going to add a paragraph – normally I don’t do that ever, but as I was reading these, I really wanted to add a little more detail about the singers and certain performances, and about the songs themselves. Altogether it won’t even add half a page, and since we’ve cut about two pages out of the later section, I think it’s fine. It’s detail and it needs it, just in those two little sections. Everything else is reading fine to me. After that, I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched the final Maigret movie in box set three and it was one of the best. It’s based on one of the most well thought of Maigret stories, Death of a Harbourmaster. Everything about it was just terrific. The young leading lady was so familiar looking to me and it was driving me crazy until I looked up her credits and saw she was a co-star in Braveheart. I then watched the first half-hour of Jack Benny’s first 1960s specials, this one from 1966. The quality was fantastic. It was complete with all the Eastern Airlines commercials. I have to say it’s not Jack’s finest hour, but even so I laughed out loud many times in the first thirty minutes. The guests are Bob Hope (naturally), Elke Sommer, and The Beach Boys. I’m really looking forward to watching all thirty-five DVDs over the next few weeks.
After that, I did some work on the computer, then took a hot shower. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really must get a decent night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall have a morning telephonic call with the East Coast singer, to discuss and go over her patter. After that, I will truly try to jog, then I’ll eat and proof, and then we have our second Kritzerland rehearsal. After that, I’m sure I’ll watch a motion picture on Blu and Ray.
The rest of the week will be devoted to finishing the proofing of the book and implementing the fixes, some of which I have to go over with muse Margaret to make sure she likes them. Saturday we have our stumble-through and Sunday is sound check and show time.
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 Texas Two-Step, for today is the birthday of dear reader Michael Shayne. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader Michael Shayne. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER MICHAEL SHAYNE!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, have a telephonic call, jog, eat, proof, rehearse, proof, hopefully pick up some packages, and watch a motion picture. Today’s topic of discussion: Of the classic comic of the 40s, 50s, 60s – who are your favorites and when did you first see them? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall hopefully dream of nothing but useful tidbits.