Well, dear readers, I have two brand new tires. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, have two brand new tires – the replacement for the blown out tire and the left rear, which was ready to be replaced. So, I should be fine for another year or so, I think. I was up and to the tire place by eight. I left the car, walked to the bank and made a little deposit, then went to Du-Par’s and had two poached eggs on white toast. After that, I walked back to the tire place and picked up the motor car. I then came home and I’m quite certain I did some things but I cannot remember what they might have been. Oh, I think I did some writing (but not much), I did pull a bunch of CDs that contain Alan Jay Lerner songs so I can import them into iTunes, I did have a visit from a fellow who brought me some new soundtrack CDs from various labels, and then I picked up only one teeny-tiny package because the other package that I knew was definitely coming was via Ontrac and that means that it arrives much later in the day – thoroughly annoying, and I’ll pick that package up today.
Then I had a long telephonic conversation and a shorter telephonic conversation and a medium-length telephonic conversation. Then it was time to do a few errands and whatnot, after which I went to The Smoke House to have dinner with friends. I hadn’t been to The Smoke House in about six months and I do dearly love the jernt. It was somewhat alarming that at the prime dinner hour there were not so many people dining. There were six of us including my very own self. We, of course, had the garlic cheese bread, which is no longer called garlic cheese bread because some dimwit threatened to cause trouble because there never was actual cheese on the garlic cheese bread. People can be so stupid sometimes, but, what else is new? I hope whatever idiot it was is sitting in a puddle of his own drool somewhere. The garlic cheese bread was as great as always and I ate a few too many pieces – they’re very thin slices, but I had five of them. That’s probably like having two normal-sized dinner roles. Then I had a cup of their incredible clam chowder and my entrée was their Seafood Louie. I didn’t use quite as much dressing as I normally do, but still I felt like I was going to explode by the time I was through, although that didn’t stop me from ordering dessert – a light and excellent crème brulee. The other diners, who were delightfully delightful, had such things as a shrimp and chicken kabob, barbecue tri-tip (The Smoke House is famous for this), prime rib, and a Caesar salad with chicken. Everyone had a different dessert, too, so that was fun. The conversation was sparkling and a good time was had by all and by all a good time was had, not necessarily in that order.
After that, I waddled out to my motor car and drove home. Once there, I answered e-mails and caught up with stuff on the Internet and on this here site. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I started to watch the premiere episode of Ghost Story, the TV series from the early 1970s, an anthology series, the first half of which was hosted by Sebastian Cabot. The producer? William Castle. It’s a typical early 1970s show and unfortunately the first episode was ugly and brown. The music is nice and I watched ten minutes of David Birney and Barbara Parkins – I suppose I’ll come back to it at some point. I basically bought the set (the entire season one, which is all there was – the show had a name change mid-way through the season – to Circle of Fear) because I am in one of the episodes. Interestingly, I’m not sure I read for it – I may have just gotten it, but if I did read I probably read for the director, Robert Day, and the producer, William Castle. Who knew?
I then watched the first half of Ruggles of Red Gap on a region B Blu and Ray. I’d always heard about the movie but never actually seen it. Since it’s a Leo McCarey film I knew I’d be in for a treat and indeed I was. Even watching it alone I was laughing out loud, mostly at the inspired performance of Charles Laughton. Plus I always love to watch Charlie Ruggles. I’ll finish it up today. I also ran about forty minutes of the new transfer of Yellow Submarine and I am here to tell you it is spectacular. Naturally, the doom and gloom brigade saw some screencaps and started bashing the transfer (without having seen it, of course) despite people posting who HAD seen it saying it looked great. And boy does it – it’s like falling into a vat of Technicolor candy – it’s eye-popping and gorgeous, sharp as a tack with incredible clarity. It was photochemically restored and then digitally cleaned up frame-by-frame. The doom and gloom brigade cried DNR – well, guess what boys? No. NO. If there was DNR applied this transfer would not possibly be this sharp and detailed and clear – not possible. There is some really fine grain and I’m sure that’s what was on the camera negative, from which this was restored. Whatever they did they did it right. The film is completely weird, but the songs, of course, are great, and the sound is absolutely stunning. I’ll finish this one today, too. But just based on what I’ve seen, it is highly recommended by the likes of me.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I am really tired and need a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall do some writing, I shall begin prepping our next release, which should announce early next week (the last two releases will ship this Friday), finish choosing songs and finish casting, begin gathering sheet music, eat, hopefully pick up some packages (well, we know there’s one for sure), then relax.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals and then the midnight screening of The First Nudie Musical on Friday. The weekend will be half-busy, and I’ll of course watch the Tony Awards on Sunday, and we will, of course, have our Annual Tony Awards Bash right here at haineshisway.com – you won’t want to miss a minute of our partay, always the most fun place to be on all the Internet.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, prep our next release, choose songs and cast, get sheet music, eat, and hopefully pick up some packages. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, as I hit the road to dreamland where I shall undoubtedly dream of a Yellow Submarine in Red Gap.