Well, dear readers, I have just spent the last ninety minutes trying to submit our little web series to the imdb. To say that that process is confusing would be a gross understatement. It’s damn confusing, it’s time-consuming, it’s nutty. Every time you answer the questions then submit it comes back with more questions, and then more questions and it’s all very wacky and weird. They ask for direct links to an episode or press release, and then it won’t accept them because of the formatting, so I just put in the main address for Broadway World and it finally took that, although unless they search the site they will have trouble locating it – the good news is that if they really look over the home page they’ll find us at the top of the Broadway World Exclusive TV section. I added various things to the listing – some cast, the editor, me, so we’ll see if it goes through or if they’ll need more information. I would really like to have it on the imdb. Once we do get it there, then I think I can add each episode title and full cast and crew details. I’m exhausted from the imdb ordeal, frankly.
Yesterday was a day in which I did a few things. I got up at nine, did a few things, then moseyed on over to the Hills of Beverly for a lunch meeting at Nate ‘n’ Al’s with a female singer. It’s always a pleasure to have my beloved “New York” sandwich – extra lean pastrami on rye with cole slaw and Russian dressing, and we split some kishka, the singer being a good Jew and all. We chatted about many things, and she’s asked me to help her put a quick show together for late January, and then to put together a real act for her – since I liked her energy, I said yes. So, she’ll begin by making song lists and then we’ll have a series of meals to talk about all of that, plus some work sessions with her musical director, Shelly Markham, who, of course, is a dear friend of mine and one of the main Kritzerland musical directors.
Then I came directly home, had a little Face Time session, just so I could see the stage layout and give the East Coast Singer my good vibes. Then I went to the mail place, where I picked up three packages, all of which contained Christmas presents. One of the packages when opened simply revealed the present, which was from our very own Elmore and was a rare and fun early souvenir program for Li’l Abner on Broadway. The other two packages had wrapped packages within and those I’ll open on Christmas day. A bigger package I was expecting didn’t arrive and I’m told that today will probably be the day. And that’s a good thing. I got a call from the delivery people who will bring the cabinet thing here tomorrow sometime between four and seven – I will be here and hopefully they’ll come sooner than later. Then we implemented the very first Kritzerland sale ever, our way of saying thanks and ushering in 2013 by offering 20 great titles at $13 each. So, check it out on the Kritzerland site and see if anything catches your fancy. After that I did some work on the computer, and then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I finished watching the screener of The Master. I’m afraid I still don’t like the film at all. It’s nicely photographed and the music is occasionally interesting and the director knows how to shoot a scene with none of the sops to “now” filmmaking – all good. But the story isn’t really a story, most of the characters are really disgusting, but for me, whatever interest the film might have had is done in by one of the most self-indulgent “actorish” performances I’ve ever seen. It’s a lot of mumbling, the character itself is sickening, and the actor just does all this “now” actor crap I cannot abide. There is a scene in a jail cell that will go down in film history as one of the most masturbatory over-the-top bits of thespianism ever. I truly have to believe the actor actually hurt himself during it. And there are other scenes where I’d guess he probably hurt his fellow actors. Maybe it’s all carefully choreographed and just looks out of control on the screen, but somehow I don’t think so. If I’m wrong, maybe it’s the most brilliant performance of all time. But not for me, as the Gershwins said.
Then I watched the first twenty minutes of a screener that arrived in the afternoon and was rather a surprise – The Hobbit. I am not a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings films, and this seems very much of a piece with them and so I’m just watching but not really enjoying that much. Perhaps it gets better as it goes along. I used to love fantasy films in days of old, but I don’t cotton to them much these days, at least not the ones they’re making today. No, I don’t cotton to them, I don’t silk to them, and I certainly don’t rayon to them. I’ll finish it up today or tonight.
After that, I took a relaxing shower, heard a report that the Christmas show went very well, and then had a long telephonic conversation with the East Coast Singer, who was very pleased. She ended up with about sixty people, which is a nice crowd in that room. Then I had some fun pulling out a bound volume of the very first year of Firsts Magazine, which was 1991. I have the entire run of the 1990s issues all bound in nice uniform volumes. Seeing the catalog reports in those early issues was so interesting – for example, a near fine copy of Ray Bradbury’s first book, Dark Carnival, went for $225. Today it would sell for between three and four thousand dollars. What a difference twenty years makes. The Catcher in the Rye, which was very pricey even then at $1,200 would go for close to $8,000 today. Some books have not appreciated much at all, but all the major authors and well-known books have pretty much skyrocketed. There’s a fine copy of Chandler’s The Big Sleep listed for $7,000, which was a huge sum in 1991, but today that same copy would probably fetch $20,000. And so it goes. First editions are not only fun to collect, but if you’re smart and you know what you’re doing, they will always appreciate and are a better investment than the stock market sometimes.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall be up early to have another telephonic conversation with the East Coast Singer, this one about our plan for the New Year, and what is going to happen when and how. Then I’ll have something light but amusing to eat, then hopefully pick up some packages, then I’m sure I’ll do some book notes, and then wait for the cabinet thing to be delivered.
Tomorrow I hope to wake up to an e-mail that will make this a happy Christmas and New Year and that will be nice. Then I take the motor car in for a servicing, which should take one hour, or so they’ve told me. After that, I’ll do other stuff that needs doing. Thursday is a Costco run, and I’ll also try to see Teddy to get my final haircut of 2012. Friday I take possession of ten boxes of Jane Lanier’s caramels, and no that is not a euphemism. There’s other stuff going on but I’m too tired to remember what it is. Hopefully our projects will be approved and I’ll get them announced at some point before Christmas and that will make for a happy and merry Christmas, too, at least that is the hope.
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 Charleston, because today we’ve got us two count them two birthdays to celebrate. The first birthday to celebrate is our very own dear reader PennyO, who doesn’t come around that often anymore, but who we love. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own dear reader PennyO, who we love. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN DEAR READER PENNYO, WHO WE LOVE!!!
Our next birthday belongs to the much-missed Dan-the-Man. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to the much-missed Dan-the-Man. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO THE MUCH-MISSED DAN-THE-MAN.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, have a telephonic conversation, eat, hopefully pick up packages and then take possession of the cabinet thing. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite books of fantasy and films of fantasy? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping the Outside the Box listing will show up soon on the weird and the wacky imdb.