Well, dear readers, I am fighting tooth and nail to not be sick. I have no idea if I’m winning or losing the fight with tooth and nail, but by gum and by golly and buy bonds, I’m giving it the old college tray. Have you ever fought tooth and nail? Just when you think you’ve got tooth on the ropes, there comes nail with a karate chop to the neck. What the HELL am I talking about? This is the result of fighting tooth and nail to not be sick. It didn’t help that I couldn’t sleep much at all, which is what always happens when my throat is feeling weird. And you should see what happens when weird is feeling my throat. But that’s another story. I was up most of the night and maybe I got about three hours of sleep. I finally dragged myself out of bed at around nine-fifteen. I was quite groggy and stuffed up. I did some work on the computer, answered e-mails and then went over to Jerry’s Deli for some chicken soup and a sandwich. Both were really helpful. Sitting at the booth across from me was Mr. Erik Estrada. After that, I picked up no packages, and then went to the nearby CVS, where I picked up a Coldeez alternative called Zicam, which I gather does the same thing as Coldeez but is far less vile-tasting. I also got some Afrin nose spray. I forgot to get NyQuil and I’m hoping I don’t need to get it.
Then I came home. The helper came by and picked up invoices. She’s got jury duty the day the CDs are arriving, which is so irritating that it’s irritating. Sick or not, I will have to get up really early and take possession of the CDs. I will also have to get the ones that are shipping via UPS to the UPS Store, which is also irritating. Then when she gets done with jury duty she promises me that the US and International orders plus the other dealer orders will all be shipped by the end of the day or first thing in the morning. I told her that if there was any chance of that not happening that we had to get a replacement in to do it. Hopefully it won’t come to that. Then I did some more work on the computer. Then I was happy to receive our first blurb for the new book, from mystery writer Dick Lochte. Here it is:
“In Kimmel’s newest Hollywood High whodunit, his irrepressible teen sleuth Adriana Hofstetter delves into the disappearance of an Instagram-addicted student actress scheduled to appear in the school’s production of The Music
Man. Once again, Adriana’s amateur investigation includes not only clues and deductions but also bits of Hollywood city lore, musical comedy history, fine and not-so-fine dining in the city of angels, fashion tips and musings on book collecting, all burnished by the sheer exuberance of
youth. These tales of Hofstetter continue to be the literary equivalent of comfort food, satisfying and good to the last bite.”
Dick Lochte, author of the award winning mystery thriller Sleeping Dog
Isn’t that a lovelier than lovely blurb for a book? So, just waiting on the second blurb and then I can get everything to Grant Geissman, who will, as always, design the book. Then I decided it wasn’t a good idea to go out to see a show, so I cancelled that. After that, I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled The Blue Angel, a film of Mr. Josef von Sternberg, starring Miss Marlene Dietrich and Mr. Emil Jannings. It’s never been my favorite of the von Sternberg/Dietrich films – in fact, I like every single one of the others better. But that’s not to say that The Blue Angel isn’t terrific, because it is. This is the region B release from Eureka, Masters of Cinema. It’s also out here in the US via Kino, but only the region B has both the German and English versions. I watched the German version in its entirety – that transfer looks very nice, especially given the age of the film. The US version is a bit too bright and much rougher in condition, but it’s interesting to watch – I watched about twenty minutes of it.
After that, I took a hot shower, and then just relaxed and played on the computer. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must try to get a good night’s beauty sleep, hence I shall post these here notes in a hurry.
Today, I shall hopefully arise after a good night’s sleep, and then I’ll relax, have more chicken soup, get singers their mp3s (still waiting on sheet music – very scary), hopefully pick up some packages, write some liner notes, and take it easy whilst fighting tooth and nail.
Tomorrow, I guess I have to be up at eight to take possession of our new release, after which I’ll take the big dealer order over to UPS and get that out of the way. Then hopefully the helper will deal with the rest in a timely manner. Other than that, I just have to take it easy until I’m all better. I will have a couple of meetings and meals toward the end of the week, plus I have to see a show on Saturday night.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, relax, eat more chicken soup, send singers songs, hopefully pick up some packages, write liner notes and relax some more. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of Miss Marlene Dietrich? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, fighting tooth and nail to not give in to being sick.