Well, dear readers, I had a Piano Man, I had an Alarm Man, I had a Patty Melt, I had way too many telephonic conversations, I had a three-mile jog, I had a dream, a wonderful dream, papa, and all that I need is eighty-eight bucks, papa, that’s what he said, papa, only eighty-eight bucks, papa – you ain’t getting eighty-eight cents from me, Rose – what, am I Gypsy all of a sudden? How did that happen? There I was, going off on a tangent when suddenly I went to Gypsyland. Some people. Where was I? Oh, yes, the day that started quietly and ended with a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on.
I got up at ten after a fair night’s sleep with some mighty odd dreams, some of which had to do with a label I used to work for for some years (not the label that shall not be mentioned) – I know why I had that dream, because in a few days I will be writing some notes about revisionism and history that will not make some people happy and that is just tough beans. I answered e-mails, and then I did a three-mile jog. After that, I had a call from the alarm company and they asked if the Alarm Man could come out to install the new alarm system in the later afternoon. I said fine. Then I heard back from the Piano Man that he could come at two to tune the piano (which it desperately needed) and also make the sound and action less bright, as the overt brightness was causing my beautiful grand piano to sound like a honky-tonk piano.
Since I saw that my afternoon dance card had suddenly just filled up, I went right over to Jerry’s Deli where I had a patty melt and no fries or onion rings. It was great. I’d looked up the calorie count for a patty melt and I found a range of 490 calories to 950 calories. When I looked at the 950 ones it was two patties – the Jerry’s patty melt is one reasonable sized patty, not a huge amount of cheese, and on rye – in fact, the Jerry’s patty melt is on the small side, so I just assume it probably had between six hundred and eight hundred calories, which is fine, especially considering I’d just jogged three miles.
Then I went to the mail place but the mail hadn’t even arrived yet – this at one-fifteen. So, I came back home just in time for Piano Man. He was there about ninety minutes doing his Piano Thing – after he was done, the piano no longer sounded like a honky-tonk – it had a warmer and richer tone and I’m much happier with that sound and I think our singers and musical director will be as well. Then the Alarm Man arrived and he ended up being her well over four hours doing his Alarm Thing, which was, naturally, alarming. Literally. I went back to the mail place and picked up two count them two packages. I then sat on my couch like so much fish as Alarm Man continued doing his alarming work on the Alarm Thing.
Last night, I watched a motion picture entitled She Devil in Regalscope on Blu and Ray. It’s kind of a terrible movie with no redeeming qualities, but I kind of like terrible movies with no redeeming qualities every now and then. However, this was not now and then and I found She Devil a complete and utter bore from start to finish. Jack Kelley and Mari Blanchard star, and the director is Kurt Neumann, who a year later would direct The Fly in Cinemascope. That film at least shows some competence directorially, but She Devil had no such competence. I believe the film was distributed by Fox but somehow it’s ended up at Paramount and on Blu and Ray from Olive. The transfer is not much – too light, and just adequate, but the detail is nice. I also checked out the transfer of Zulu Dawn, which is not that hot, especially in terms of color.
The Alarm Man finally finished round one and he showed me how to do everything. This keypad and system is so much easier than what was here. I wrote it all down, but it’s pretty simple. For the next two weeks I do have to arm the system before going to bed – they need to monitor that it’s all working correctly. I turn that off in the morning upon arising. Then when I leave, I arm it again, and turn it off upon my return. I’m sure it will be second nature in no time flat or, at the very least, in no time sharp. Then I listened to an upcoming Kritzerland release – from the Golden Age, two composers basically new to Kritzerland, and two really nice scores on one CD.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I need a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall be up by ten, I shall do a jog of some sort, then I’m joining author Mickey Rapkin, to whom I’m related, for a lunch at the Eclectic Café in the Hollywood of North. After that, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, then one of the contractors is coming back to do more detailed looking around. It’s pretty clear to me that we’ll end up going with the first one who came out, but they want two estimates. Hopefully by the end of this week they’ll make the choice and I’m hoping work can start next week.
Tomorrow I shall write and finish one set of liner notes and begin another, Thursday I have a work session with the musical director, and then a few other meetings. On Saturday I’ll be dining with cousin Dee Dee and her ever-lovin’ Alan and other guests.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, lunch, hopefully pick up some packages, and write. Today’s topic of discussion: I’d ask what everyone’s favorite Mari Blanchard films are but that would result in about one post, so – what are your all-time favorite Johnny Mercer songs? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, as I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall undoubtedly sing I had a dream and then a chorus of Let Me Entertain You.