Well, dear readers, as most of you know, I have been on a diet for the last four months and have lost about twenty-five pounds and still want to lose another ten to fifteen – it’s been very slow going and very difficult but I am determined to be where I want by our September Kritzerland show, our three-year anniversary. That is my goal. I have been trying to eat around twelve hundred calories net every day, net meaning that I really eat around fourteen hundred because I’m jogging off two hundred of those. Sometimes I may eat a teeny bit more, sometimes less, but I don’t think I’ve exceeded 1500 calories since I began. But at my age, it’s just slow. In days of old, even five years ago, I would already be where I wanted to be. One of my problems is that I have a severe sweet tooth and am not happy without having a sweet daily. Fruit doesn’t cut the mustard, I’m afraid. Fruit doesn’t even cut the ketchup, although fruit has been known to cut the cheese, because they go hand in hand like love and marriage and a horse and carriage. Ooh, I went off on a tangent.
Several years ago I discovered some low-calorie low-fat ice cream sandwiches called Skinny Cow. I didn’t think they were great, but they certainly did the trick. They did the connecting rings trick, one of my favorites. But I grew tired of the ice cream sandwiches. But about a month ago I was looking for something fun in the candy section at Gelson’s and I came upon some Skinny Cow chocolate candies, so I bought one of each kind they had – chocolate with caramel inside, chocolate with peanut butter filling inside and dark chocolate crispy caramel things. Well, imagine my surprise to find they were extremely yummilicious and delightfully delightful. Each package contained three pieces for a total calorie count of 130 except the dark chocolate crispy caramel things – those packets contained about six teeny-tiny bite-sized pieces for a total of 120 calories. They took care of my sweet tooth and I was thrilled to have discovered all of those candies.
Then last night, I discovered they make other kinds of ice cream treats, one of which I bought and sampled – a chocolate-coated cone with cherry ice cream and chocolate swirls. Obviously it’s not real ice cream and it’s probably not real chocolate but I’m here to tell you it was great. It was filling, it was tasty, and I now have a new favorite low-cal treat to take care of my sweet tooth. Anyway, I really recommend trying these Skinny Cow things, and I’m going to do a little online research and see what other things they may or may not have for me to sample. Someone should alert them to these here notes – this is probably the best free publicity they’ve ever had. Here, for example, is the new limited edition cherry ice cream cone thing.
And here is a cow that could use some Skinny Cow treats – this cow has been eating way too much beef.
What the HELL am I talking about? Shouldn’t I be writing notes right about now instead of writing ad copy for Skinny Cow? Yesterday, for example, was a Wednesday. Naturally the workers were here early. I did stuff on the computer, then thought about a jog but it was gray and kind of chilly out so instead I had a very long telephonic conversation with one of the faculty members at LACC, just catching up, and chatting about making the alumni organization, of which I’m president, more active again, which I’m all for. So, when I get back from my short trip, we’ll have a meeting and see what’s what.
After that, I went and had a patty melt and no fries or onion rings. I have to say I am quite hooked on patty melts these days. Then I picked up a couple of packages, then came home. I did all the latest updates for my Macbook Air so that it’s all up-to-date for the short trip. That actually took almost forty-five minutes – new Safari, new iTunes, major Microsoft Office update, security update, and more. I listened to some music, finished an edit road map and got that to the mastering guy, who’s currently in France where the women where no pants, so that he has it upon his return. After all that, I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a wonderfully wonderful motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Three Outlaw Samurai, a Japanese film from Japan, directed by the wonderful filmmaker Hideo Gosha – in fact, his first film, made in 1964. I have been a fan of Mr. Gosha since seeing his absolutely amazing film, Goyokin, which I saw on the big screen at some point in the 1980s. His visual sense is incredible and Goyokin is, for me, one of the high water marks of Japanese cinema. Interestingly, filmmaker Tom Laughlin made a US version of the film – literally a shot-for-shot remake (he kept a Movieola on the set so he could run each scene from the original as he shot his scenes) – that film was called The Master Gunfighter – even the score by Lalo Schifrin aped the original Japanese score. Happily, a very nice transfer of Goyokin was finally released on DVD several years ago. I’d never seen Three Outlaw Samurai, so I came to it fresh and I absolutely loved every minute of its ninety-three minutes. It’s one of those movies that you just don’t want to end. The cast is superb, the music unique and excellent, but it’s Gosha’s style, even in this first film, the striking compositions in black-and-white scope, the plot, everything. The transfer is very nice and the Blu and Ray is from Criterion. Amazon is currently having a 50% off sale on Criterion so this can be had for twenty bucks and it is highly recommended by the likes of me.
After that, I finally got around to the Twilight Time release of Nicholas and Alexandra on Blu and Ray. I will admit freely I have never had any desire to see this film. I don’t know why that is but it is. I think I saw the coming attractions and just didn’t like the female lead from watching the trailer. However, I was and am a huge fan of director Franklin Schaffner and the composer, Richard Rodney Bennett, and the film is photographed by Freddie Young and it has an amazing supporting cast, but still I have never seen one frame of it. Well, now that is being rectified, oh, yes, now that is being rectified and so far I’ve watched the first thirty minutes and while it’s talky (James Goldman, who knows from talk) and slow-going I must say I’m liking it. I’ll have more to say after I finish it. After that, it was more listening, answering e-mails, and relaxing.
Today, the workers will be back (it was decided that some extra work would be done, and they probably won’t finish until tomorrow, but boy does everything look great), so I’ll be up early. I’ll do a jog, then eat (my lunch meeting was canceled, so I’ll just do something fun). Then I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, then I’m meeting Jason Graae at the Catalina Bar and Grill to see if the venue will work for filming his show. Lots of variables, lots of questions to be asked. After that, I’ll come home and then I’m attending the opening night of Night Hawks, which is co-directed by our very own Barry Pearl.
Tomorrow, I’ll start to pack, and then I’m seeing Shelly Markham at The Gardenia – I’ll be eating there, too. Saturday I do nothing but finish packing and relaxing and going to bed early. Hopefully the scheduling the notes thing will work as it should, in fact I’ll do another test tonight just to make certain. Then Sunday morning I’ll be winging my way to Washington DC for a very short trip to work with the East Coast Singer and to also see her in a production of Company. The helper will be staying at the house, and we’ll also be shipping out CDs on Monday, and probably announcing our new title, unless I just decide to wait until I return. We shall see.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, eat, meet Jason Graae, and attend an opening night. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films about real-life historical events? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall hopefully lose more weight so I can be as skinny as the Skinny Cows.