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February 15, 2014:

THIRTEEN

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I had a rather nice Valentine’s Day even though I don’t really have a Valentine.  Well, the world is my Valentine, so there’s that.  My friends are my Valentine’s so there’s that.  I was up early, eight-thirty, interrupted by the alarm from a very intriguing and interesting dream – so interesting that I made a lot of notes about it.  Then I had a nine-thirty breakfast meeting at the awful Twain’s Coffee Shop – I so want to like this jernt but it’s just bad.  But the meeting, which lasted ninety minutes, was a good one, and we’ll see if anything results from it.  I’m kind of hoping so.  After the meeting, I came directly home, where I did some work on the computer, answered some e-mails, had some telephonic conversations and read more of Samantha Geimer’s book, a book I finished later in the evening.

It’s a good book and I’m happy to have read it.  She seems like a strong and focused person and her story is always interestingly told, albeit with some unnecessary repetition in the writing.  But when that repetition involves a corrupt judicial system and a reprehensible media, I say bring it on, and repeat it as much as you like.  They are the real villains of the story.  And I like that Miss Geimer has never thought of herself as a victim, something that really irritates the sickening media.  Reading about her early teen years just before the Polanski incident and after, I did feel the teen girls will be teen girls stuff was a bit much – I know and work with young performers of twelve and thirteen and fourteen – I work with them a lot.  And not a one of them has had a sexual relationship at the age of thirteen, not a one of them has had a “boyfriend”, not a one of them has smoked pot.  I understand it was a different time back then, and in certain ways it’s worse now, but thankfully I’m around kids who are still kids – in a good way – and who have parents who guide them strongly, because, for me, I find the idea of thirteen-year-olds being sexual completely nauseating.  But that’s probably just me being an old fogey, even though I was no different when I WAS thirteen.  Fifteen was a slightly different story, but not much, and sixteen was a VERY different story, but thirteen?  In any case, if you like these sorts of books, this one comes recommended by the likes of me.

I never did get to the UPS store to see if there were any packages.  Instead, I took the relaxing day I needed, which began with sitting on my couch like so much fish.

Yesterday, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Michael Cimino’s first film as a director, starring Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, and a compendium of good character actors from the era.  The film itself is classic 1970s – no mistaking that – and quite odd.  The first half just ambles along with no sense of pace or incident, then the second half moves along a little more quickly and we have a heist.  In the end, there’s some irony and then it ends.  The good news is that the transfer is great – I don’t see how it could look any better – perfect color, perfect contrast, sharp and beautiful-looking.

I then watched a second motion picture entitled The Front.  I’ve seen the film a few times and I really like it and enjoy it every time.  It’s a film about one of the most shameful periods in United States history, the blacklist.  Walter Bernstein’s script is terrific (he was a blacklisted writer), Martin Ritt’s direction is simple and perfect (he was a blacklisted director), and Zero Mostel gives a heartbreaking performance as a blacklisted actor (he was a blacklisted actor).  Our very own Andrea Marcovicci is wonderful, and Woody Allen is Woody Allen, which isn’t always so good for the film, but in the end it works fine.  There are a lot of good character actors on hand, and a brief but effective score from Dave Grusin.  Like Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, the Blu-ray is from Twilight Time, and the transfer is up to Sony’s usual high standards – it looks and sounds terrific.

Then I got a call from Brennley Brown’s mom asking if I’d join them for a Valentine’s Dinner, which I was happy to.  I’d had bacon and eggs for breakfast, and so I just had my meatless Cobb salad with 1000-Island dressing, and a cup of chili for dessert.  We had a lot of fun and it was a nice divertissement.  I then came home and finished the book.

Today, I shall finally do a jog of some sort, I shall hopefully pick up some packages, write, watch a motion picture, and then attend our show, after which we’re going to Ruth’s Chris again – cannot wait.

Tomorrow, I judge the finals of the singing contest at The Federal, which will take a good portion of the day – after that, relaxation.  Monday is a holiday and other than a little short working visit with young Hadley Miller and her dad, the day is mine all mine.  The rest of the week is writing, meetings and meals, hopefully entering whatever fixes come from my two other proofers, and hopefully seeing the preliminary cover art ideas.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, hopefully pick up some packages, write, view, attend a show and eat a steak.  Today’s topic of discussion: What are the best biographies and autobiographies you’ve read?  Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have been a down-to-earth thirteen-year-old – well, down-to-earth in certain ways anyway.

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