Well, dear readers, this week has flown by, like a gazelle wearing hush puppies. Does anyone still wear hush puppies? I had some when I was a kid. Well, let’s just see, shall we? Holy moley on rye, they still make the damn things. You can get Hush Puppies slippers anywhere at any time, day or night, at stores or online. There’s even a Hush Puppies website. Who knew? I think I’ll buy myself a pair of Hush Puppies and relive my long-ago youth. Actually, I don’t think I ever STOPPED living my long-ago youth. For someone of my age, I am really quite a youthful spirit, don’t you think? I can still dance the Prologue of West Side Story, I can still do Ya Got Trouble and The Maladjusted Jester by heart, I can still be quick-witted and occasionally amusing. In fact, the only time my age comes to mind is when I have to get out of bed in the morning, but that’s another story. What the HELL am I talking about? Hush Puppies, I believe it was. I remember them being comfy and warm, not necessarily in that order. I can’t remember if the actually looked like a puppy but I think they did. Did they? Perhaps someone can pipe up whether they had dog-looking Hush Puppies.
Yesterday was a day of two meetings. The first meeting was in the morning and went very well – just Dave Strohmaier and myself discussing the commentary track, and he showed me some of the extras that will be on the Blu and Ray, and he gave me some material to read through. After that, I went and picked up a few packages, then I went directly to meeting two – a lunch meeting at my home away from home, Jerry’s Deli. I had a cup of soup (excellent) and a pastrami sandwich (rancid). The meeting, which was about a potential project for next year, went very well. Just before we left, in walked Mr. Jon Voight – first time I’ve seen him there, but from what I understand, he does come in from time to time.
After that, I finally came home, answered e-mails, made telephonic calls, switched up one song for the Kritzerland show, was told we are not only sold out but have a waiting list of thirty-six – I do think we’ll have to add a matinee performance if the cast is up for it. We had to do that last year and we did fill it up. But the reality is, I don’t really like to do two shows in one day – it’s really exhausting for me with all the yakking I do in the show. But turning away thirty-six people is not good, and in that thirty-six are Evan Harris’s family of ten who will be coming in from out of town. So, we’ll see how it feels to the cast and I do have to let the club know today. I did a mile-and-a-half jog. After all that, I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Falling in Love, starring Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro. I’d never seen it before and never had any real desire to ever see it. But I finally watched it and was very pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it was. Meryl Streep is luminous in this film – I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look more beautiful – the camerawork on this film is gorgeous, shot by Peter Suschitsky. De Niro is very down to earth and I just love a good Brief Encounter kind of story, which this is. The film was made in 1984, didn’t really get wonderful reviews, and did okay at the box-office. The supporting cast is very good, but it’s the two stars who make the film what it is – I’m assuming that it may play better now than it did back then, as so many films do. There’s also a wonderful score by Dave Grusin. The DVD transfer upscales very nicely.
Then I listened to some music and that was that.
Today, I have some garage organizing to do – mostly organizing all the show books from the Kritzerland shows – it’s all just out there and getting deeper and deeper and I have to have these books properly archived for the New York shows. In fact, two of the books have to go to our New York musical director in the next week or so. Then I have a run-through of Juliana’s show, hopefully I’ll pick up some packages, and then I’ll eat, and then I’ll relax.
Not sure what all is happening tomorrow, although I may see if I can get into see Teddy for a haircut. I am very unkempt right now. Sunday I’m seeing Dan Callaway’s cabaret show, and next week I have liner notes to write, am hoping we’ll have any And the World Goes Round comments back so we can get that album to mastering, and we may or may not announce a title on Monday.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, organize, rehearse, hopefully pick up some packages, eat, perhaps jog and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start – CD, more Ormandy/Shostakovich. Blu and Ray, a performance of the Mahler Sixth and a bunch of motion pictures. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall contemplate my first pair of Hush Puppies in, oh, fifty-five years or so.