Well, dear readers, TGIF because frankly TGIT sucked big time. Yesterday was just one of those damn days, where irritating things just kept coming in this direction. I do not like irritating things because they irritate me. In other words, when I get irritated, I’m irritated. I call it The Irritation Game. First of all, I’m real damn tired of thinking I’m getting sick or feeling like I’m getting sick and sucking down all these stupid things when the reality is I’m probably not getting sick, other than in my sick little cranium. Then what happens yesterday happens – I’m so knocked out that I sleep for almost eleven hours. As nice as that sounds, I do not like it – I’m too groggy, too much of the day is gone, and I just don’t want to do that anymore.
Once I got up, I had to have a telephonic conversation. Then I saw that the usual film company horse manure was happening outside and, of course, they’d already taken all the parking spaces that they were not supposed to take. I knew I wasn’t going to have to be out and about much, so I didn’t do my usual thing and let them get away with it. After doing some writing and answering some e-mails I went and had some chicken tenders, then came right back home. I did some work at the piano and a bit more writing, then the piano tuner came and tuned the piano, which really needed tuning, so it’s a good thing the piano tuner came to tune the piano. Then it was time for our second Kritzerland rehearsal.
The only new person at rehearsal was Sharon McNight – she’s doing two Christmas specialty numbers – they’re very funny, and then she’s doing a Janis Ian song of recent vintage. That’s also very good. The rest of the rehearsal went well and we should be in good shape for the stumble-through. But that whole part of the evening began The Irritation Game. It mostly has to do with our February Kritzerland all-kids show falling on the first Sunday, which is also Super Bowl Sunday. Well, as most of you know, I hate and loathe football with every ounce of my being, so I don’t really care. And frankly, I don’t think our audience cares either. Who seemingly cares are the parents of the kids – that seems to be their special family day. So, I’m scrambling to find alternatives and there just aren’t many. Michael Sterling is trying to move something around in January and if he succeeds that will solve the kid show problem. IF that happens, then the only other thing to do is take February off and come back in March and get back on our usual schedule. So, I was dealing with that a lot. AND, also equally irritating was getting an e-mail blast from Applause Books – guess what their latest release is? My mouth literally just fell on the floor when I saw it. As you know, almost four years ago I was asked to find a comic monologue for a thirteen-year-old girl and I couldn’t – there were NONE. So, I wrote one for her, and that became the impetus for what would, of course, become Welcome to My World. I’ve been talking about this in these here notes for two years now, and telling the story of how there were no comic monologues for teens. Over and over again. Well, we all know, even though people think I just say it, that we have prying eyes here – and the new Applause release? Comic monologues (that are REALLY funny – that’s what the cover says) for teen girls and another for teen boys. Apparently, from what I can tell, they got TV writers and others to write monologues, because, we all know there aren’t any in plays. Do I think this is a coincidence? No. No. And no. Do I think they read about it here or on Facebook or wherever else I talked about it? Yes. Yes. And yes. It doesn’t really impact me one way or the other, but it does get tiresome after a while to come up with stuff and just see others ripping it off – obviously that’s happened several times with the Kritzerland shows, and it doesn’t stop there, as you know. That is the danger of these here notes and my talking about stuff. End of rant.
After rehearsal, I watched three more episodes of Bosch. I’m enjoying it, but it’s far from great, and it’s funny to me to have all these LA transplant writers talking about Dan Tana’s and stuff like they were natives. I wonder if they’ve even been there. I’ve only read a couple of Michael Connelly books and I didn’t love them, frankly. I found them overwritten and I found the actual mysteries bland and kind of easy to figure out. But I haven’t actually read any of the Harry Bosch books. Some of the acting is very good, and, as with most of these cable series, some isn’t. I’ll finish up season one for sure. I got a screener of a movie called Brooklyn and today another screener will arrive. I also got a SAG screener for something called American Crime. It stars Timothy Hutton, who I like, so I may give it a go at some point.
Today, one can only hope for a less irritating day. We’re announcing our new release, which will actually go up when the notes get posted so we don’t have to get up at six in the damn morning. It’s a wonderful release – both scores have been on CD before, but the first has been out of print for a decade and sold out in a day, and the second has been MIA for three years or so. The first score is The Pick-up Artist, a gorgeous and wonderful score – and the companion score is to the 1965 film Rapture, which Twilight Time resurrected on Blu and Ray several years ago – it, too, is a haunting and beautiful score – both are by the French composer Georges Delerue. Here’s the front cover and the back of booklet cover.
Today, I’ll write, eat, hopefully pick up packages, and really need the strongest most excellent vibes and xylophones for the miracle, part three, and for all this show stuff to get settled in a way that will make everyone happy and work for us. So, send ‘em and keep sending ‘em. Strong. Positive. Do it. Do it now. Do it often. After all that, I’ll just relax.
Tomorrow, I’m attending a Christmas partay at the home of our very own Doug Haverty, and that’s always a fun time. Sunday we have our stumble-through at three, then I’m being taken out for an early birthday dinner by the Staitman clan. Next week is busy, and we have the Kritzerland show on Wednesday night and I, of course, will be a year older at that time.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, eat, hopefully pick up packages, hopefully get a miracle or two, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday (TGIF) – what is currently in your CD player, and your DVD/Blu and Ray player? I’ll start – CD, A Royal Affair and The Best Offer. DVD, more Bosch and then some screeners. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I shall hopefully be done with The Irritation Game.