Well, dear readers, for the third time in three months they are tearing down another wonderful house near me. First it was the Annette Funicello house directly across the street from me. Then a block to the east on the southeast corner, another charming house bit the dust, and now the house directly in back of mine on the northwest corner is gone. I know this because my house began to shake at seven-thirty in the morning and the noise was so loud as to beggar belief. And this was going on in the pouring rain because nothing stops these evil developers, who come in and overpay for houses that never even go on the market, only to tear them down and decimate what was one of the most charming neighborhoods ever, populating it with one monstrosity after another. These are then bought by rich movie and TV people, or lawyers or doctors, who pay up to two million dollars so they can have their entitled children go to Carpenter school. Once their children complete Carpenter, these people immediately move out of the neighborhood. It’s truly disgusting. They continued working in the pouring rain until the rain stopped about five hours later. I gotta tell you. And speaking of the rain, as you probably know we’ve had the worst drought in history. The rain finally comes and within an hour every street is flooded (this despite continually ripping up the streets year after year on the pretext that they’re fixing the drainage problems), and people are driving like utter maniacs. And five hours later, the sun is out.
Naturally there was no sleeping, so I got up after only six hours of sleep. Once I was coherent, I began futzing and finessing the previous day’s writing – the usual stuff of adding and cutting and smoothing. Once I finished that, I moseyed on over to the SAG pension office in Burbank. There I was helped to fill out the paperwork I was unsure of, but still they need a birth certificate as proof of age. I said isn’t looking at me enough proof of age. I was more than surprised that a valid California Driver’s license isn’t considered proof of age. So, I came home and went online to one of those online places that gets you your birth certificate and I ordered it. I had to go get one form notarized, which I did, and then I uploaded that, so it should be about twelve days until I have it. Then I wrote a couple of new pages, then I went and had a bacon and cheese omelet, a few fries, and a bagel, after which I came home.
Once home I wrote another seven pages, then needed a little break. I made a show order, had several telephonic conversations, and then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I watched a SAG screener entitled Room, one of about twenty one-word titles this year. I quite enjoyed it – it’s a compelling story with superb performances by Brie Larson and a young five-year-old boy, along with brief turns by Joan Allen and William Macy. My only real complaint is my usual one – the music. It simply does not function as a film score should. It’s just “there” and serves no real dramatic purpose, although I’m sure they think it does. One can only imagine what a Goldsmith or a Williams or an Elmer Bernstein would have done with this story. Anyway, I liked it quite a bit and would recommend it. I have to say that this is a VERY strong year for the Best Actress category.
I then buckled down, Winsocki and wrote about seven more pages, for a total of sixteen. I’m sure there’ll be a lot to futz and finesse, but I was happy to have done that many. Then I wrote the beginning of the commentary and got three songs done.
Today, I shall be writing for most of the day. I’m going to make six to eight ounces of Wacky Noodles, which will be about a thousand calories and all I’ll eat for the day. I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll relax, I’ll write more commentary, and hopefully finish at least ten pages of the book.
The rest of the week is more of the same – writing, commentary, writing, and needing a couple of HUGE miracles, so send your strongest most excellent vibes and xylophones, please.
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, write commentary, relax, and write. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping that the noise from the tearing down of this neighborhood won’t be too terrible.