Well, dear readers, why don’t I just write these here notes a little earlier than usual so I can get them posted at midnight so I can actually climb into bed before two. Wouldn’t that be a novel idea? And speaking of a novel idea, I do believe it is time for me to settle on what I want to write starting on January 1. This is the time I usually ponder, so I’m pondering the imponderables and I’m hoping something interesting comes into my head, whether it be another in the Adriana Hofstetter series or something completely new, or maybe even something non-fiction. The world, as the pundits say, is my oyster, or erster. At this particular moment in time I happen to be listening to Elmer Bernstein’s score to the motion picture entitled The Miracle, and speaking of miracles, let’s throw a few in this direction why don’t we?
Yesterday was actually not a bad day at all. In fact it was rather pleasantly pleasant in a pleasantly pleasant sort of way. I only got six hours of sleep and then I got up and had an interesting message about our potential guest star for the next Kritzerland. We’d asked someone a few days ago – and depending on the answer we got we’d either have a guest star or not. Today it looked like that answer would be yes, and it may well be, but it’s not quite in cement yet, but hopefully this morning it will be, and if it is a go I’d say a lot of folks who might not have reserved will do so rather quickly. So, send some strong excellent vibes and xylophones for our guest star to give us a definitive yes.
Then I had a craving for the Smoke House so I moseyed on over there and lunched with Doug Haverty. I learned several things lunching at the Smoke House: a) I don’t ever need to order a BOWL of clam chowder again. A cup is perfect. A bowl is too much and after you’ve had a cup’s worth it just gets boring. b) Always be sure to ask for a side Caesar Salad, otherwise they bring you a humungous Caesar salad. Had I known these two things I would not have filled up so much on the soup and I would have been able to finish my side salad, which I could not do with the humungous version – I left a good deal of it, as good as it was. Not being aware of those two things I also ordered a shrimp cocktail (all this should have been very low calorie), and I couldn’t finish that either. c) whoever the lunch chef is should actually learn how to make the garlic cheese bread – we had a half order, of which I only ate two tiny slices because it was nowhere near as good as it is in the evening. Still, it satisfied my craving (and then some) and we had a nice time.
Then I picked up one nothing of a package and came home. I made a tentative show order that doesn’t seem quite right to me yet, so I’ll see how I feel when I look at it this morning. It’s not bad or anything, but the final third has too many ballads, but then I knew this would be a ballad heavy show anyway – so it may well be okay. Then I did the shorter jog, then I went on a cleaning out drawers rampage, throwing out a ton and a half of crap – papers, old bank statements, business cards from twenty years ago – two trash bags o’ stuff. My drawers are now roomy and clean. That was fun. I had a fun telephonic conversation with both Elizabeth and Richard Sherman, who both love the cover of our new CD – we made a few changes and it’s really quite splendidly splendid. Then I got the good news that I got the two main singers I wanted for the three Sherman Brothers songs we need to put vocals on. The two duets will be done by our very own Robert Yacko and the wonderful Lisa Livesay. Now I need to put together a six-person ensemble for the one group number – Sami is one of them, so two more women and three men.
I also found some interesting photos I hadn’t seen in ages. So, let’s have show and tell, shall we? First, the oldest photo here, from around 1979 or thereabouts – me and the darling daughter on our living room couch – I will probably never be the weight I was in this photograph again – 137. If I weighed that these days I’d look quite bad I should think.
The next photograph is from about three or four years later. I was at the park with the darling daughter and the Muse’s darling daughter and they snapped this here photograph of me. This was right after the darling daughter had put Sun-In in my hair, sprayed it on good, so as someone said back then when they saw me: “Surf’s up!”
Then we have this cute photograph of my very own self and the wonderful Liz Callaway – don’t know which session this was, other than it wasn’t the very first.
Next we have an actual photograph from the Merrily We Roll Along session. I’m over there on the right looking like a goofball. Seated in the comfy chair is my close personal friend, Mr. Stephen Sondheim, and over there on the extreme left is orchestrator Jonathan Tunick.
Finally, this wonderful shot taken during the recording session for Twiggy’s London Pride album – the first time these two crazy kids had seen each other since their tumultuous turn in My One and Only. It was a happy reunion for Tommy and Twiggs.
After all that, I listened to music and tried to relax a bit.
Today, I shall write more liner notes, I shall begin the commentary for the Kritzerland show, I hope to have good news about a guest star, I’ll eat, I’ll jog, I’ll hopefully pick up packages, and at some point I suppose I’ll relax.
Tomorrow I’m supping and seeing a nightclub act. Sunday at midnight we’ll announce the new Unsung Sherman Brothers CD and then next week is our Kritzerland rehearsal week.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, hopefully have good news about a guest star, eat, jog, hopefully pick up packages, and 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, the new Sherman Brothers stuff, plus The Miracle. Blu and Ray, still watching The Horrible Dr. Hichcock. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping to soon come up with a novel idea for a new book. I’m getting antsy to write something.