Well, dear readers, I have never been one for fashion, never been hip with clothing but I do know what I’m comfortable in. That said, when I occasionally look back at the clothing I wore in days of old it’s mostly timeless, save for the big ol’ bell bottom jeans, which was all they made during that craze. But beginning in the late 70s, an actor I worked with moonlit working at Rick Pallack clothing here in the Valley and he convinced me to come in and that he’d personally take care of me. And so I went and so he did. It was the one period in my life where I always looked good. What brought it to mind was seeing the photograph I posted yesterday of the darling daughter and myself – those perfectly fitted slacks, that great sweater and the shirt underneath, the way it all hung on me – that’s what great clothing should be about. Over the last decade, with my weight going up and down, I haven’t wanted to ever invest in nice clothes, but I am so determined to get down to at least a 33 waist again (I’m getting closer to 34 now, but it’s very slow going) if not a 32 (back in 2007 that’s exactly where I was and it felt so good to me).
When I look at me in sweaters now or pants now I just look like an idiot. I have no idea how clothes go anymore. And I have had to have looser stuff because I was at an all-time high. Now that I’ve dropped the first twenty-five pounds or thereabouts, if I can just go the distance and do twenty more I’ll be ready to shop for nice clothing again – and I will absolutely mosey on over to Rick Pallack, which is still in Sherman Oaks. They’re not a conventional store – you have to make an appointment to get in, but I just know that they’ll have clothes that fit me perfectly, they’ll have the right sweaters and sport coats and perhaps, at long last, even a nice suit. You can’t find that stuff at the Gap or Jos Bank, you just can’t. I would like 2017 to be the year that my weight is back the way I like it, my waist size is a definite and comfortable 32 and I would like to look nice instead of like a schlemiel.
Yesterday was quite a nice little day. I got seven-and-a-half hours of sleep, got up, did the morning stuff, cast almost all the group for the one group vocal for the Unsung Sherman Brothers CD, spent a lot of time looking at the packaging and cleaning up a few things, and then had a lovelier than lovely telephonic conversation with Cathy Rigby, who has joined our merry Kritzerland troupe as our guest star. That was great, great news. Then I went and had a chopped Eyetalian salad with the usual addition of ham and avocado, but as sometimes happens there was very little of both – it really depends who the chef is on whatever day – and a bagel. After that, I picked up a few packages, then came home. I did a two-and-a-half mile jog, prepared the eBlast for the new CD, had some telephonic conversations, and then finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Johnny Guitar, starring Miss Joan Crawford and Mr. Sterling Hayden, directed by Nicholas Ray. It is certainly one of the oddest westerns ever made, especially during the Golden Age. And the oddest thing in it is the wild performance of Mercedes McCambridge. Joan Crawford is Joan Crawford to the nth degree and all the other character actors (and there are many) are terrific, as is the score by Victor Young. This is a new 4K scan of heaven knows what, but it does look better than the previous Blu-ray release, which was also full frame – here, at last, we get the film in its proper ratio. The color (Trucolor) is probably as good as it ever was, but there are moments that are very soft (non-opticals) and also moments where the detail is perfectly good. This film is what the moniker cult film is all about.
After that, I watched a bit of the new 4K scan of High Noon. Again, I don’t believe we’re told what it’s a 4K scan of – original negative, internegative, fine grain – what? I watched about ten minutes of it and it looks pretty good, but I kind of liked the previously released Blu-ray, and frankly it looks a bit sharper than this. I’m not sure it looks as filmic but it is sharper – perhaps that transfer WAS sharpened. I was expecting something miraculous and I don’t think this is that. But I love the film and will finish it up today.
After that, and I can’t really tell you why, I went and did another jog. I’ve done that before, but usually the shorter one, but this time I did another two-and-a-half miles, so a total of five miles yesterday. Because that netted me out at 500 calories or so, I went to Gelson’s and got four ounces of prosciutto and some melon balls, brought that home, and ate it all up – a perfect evening snackarooni. After that, I just relaxed and listened to music.
Today, I have to finish the Kritzerland commentary, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and then I’m supping and seeing a nightclub show. I will, of course, have a full report for you.
Tomorrow I’ll write some liner notes but mostly I need a ME day. So, I’ll write, eat, and relax. Monday is our first Kritzerland rehearsal, then I have meetings and meals, then we have our second Kritzerland rehearsal, then on Saturday it’s our stumble-through and on Sunday it’s sound check and then show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, finish the Kritzerland commentary, hopefully pick up packages, sup, and see a nightclub show. Today’s topic of discussion: Clothing. The good, the bad, and the ugly. How do you buy clothes? Do you have help? Do you care? Do you have a sense of what you wear well? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping that I can begin buying nice clothes for me once I have attained my ideal waist and weight because I, BK, must begin to have a passion for fashion.