Well, dear readers, I must admit to you here and now as well as now and here that it was completely peculiar to actually have a day off, a real day off, in which I did almost nothing – no work at all – and just a few little things that needed doing. I got about eight hours of sleep and could have slept twelve but I wanted to get the errands and whatnot out of the way so that the rest of the day was mine all mine. To that end, I answered e-mails, then did some banking, then had a patty melt and a side Caesar salad for my meal o’ the day. After that I picked up a couple of packages (more screeners) – they still can’t find the other package that came on Saturday and they told me they think the idiot owner may have inadvertently taken it to the post office with the outgoing mail, something he apparently has done before. So I will either not get it or it will be delivered again, hopefully the latter. I’m pretty certain it’s a screener.
Then I came home, did a few things on the computer, started to respond to e-mails that I let pile up over the last week, Grant came over and took a few of his things out of the garage – there’s still more and once his stuff is out a nice portion will be free and clear in there. Then I ate some leftover birthday cake from the Kritzerland show – it was pretty good, I must say. Then I did something I haven’t done very much of in this new house yet – I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I watched a motion picture on a DVD screener entitled I, Tonya. I had no idea what it was and frankly I was delighted and surprised that it was a film about Tonya Harding. And a highly enjoyable film it is, I’m happy to say. It’s based on a series of interviews the screen writer did with Harding, her ex-husband, the screwy bodyguard, and her mother. It’s very funny at times, always interesting, and the performances are pretty fantastic straight down the line. Margot Robbie as Tonya is terrific (and if the film does well she could get an Oscar nomination), Allison Janney is brilliant and frightening as her horror show of a mother (she makes Joan Crawford look like Donna Reed – and she will get an Oscar nomination whether the film does well or not), and the males are equally good (just not remembering their names). No one comes off looking great but you do kind of end up liking Tonya by the end, and it’s apparent, from this movie at least, that she did get a raw deal from the media (big surprise), and of course the media comes off horribly, as they should. The film is goofy and well directed (not terribly original direction, but fun nonetheless) and I recommend it for sure.
Then I took a little break, had a little packet of Spanish rice for my snack, and then watched another DGA screener, this one entitled Darkest Hour, a picture about Winston Churchill, with Gary Oldman. It’s strictly by the numbers, in terms of screenplay – and the director is the man who made what was for me one of the worst films ever – the recent Anna Karinina. And he’s just as bad here – indulgent, clichéd, all about him, with no sense of drama or pace. But Gary Oldman does very well as Churchill and the film has its moments, but I found it a slog.
After that, I fell asleep on the couch for thirty minutes, then answered more e-mails whilst listening to the Brahms symphonies, and trying to figure out what, if anything, we’re releasing before the end of the year, or at least announcing – I love to have something fun to announce just before Christmas. We’ll see how fast I can pull something together. There certainly are two possibilities but at this time of year things move a bit slowly.
Today, I’ll pay some bills, hopefully pick up some packages, maybe jog, maybe unbox a box or three, eat something light but fun, then Kay Cole is coming by for a little chat, and then I relax again and watch more motion pictures – and I do have to finish casting the January Kritzerland kids show so I can get the songs chosen.
Tomorrow is more of the same – the new helper is coming over to begin sorting through the Indiegogo perks so we can ship some of that out by the end of the week. I tried to get a DMV appointment at any of the reasonably located branches – impossible. I tried every date and every time and nothing. So I grabbed the first available appointment, which was January 2. So, I’m guessing I won’t be driving much between now and then. I’m just not willing to go sit at a branch for five hours to see if I will get taken or not. Friday is, of course, the big birthday, so we’ll see what’s in store. The weekend is free and clear.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, pay bills, hopefully pick up some packages, maybe jog, maybe unbox, eat, have a chat, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What were your favorite books you’ve read this year? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, so happy to have finally had a day all to myself.