Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish after a day filled with entering fixes and then discussing more fixes, many of which I also entered. I also went through proofer two’s suggestions, did a few already and will run the rest by Muse Margaret tonight. Of course, I didn’t get up until noon, after nine hours of sleep. At some point around three I went to Islands and had a bacon cheeseburger and a few fries. I don’t really have much else to report as I was at the computer for most of the day and evening.
Oh, I did watch a bad thriller from the UK called Welcome to the Punch – strictly by the numbers, every plot point easy to call within the first five minutes of the film, and action sequences that were quite preposterous, and a hero who whines all the time and never much acts like a hero. Add to that that I could not understand much of what anyone was saying, a combo platter of accents and mumbling, and there you have Welcome to the Punch – visually very much in the Ridley Scott mold, and I do mean mold.
I also listened to quite a bit of music, so that was fun catching up on stuff that’s just been sitting here like so much fish. First up was an album of Frank Bridge music, a Brit composer whose music has never really “gotten” to me. I just don’t find him as good as my favorite Brit composers, although his music is certainly fine. One piece on this Chandos CD is really lovely, called Valse Intermezzo for Strings. But like Percy Grainger, I’m just kind of meh about Mr. Bridge. Then came a combo platter of two Pete Rugolo TV soundtrack LPs on one CD – Thriller and Richard Diamond. Thriller is definitely a vinyl transfer – there is a good bit of distortion that is clearly groove-oriented. I’ve always enjoyed the music from Thriller, but Rugolo didn’t write the series’ best scores – those are all Jerry Goldsmith. Richard Diamond is fun and jazzy and sounds a bit better. Then we had another two-fer – a jazz version of the Wright and Forrest show Kean by the Riverside Jazz All-Stars. It’s really fun and sounds very good. The companion piece is a movie theme album with jazz pianist Junior Mance and his band. Some truly outré arrangements – Maria from West Side Story as wacky as you’ve ever heard it. But I do love these jazz cover albums.
The final CD was the best – this one a three-fer on two CDs – Oscar Peterson’s jazz cover albums of My Fair Lady, Porgy and Bess, and Fiorello. Peterson is fantastic and each of these albums are marvelous. This CD on Fresh Sounds is highly recommended by the likes of me. If this CD contained nothing but Peterson’s stunning I Loves You, Porgy, it would still be worth it.
The reason I ended up at Island’s, if you must know, is because I went to Ralph’s at 2:50 and every parking space in their huge inside parking structure was taken. Who needs that? Not me. Otherwise, I did relax a bit and took a hot shower. Oh, and I also watched the David Letterman interview with George Clooney. It was okay.
Today, merde will have to be dealt with and it’s reached epic proportions. Otherwise, I’ll get proofer three’s hard copy and enter what I can from that and flag whatever I have to run by Muse Margaret. I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and then I’ll have the Muse Margaret conversation. Then I have a six-thirty dinner meeting at a very good Eyetalian restaurant that serves very good Eyetalian food.
Tomorrow I’ll get everyone their music, which means they’ll have an entire month with it. I’m hoping to get the final version of the book to Grant by Wednesday and I’m hoping he’ll take just a minor break to design it and get it ready for my final proofing. It really only takes him about two to three hours to do that. Otherwise it’s meetings and meals and then seeing a show this weekend if I haven’t thrown myself in front of a fast-moving vehicle by then.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, deal with merde, enter fixes, hopefully pick up packages, run stuff by Muse Margaret and then enter those fixes, have a dinner meeting, and then finish entering fixes. Today’s topic of discussion: What are the most memorable late-night show interviews or moments you remember? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after a long day of being the fixer.