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September 28, 2019:

NOTES BACKWARDS

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, knowing I must write these here notes in a hurry for she of the Evil Eye will be here all too soon and I must get to bed at a reasonable hour.  I am, of course, listening to music, as is both my wont and my want.  So, let me begin at the finish, go backwards, and then end up back at the finish, just for the halibut.

So, to start at the finish, after our table reading, I stopped at the local Rite Aid and got some sweets, just to have some in the house, after which I came home.  Prior to that we had our table reading.  Let me start by saying the same thing I said to our company of players – I hate table readings.  This one was a necessity, however, and it’s far enough in advance of rehearsals that I knew everyone would forget about it by the time we actually begin.  We had a few of our company missing, but had replacements for them for the reading, but all our outside cast was there, including Barry Pearl and Kay Cole.  The first thing that was very obvious is just how funny the play is.  The dialogue is absolutely brilliant comedic writing.  And the plotting is wonderful.  I’ve heard tell that people today find the play dated.  Frankly, I find people today dated.  And stupid.  There’s nothing dated about the play, other than it takes place in the year 1939.  It still plays brilliantly and while, yes, some of the name references will go over people’s heads, the references are wonderful even if you don’t know who they are.  To that end, however, I think we’ll do a little section in the program explaining briefly who those people were, plus what some other references refer to.  I also have what I think is a very clever way to set the scene, do our opening announcement, and establish the period all in one.  The first act is REALLY long if it’s not played at a really brisk pace, which I can assure you it will be.

The second act is also very long, but the third act is super short – less than thirty minutes.  So, I know have a goal – 45 minutes for act one, 40 for act two, and 25 for act three.  That means with two intermissions we’d come in at around two hours and ten minutes, and if I can get that down to two hours and five minutes, I’d be ever so happy.  It’s good to have that goal.  So, that was that.

Prior to the table reading, Barry and his ever-lovin’ Cindy had called to ask if I’d meet them at Dino’s Pizza before and any invitation at any time to Dino’s is an automatic yes from the likes of me.  So, I showered quickly, and then headed over there.  I took my usual route on a street I shan’t name because every time I name such things, somehow my secret routes become suddenly popular with the populace.  I zoomed all the way to Coldwater Canyon, but as I approached the red light there, I could see that a half-block away there were flashing red lights, fire trucks and that both sides of the street were blocked and the cars that thought they’d get through were just sitting there like so much fish.  So, I turned right on Coldwater, went down to Magnolia, took that to Laurel Canyon, turned left, and got back to my usual route.  I got to Dino’s and they weren’t there yet, so I ordered and sat down.

I called Barry, who was just calling me, and they’d had the same exact thing happen, almost in the same location but two major streets north of where I’d had the problem.  The same exact thing.  Anyway, they got there ten minutes later, and five minutes later our pizza arrived.  It was faboo, and I was a very good boy and ate only three of their smallish slices.  We had fun catching up, and then I took my leave and moseyed on over to the theater.

Prior to that, I woke up at eleven after seven hours of sleep, but I just stayed in bed, fell asleep soon thereafter and slept until one, for nine hours of sleep.  Then I got up, answered e-mails, did some work at the piano, did some work on the computer, went and picked up a couple of packages, then relaxed until the call from Barry about Dino’s.

Which brings us right back here to the finish.  That was refreshing, wasn’t it, our backwards notes?  I enjoyed it.

Today shall not go backwards.  Today, I’ll be up at eight-thirty, and then she of the Evil Eye will be here and I’ll go have a light breakfast, hopefully pick up some packages and mail, then return.  Jesus is coming to finish what he began last week, which is to paint the little sections that had peeled.  Otherwise, I’m just relaxing and perhaps watching a motion picture.

Tomorrow, I’m not doing much of anything.  Then next week is very busy, going and doing, doing and going, meetings and meals, writing, and doing whatever needs doing.

Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the polka, for today is the birthday of our very own dear reader JohnG.  So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own dear reader JohnG.  On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN DEAR READER JOHNG!!!

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up early, have a light breakfast, hopefully pick up packages, have some touch up painting done, and then relax.  Today’s topic of discussion: When you were growing up, what instrument was the most intriguing to you, either in terms of wanting to learn how to play, or just hear?  Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, having enjoyed doing backwards notes.

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