Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry because she of the Evil Eye will be here all too soon and I have to be at a ten o’clock rehearsal all too soon and prior to that I have to be at Staples all too soon to pick up two Xerox copies of the new book – one for me to proof, one for a proofer to proof. In other words, I best write these here notes right this very minute.
Yesterday, I only slept about three hours, thanks to eating an apple fritter at one in the morning. I was in bed at two and woke up at three-thirty with extreme nausea, and I was popping Pepcids like nobody’s business. I got back in bed at some point and slept sporadically with some of the weirdest dreams EVER, and then I finally got up just as Muse Margaret called. She’d just finished the book, and other than one line she loved the second half as much as the first half. The funny thing is, when I wrote the line she didn’t like, I thought to myself, “Myself, that line will probably have to go, as it opens up a can of underpants.” So, I cut it and that was that. I then made a lovely PDF, saved it to a thumb drive and moseyed on over to Staples and got that going. The gal who knows what she’s doing was having register problems, so she got someone to come over and help me. I knew he didn’t know what the HELL he was doing, but he tried to act like he did. At some point, a second guy came and watched him do what he was doing. My order was simple – two copies, spiral-bound, double-sided, the end. So, he does his thing and I look at the cost estimate on what he’s doing – $600. I said, “Um, no?” And he said, “That’s what it is.” I said, “Sorry, chum, I just Xeroxed 622 pages this week and last and I know what it costs and even THAT’S too much, frankly. The gal saw what was happening and finally took over. They’d pressed full color for 622 pages. The minute she clicked over to black-and-white the price went down to exactly what I’d paid before. I said I’d pick it up in the morning, as you save some dough when you do that.
Then I went to Jerry’s Deli. I was still nauseous from the damn apple fritter, so I just had a bagel and an omelet and that was fine. Then I put gas in the motor car, stopped and Bed, Bath, and Beyond and got the white trash can bags I like, then came home. Once here, I did some work on the computer and some at the piano and then it was time for our second Kritzerland rehearsal. That went very well. This time I gave lots of little detailed notes for them to work on. But it’s going to be a really fun show, I think.
Once that was through, I hied myself to the theater for our evening rehearsal. Since we had a leading actor missing, I thought it best to let them run their lines, as they really need to be off book very soon. That really was the best use of their time and they saw instantly where they’re solid and where they need to lock in the right words and get the lines they don’t know into their brains.
After that, I came right home. I had one bagel left here, so I ate that, so this, for once, was a reasonable calorie day. Then I did more work at the piano and that was that.
Today, I’ll be up early, but will have shaved and showered before bed. I’ll leave her at nine-fifteen and go pick up the Xeroxed book, then mosey on over to the theater for our run-through. We’ll be upstairs, since they’re building our set on the mainstage. Once that’s done, I’ll stop at the mail place, as I didn’t get there yesterday, and hopefully pick up some packages, then I’ll come back home and then at four we do our stumble-through. I’m not sure there’ll be food after, so I’ll go get something to bring home. Then I’m relaxing and resting my voice, I’ll read over the commentary, and then get everything ready that I need for the show.
Tomorrow, I’ll be up very early, shave and shower, and I’ll be at Vitello’s at ten for our sound check. Then we do our show. After, I may go downstairs if anyone feels like it, and I’ll have a Caesar salad. That will tide me over until I have to go see a club act at The Federal, where I’ll eat something more substantial, I guess. After that, it’s home, James, and then I’m hoping Monday can be a ME day because I really need a ME day. The rest of the week is play rehearsals and one concert rehearsal, then the concert is Friday night and Saturday matinee. Prior to the matinee, I’ll be at a run-through for the play at ten. And then we head into tech weekend, I believe.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up early, have a run-through, hopefully pick up packages, have a stumble-through, eat, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Elmer Bernstein scores and themes? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall hopefully sleep and have pleasant dreams before I have to be up all too soon.