Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to music and thinking of a number between one and ten. I thought that would make for a fun game and it is. I recommend to everyone thinking of a number between one and ten. Once you’ve thought of the number between one and ten I have no clew what the HELL we do with that information. You might ask someone to guess the number and see if they’re right. Of course, I have no one here to ask other than mine own reflection, but I’m social distancing six feet from the mirror so mine own reflection is a little miffed at me right now. Interestingly, when I typed “six feet” it came out as “sex feet.” I’ll let you draw your own conclusions. Have you ever drawn a conclusion? Was it a sketch or a painting? I tried drawing a conclusion once but it kind of looked like a large cake that was left out in the rain. In any case, the number I’ve thought of is ten. How many of you guessed it correctly? The winner, of course, gets a kewpie doll. Does anyone still make a kewpie doll? I don’t even know what the HELL a kewpie doll is. Well, now I do. Here is a kewpie doll. WARNING: This kewpie doll is completely naked.
I don’t know about you, dear readers, but that thing will probably give me nightmares this evening. I think they used to give these out as prizes at amusement parks of old – give that girl a kewpie doll. Am I right? I do believe I have quite lost my sanity.
Yesterday was another day, that much I can tell you. For some reason, I thought it was Friday for most of the day, so was surprised that a package I was expecting on Saturday arrived on Friday, until I realized it WAS Saturday. Where was I? Oh yes, yesterday. I got nine hours of sleep, got up, did stuff on the computer, went and picked up the package, came home, and had the first two helpings of tuna pasta salad, which were extremely excellent, which was good after the debacle with the weird pasta last week, where I had to throw out the entire batch. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I tried to watch a motion picture on DVD called Track of the Cat, but I really kind of hate the movie so I shut it off. I always think I’m going to finally like it, but I think the writing is on the wall, Track of the Cat-wise. Then I tried to watch the thriller W again, starring Twiggy. I shut that one off, too – I always think I’m going to finally like it, but I think the writing is on the wall. Give that boy a kewpie doll.
Then I watched Beyond the Fringe, the taping of the final performance after the Fringe boys had been playing the show on Broadway. I loved Beyond the Fringe when I saw the national tour at the Huntington Hartford, and that cast was excellent and chosen because they were very close to the original boys. Alan Bennett’s role was played by William Christopher, who would, of course, go on to be in MASH. Some of the material was quite different when they played this encore performance, the tape source is really pretty bad, and it’s not well directed for the camera, but boy did I laugh. Some of it is quite un-PC for today, but I am never bothered by that stuff because I, being an adult with a functioning brain, understand context and the period in which something occurred. Some of the sketches are pure gold – the Bollard TV commercial, the one-legged Tarzan bit, but most especially the Shakespeare parody, which remains beyond brilliant. I enjoyed myself thoroughly.
Then I watched Targets, which I haven’t seen since I got the DVD back in 2003. I really like a lot but not all of it. Peter Bogdanovich, whose first film it was, is insufferable playing one of the lead roles – he almost sinks his own film and his performance is never less than an embarrassment. On the other hand, his handling of the big scenes is excellent considering it was his first film. While he gets the screenplay credit, he readily admits that most of what’s good about it came from writer/director Sam Fuller, who refused to take any credit for it. Tim O’Kelly is very good and why he didn’t go anywhere is really odd. He was good looking and personable. In fact, in the pilot of Hawaii 5-0 he was Danno, but preview audiences thought he looked too young for the role (I’m not sure I believe that story) and he was replaced by James MacArthur. He only did one film after this, the flop The Grasshopper. And then he disappeared. He died young at forty-eight. Weird. But it’s Boris Karloff who comes off best. It’s a cheap-looking film (the budget was $125,000), but it mostly works fine. It’s a shame Paramount cares so little for its catalog that they can’t be bothered to do a Blu-ray.
Then I had more tuna pasta salad, finishing half the batch so that half is left for today’s excitement and adventure, which I’m sure will be as those thrilling days of yesteryear. I listened to some music, and then it was time to write these here notes.
Today, I’ll arise when I arise, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll take a drive in the motor car, I’ll eat, and I suppose I’ll watch stuff. Why, I may even take a little walk, weather permitting (yesterday it was chilly out).
Tomorrow is more of the same and I’m hoping the test book will be here sooner than later so I can place my order and get them in so we can ship them to one and all and all and one. Otherwise, I’m hoping the week bring some miracles and good news – that sure would be appreciated by the likes of me.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, arise when I arise, do whatever needs doing, take a drive, eat, watch, maybe take a walk, and listen. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall undoubtedly dream of those scary little naked kewpie dolls.