Well, dear readers, one of the most fascinating things about Facebook – yes, another Facebook screed ahead – is how some people think they own it, that it’s theirs, that they control it, and these same people post stuff and then get upset when people respond with an opinion that differs from theirs. I mean, they get UPSET and instantly revert to being twelve and saying things like, “If anyone posts stuff I don’t like I’m blocking and unfriending.” I sometimes wonder if they know what they sound like, these people? It’s like junior high school, the equivalent of “I’m gonna tell.” Then there are those that try to shame posters who disagree with them – this they do by lying, taking things out of context and downright putting words into people’s mouths. It has been especially toxic during the past ten weeks as people spout what they read on the Internet somewhere as if they were “experts” even though the experts agree that there are no experts – everyone is guessing at everything as things evolve and develop, so that what you hear one day is completely different two days later. I read a comment today where someone posted a difference of opinion on some “fact” that wasn’t actually a fact, and the response to it was, “So, you want people to die.” I mean, what is that about? Today, I responded to someone posting about, what else, masks, and I said my usual I don’t wear it outside because I’m claustrophobic, but nor am I anywhere near anyone. And some gal makes the mistake of lecturing me that wearing a mask doesn’t cause claustrophobia. I’m sure you dear readers can imagine my response to THAT. I mean, what a moronic thing to say to someone who actually suffers from claustrophobia by one who does not suffer from it. So, add to that the endless political diatribes, and this new “Karen” thing, which makes me want to become a serial killer, and the habit of sharing long screeds as if the sharer had written them – until, that is, you get to “copy and paste” at the end. And the endless sharing of old stories as if they were new. Social media can be nice – reconnecting with old friends, promoting stuff, but there is nothing else that’s nice about it. In fact, I think it has turned many people into loudmouth, insufferable little twits. I has spoken. End of endless Facebook screen number fifty-eight.
Yesterday was kind on an annoying day in certain ways and okay in others. I only got seven-and-a-half hours of sleep, then had a knock at the door – singer Daniel Bellusci picking up a prop for the Kritzerland show. Then I did the usual answering e-mails and work on the computer, then decided to finally do Barone’s for food. I ordered a medium pepperoni pizza. Twenty-five minutes later I picked it up, hurried home and began eating and boy was it good, a real pick-me-up. Now, the medium is ten slices, but each slice is about half of a regular slice of pizza, due to the pizza being a small square. They’re like little squares of pizza, maybe two to three bites and that’s it. I ended up finishing it but over the course of the afternoon and evening, and I suspect it was basically like eating four to five normal slices.
After that, I did more work on the computer, and then finally sat on my couch like so much fish, after having a few Kritzerland show discussions, an interesting phone call that I can’t really talk about but that would probably end up being a good thing, albeit one that doesn’t benefit me at all. Just before watching a motion picture I got an annoying e-mail that the books had JUST shipped – that is a full MONTH after they were ordered. I wrote the support team there a strong e-mail about it – no response yet, and my gal has gone on radio silence, which is her “thing” when things aren’t going as they should. But I now have to order a few more books so I told her to call but that they cannot take a month to get here. In any case, according to the tracking numbers, they’ll be here on June 1, the latest I have EVER gotten books in. Thank you for your patience and we will get them shipped out right away.
First, I finished watching Leon Morin, Priest. As I said, not my favorite Jean-Pierre Melville film, but it’s interesting, has great performances, a nice score, and ultimately its very affecting in its weird way. And Patricia Gozzi – you can see how good she was right from the get-go – I think she was ten when she did this film, maybe even a bit younger.
Then I watched a motion picture on Blu-ray entitled Ministry of Fear, one of my favorite Fritz Lang films and I never tire of seeing it – this was probably my fifth or sixth time. The opening fifteen minutes are so weird and nightmarish, but the plotting is great and Ray Milland is great. The supporting cast is surprisingly spotty for a Lang film, but the movie is heavy on Langian atmosphere and, as always, Dan Duryea is completely creepy. I must say I find the transfer on the Criterion disc not up to their standards, many generations from any kind of original camera negative, clearly.
Then I watched My Name Is Nobody, starring Terence Hill and Henry Fonda. I always enjoy this comedic spaghetti western and the two leads are great. While Sergio Leone is a producer and directed second unit stuff and a couple of brief sequences, certainly the tone and direction of Tonino Valerii reeks of Leone. Much of this was actually shot in the US and so you have some American actors of the day, like R.G. Armstrong, Geoffrey Lewis, Leo Gordon, and Steve Kanaly. Very enjoyable and with a fun Morricone score to boot.
After that, I listened to music, wrote e-mails, and that was pretty much it.
Today, I’ll get up when I get up, I’ll hopefully pick up packages, hopefully people will do what they should have already done (everyone is errant and truant these days), I’ll eat, do some Kritzerland show stuff, then watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same. While they’ve opened up all retail stores here, restaurants are not open for dining in – they hope that will happen by next week, and I can’t wait. As to retail stores, I don’t really do that but I’m glad that small businesses get to reopen.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, get up when I get up, hopefully pick up packages, eat, do Kritzerland show stuff, watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have done another Facebook screed because we simply cannot have enough Facebook screeds.