Well, dear readers, batteries not included was the theme of the day yesterday. Apparently, there is a run on batteries of the type my motor car uses, batteries being the new toilet paper, it seems. It seems that all the bright types who’ve let their cars sit for eight weeks without starting them are suddenly in need of batteries. The AAA called ten places, none of which had this battery. I find this rather astounding. They did offer to tow me to an auto repair place if I could find one that had the battery. I did, but the entire point is that you don’t want to pay a hundred bucks extra, maybe get a reconditioned battery AND pay for labor – that’s why we pay money to AAA. I did call the shop that came the night before and they’re hoping to get a shipment in today around one and they promise they’ll call me. I’m not sure they’ll keep that promise, but I’ll call AAA at one-thirty if I haven’t heard and hopefully we’ll be able to get me up and running today. I gotta tell you. And then how do we interpret the fact that Mr. Cuomo said yesterday that New York has the lowest number of cases and deaths in weeks and that phase two will being next Monday? I ask simply because in photo after photo on Facebook we’re shown people crowded on streets and in Central Park, drinking, partying, and in the case of Central Park, several men in Speedos and one in a thong. Now, something is clearly wrong somewhere, dear readers. I suspect Mr. Cuomo is quoting numbers that are reliable, and yet all we’re seeing from the media are these crowds. If I had to offer a guess as to which is real and which is designed for sharing, clicks, and Facebook outrage, well, I’d put my money on the numbers Mr. Cuomo is quoting and not on the photos – who knows when they were taken, but certainly numbers don’t go down if there are crowds like that or people aren’t catching this as easily as they’d like us to believe. And when these low numbers were touted yesterday, not a single person who was sharing those crowd photos and their Facebook outrage made a peep. People seem to simply not want any good news and I have felt that from day one of this thing. At least that’s how it looks from over where I’m sitting.
Otherwise, yesterday was kind of annoying on certain levels. I only got six hours of sleep – that was annoying. But I had to get up and find out about the battery. As it turned out, I didn’t really have to get up. I did what needed doing, I answered e-mails, forwarded tracks, had some telephonic conversations, and finally ordered food, this time from Panda Express. I haven’t eaten at many Panda Express jernts and haven’t been impressed when I have. I ordered a double helping of orange chicken, something called black pepper chicken, two veggie egg rolls, a little rice and a little lo mien. To my surprise, the orange chicken was pretty good, and I ate it all up. And the egg rolls were also very good. Unfortunately, instead of black pepper chicken they gave me some beef dish and I haven’t eaten a beef dish in a Chinese restaurant in thirty years. So, I threw that out, but was happy with everything else. I may try it again and just get the orange chicken and egg rolls and lo mien. I wonder if there’s a hi mien? Just asking.
After that, I did some work on the computer, did some Kritzerland show stuff, and then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched about six more Alfred Hitchcock Presents, most of which were terrible. There were two okay ones – one called Forty Detectives Later with James Franciscus and Jack Weston that I’d never seen, and the very good Insomnia starring Dennis Weaver. There were some very good actors even in the bad ones, especially Patricia Collinge, a favorite of mine from Shadow of a Doubt. Several episodes were directed by the excellent John Brahm, but in the end it all boils down to the tale being told.
After that, I think I snoozed for about forty minutes, so that was good. Then I listened to music – just loving this Munch box set so much. One of my favorites of the recent listening was Munch’s performance of Walter Piston’s sixth symphony. I’m not a huge Piston fan, but this symphony is pretty great. I was a good boy and didn’t eat anything after the Chinese food, a first for me in weeks. And then it was time to write these here notes.
Today will be a busy little day. I’ll be up by eleven, I’ll do whatever needs doing, then I have about ninety minutes of Kritzerland show stuff to do, and I’m hoping I’ll hear good news about the battery and that they can come install it as soon as we know they have it in hand. I’ll eat, if the battery is here I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and after that, I have a work session with Richard Allen to routine the handful of put-togethers so he can then do those tracks, then we have a quick Zoom thing for our final ensemble member so he can get up to speed. We’re now fully cast for the show and what a cast it is. Check out this flyer.
Tomorrow will be more of the same, Saturday she of the Evil Eye comes, and then Sunday I think I can relax. Then next week is all Kritzerland show stuff.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by eleven, do whatever needs doing, do Kritzerland show stuff, hopefully get a new battery, eat, hopefully pick up packages should we get the new battery, have a work session, have a quick Zoom thing, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: Do you think we’re being manipulated in any way by the media during this crazy time? I ask because they seem never to want to give any hopeful news because they seem to thrive on the negative as that brings them clicks and shares and ratings. What say you? I’m not looking for ANY political posts, just thoughts on the media and this crazy time. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping that batteries will be included today.