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August 29, 2020:

THAT FLUMMOXED FEELING

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I am, not surprisingly, flummoxed.  Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, am, not surprisingly, flummoxed.  The reason for that flummoxed feeling is simple: She of the Evil Eye came yesterday rather than today and therefore yesterday felt very much like today and today feels like I don’t know WHAT and not knowing WHAT results in that flummoxed feeling.  That Flummoxed Feeling – that’s either the title of my next novel or the missing Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie.  And while I’m feeling flummoxed, I am sitting here like so much fish listening to the classic John Barbirolli recording of Madama Butterfly, a rather glorious and gorgeous thing of beauty, starring Renata Scotto.  I’ve had many Butterfly recordings at one time or another, but this one, for me, has always been the gold standard and in this new mastering in the Barbirolli box, it sounds better than ever.  The Royal Opera House Orchestra sounds incredible and the singing, the singing is other worldly.  And I do love the Puccini music.  I haven’t heard this opera in over twenty years, I think.  I went through a real Puccini period, buying every stereo recording, and I still have quite a few left, including a really good RCA Living Stereo SACD version from 1962 with Leontyne Price and Erich Leinsdorf leading the band.  That’s one of the most amazing-sounding discs I own, that three-channel glorious sound.  But this is better, I think.  It’s just utter magic from start to finish.  Prior to that, I’d heard Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, which I knew nothing of, and I was rather surprised that I loved every second of it.  The band is a bit distant sounding for my taste, but it’s pretty superb despite that.  But I want to get the Eugene Ormandy Columbia recording, because I know that will sound incredible.  And after that, it was Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell, another piece I’d never heard.  I do enjoy baroque music so I enjoyed it very much and I can’t imagine how this recording by Barbirolli wouldn’t be at the top of any list.  Other than that, I am flummoxed.

Yesterday was just plain weird due to being flummoxed.  First of all, despite going to bed at a reasonable hour, I could not fall asleep.  I was up for a while after much tossing and turning, then finally got about three hours of sleep.  Once she of the Evil Eye arrived, I took my leave and went to the nearby gas station and put gas in the motor car.  After that, I went to Jerry’s Deli, sat outside, and had some matzoh brei and fruit – no bread, no bacon.  So, the calorie count was only about 300 tops.  I must say, I’m not a fan of outdoor dining, especially when it’s hot and the air doesn’t seem too good.  I was there about ninety minutes, playing on my phone, then I drove around a bit, ascertained that the important envelope had NOT arrived, which is really an irritant, and then I finally came home and she of the Evil Eye was already gone.

I answered e-mails, had a few telephonic conversations, but I was so logy and tired and flummoxed that I could not concentrate, so I sat on my couch like so much fish and tried to finish Last Year at Marienbad.  I did finish it but with the caveat that I slept through most of it, which was a good thing in just about every way.  Apologies to those who love it, but while I appreciate the photography and sets and all that, it’s just too weird for my taste.

Then I tried to watch the Jerry Lewis movie, Three on a Couch – it’s absolutely horrible, with only one little sequence that made me laugh.  But it has one saving grace and it’s not Jerry and it’s not co-star Janet Leigh nor Kathleen Freeman or Fritz Feld.  No, the saving grace is the stunningly beautiful be still my heart Leslie Parrish.  I couldn’t make it through, and I also slept a bit during it.  Following that, I tried to watch The Truth about Spring, starring Miss Hayley Mills, dad John, James MacArthur, and David Tomlinson.  It’s pretty bad, although Hayley is adorable.

After that, I had my main meal o’ the day, a Wolfgang Puck chicken Caesar salad – maybe seven hundred calories tops, so that put me right at 1000 calories.  I took a little walk at some point, began watching the John Huston movie Freud, which is weird but interesting, but just wasn’t in the mood to keep falling asleep.  So, I listened to the music I’ve already written about and relaxed.

Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, pray that the important envelope arrives, eat something that doesn’t exceed 1000 calories, and now that I’m only three CDs away from being done with the Barbirolli box, I can move on to other stuff I haven’t gotten to.  Then at some point, I’ll watch, listen, and relax.

Tomorrow is more of the same – a few Kritzerland show things to take care of, but hoping I can just get all caught up on sleep and energy because this coming week will not only bring a new month but we go into our final rehearsals for our show and there will be much to deal with and solidify.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do  whatever needs doing, pray the important envelope arrives, eat something that doesn’t exceed 1000 calories, and then watch, listen, and relax.  Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite films of Jerry Lewis and Miss Hayley Mills?  Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping I will lose that flummoxed feeling at some point soon.

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