Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry, for she of the Evil Eye will be here all too soon, and yet I have been dallying and tarrying as well as tarrying and dallying, listening to music and going down an eBay search rabbit hole. I am out of the hole now and bound and determined to write these here notes in a hurry although that is no mean feat when you’re bound. But I shall persevere and get the damn job done because that’s the damn job, isn’t it, to write these here notes in a hurry. Whilst I’m letting my fingers go as quickly as they can, I am listening to the complete orchestral work of Richard Strauss – that’s Richard with an R, not Johann with a J, just so there’s no confusion. Why if I were listening to Johann with a J and not Richard with an R theses notes would be in waltz time and we need a bouncy C in 2/4, don’t we? We do. Now playing is Don Quixote. I will say that I like Mr. Richard Strauss’ music, but it is RICH, RICH like a seven-layer cake or a hot fudge sundae with an extra dollop of hot fudge and a pound of whipped cream. It’s like bathing in in a vat of chocolate, like swimming in sugar. I think I’ve covered it, don’t you? These are all conducted to Rudolph Kempe and they’re fine performances and I think it’s actually the only set of the complete orchestral works.
Yesterday was an okay day and I did manage to sleep for ten hours, so I’m feeling ever so much better than I did. Once up, it was quite late, so I answered a lot of e-mails, a plethora of e-mails, an excess of e-mails, and after that I went to the mail place and picked up some packages, then came directly home. Once here, I made my three hot dogs – one with mustard and onions, two with chili, cheese, and onions. I’m thinking perhaps I overdid the onions as I’m now paying the price ($5.19), overdoing the onions-wise. But they were awfully good and so calorie friendly.
After that, I did some work at the piano, did some work on the computer, and then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture I love entitled The Taking of Pelham 123, the original 1974 version, not the wretched and truly awful and reprehensible and completely unnecessary remake with Denzel Washington and John Travolta. What sets this movie apart from others of its kind is the great Peter Stone script, which manages to never lose its tension while having a great deal of humor. The characters are written beautifully and played beautifully. You could not ask for a better cast. Walter Matthau is just great as are Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam, Hector Elizondo, Kenneth McMillan, Dick O’Neill, Jerry Stiller, and all the rest of the large cast. And one can’t say enough about the propulsive score of David Shire. This Blu-ray is the original MGM/UA release from 2011 – it was a lousy transfer then and it’s a lousy transfer now, and so typical of that company. They simply don’t care about the films they own. Kino put it out again a few years ago, in a stupid forty-second anniversary Blu-ray with a few interviews and the same lousy transfer, which is too dark and doesn’t look much like film. Anyway, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
After that, I began going through the Richard Strauss box, which I’ve had for two years, and going down the eBay search rabbit hole.
Today, I’ll be up by eight-thirty, and then I’ll go have a light breakfast somewhere, then I’ll kill some time, stop at the mail place, and then I’ll come home. Then it will be a ME day of pure relaxation, which will be lovely. I’ll probably have a salad of some sort in the evening, and then I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I’ll relax, then shave and shower and get ready for our Backstage at Kritzerland show – I hope you’ll all watch. I think it will be fun for everyone to learn a bit about our LA core cast as well as Doug Haverty, Hartley Powers, and Richard Allen. And there’s a surprise or two, as well. I’ll have the links in tomorrow’s notes. Then next week is all prepping the November show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by eight-thirty, have a light breakfast somewhere, kill time, hopefully pick up some packages, have a ME day of relaxation, have a salad, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: I think we should carry on with what weird things we’ve collected – I’m sure we can all come up with more – I know I can. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have finished these here notes to the strains of Richard with an R, not Johann with an S.