Well, dear readers, all I have to say is 117%!!! And we’re about to cross over the $9,000 line. As great as that sounds, right now we’ll get exactly our goal amount, due to the fees and that they withhold a certain amount of money, 5%, I think, for up to six months. I called foul on that on the Creature campaign – no one cancels their contribution, for heaven’s sake. They did get us that money within two weeks, but they just blatantly say that it can take six months, which is just disgusting. So, everything after this goes to adding extras, most specifically the commentary tracks, which are very pricey to do – I’ve said we’ll do them here but even if we do that, they still have to sync them up to the video and last time it really almost killed us. So, as we’re about to enter our final week tomorrow, let’s keep going and do the big puuuuuush – I feel if we can get to 10K we’ll be safe to do the commentaries and maybe even put on a couple of fun other videos. I’m looking for a few new perks to put up today. Meanwhile, here’s the handy-dandy link.
In other news, I had my second vaccination yesterday at eleven-thirty or thereabouts. I’m always so nervous that the traffic on Laurel Canyon will be terrible, and so I leave really early so I don’t have to worry. Yesterday, I left here at 10:15, got to Laurel Canyon at 10:25 and thankfully there was no traffic to speak of, so even though they were doing the ubiquitous road work they’re always doing, it was a breeze and I got to the West Hollywood CVS at 10:45. I lucked out and got a parking space in their garage, and there I sat until 11:15, at which point I checked in via text and went into the store. Unlike last time, there were about five people ahead of me in line to check in. That went pretty quickly, though, and like last time I was made to go to another window to get verified, which is so nonsensical that it’s nonsensical. That took about five minutes because I had two nincompoops in front of me who weren’t even there for a vaccination. Then I went back and told the check-in person all was well, and then I sat. Last time, I sat for fifteen minutes. This time, I sat for three minutes. I got a nice gal, she gave me the warnings they give everyone about side effects, then, whilst I looked away, she gave me the shot. I didn’t even really feel the needle go in and it really must pump the dose in instantly because the whole thing was over and done with in literally two seconds. She put a Band-Aid on, and then I sat for fifteen minutes. They then let me go. The shot lady recommended Tylenol if I had any issues, so I bought some. Then I drove home and there was no traffic at all going that way.
Once back in the Valley, I stopped at the bank and made an ATM deposit, then went to the mail place and picked up one small package, then drove to this new jernt near me called Fat Tuesday – A Taste of New Orleans, which I’d passed the night before during my drive. I ordered the fried catfish basket, which consisted of fried catfish, a few hush puppies, and fries. I got the remoulade and tartar sauce for it, and I also got a side of their mac-and-cheese. It took about ten minutes, and then I came directly home.
The fried catfish wasn’t big filets – it was cut-up into small pieces, which I liked. I didn’t care for the remoulade, but their tartar sauce was great and so was the catfish. The fries were good, but I didn’t eat that many of them. I don’t normally care for hush puppies, but these were the best I’ve ever had. And the mac-and-cheese was great. It was a lot o’ food, but it was just what I needed.
After that, I relaxed and listened to a CD entitled Kurt Weill on Broadway, conducted by John McGlinn, with some excellent singers. The big calling card of the CD is that it has a lot of The Firebrand of Florence on it. I’m not that huge a fan of Mr. McGlinn’s productions, but this may be the best of them, sound-wise. Everything works – the performances, the band, the singers, and the song selections. Then, figuring it was probably best for me to sit and relax and not do anything, I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I watched a ballet based on the George Orwell novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four – the ballet was entitled 1984. It was pretty much what I expected it would be – modern, musical theatre of today kind of lighting and sets, angular, and not quite able to capture the book’s tone and certainly not its ideas beyond the central idea of the clandestine romance. I’d say it was more like the 1984 film version with John Hurt than the novel. A lot of the mechanical-type movement was, for me, more suited to Metropolis than 1984 and while I enjoyed aspects of it (the score has interesting moments) overall it didn’t really succeed for me. And listening to the subdued applause, even for the dancers, I think it didn’t quite work for the audience either.
Then I did stuff on the computer and a quick Gelson’s run for Diet Coke and a muffin top. I came home, hate the muffin top, then watched another ballet program, this one with the Royal Ballet and the choreographer Frederick Ashton. The curtain raiser was Rhapsody, based on the music of Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini by Rachmaninov. It was thirty-minutes of wonderful dancing from start to finish. Then came the main event, The Two Pigeons, set to the music of Andre Messager as arranged by John Lanchberry. Well, what a wonderful thing it was. It starred my wonderful Lauren Cuthbertson who, in my book, can do know wrong. The first act has laugh-out-loud choreography – so clever and so brilliantly done, right up there with the humor of Jerome Robbins. The second act is more serious, and then there’s a lovely coda at the end. And yes, there are, in fact, two pigeons who make rather astonishing appearances, especially at the end. It took my breath away, actually. So, that was a complete winner.
After that, I just relaxed. With the first shot, my sore arm began pretty quickly. This time it took about six hours for the soreness to really be felt and now it’s pretty much the same as it was the first time. Do keep sending your most excellent vibes and xylophones for no side effects – so far, they seem to be working very well. I have no time for such things as side effects.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll look for new perks, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat, I’ll write some liner notes, do some project two aka Revenge stuff, and then I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, we begin the final week of our Indiegogo campaign and the big puuuush. I’m hoping some people have waited to contribute and I’m hoping a couple of the bigger items might just go or we’ll get some more than you in the booklet contributions or even an associate producer contribution. The rest of the week is all stuff to do leading up to project two aka Revenge livestreaming on Saturday at 5:00 PDT/8:00 EDT. For those on the East Coast who like to be in bed by nine, you will be – Revenge should last under an hour. We’ll have a Q&A afterwards, as we love doing those – the entire cast will be there, as will I, and we’ll answer any questions you might have. I’ll have the links right here in Saturday’s notes.
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, look for new perks, do whatever needs doing, hopefully pick up packages and perhaps even an important envelope or two, eat, write, do some project two aka Revenge stuff, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What’s the best cajun food you’ve ever had? What are your favorite dishes? If you haven’t ever had it, what do you think you’d like? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to be at 117% and happy to finally be fully vaccinated.