Well, dear readers, something is fishy around here. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, something is fishy in the Oaks of Sherman. And I’ll tell you what it is because otherwise all you dear readers will simply say, in unison, “What is it, fish?” Yes, it is fish. Last night I bought two filets of Pacific sole and sauteed them in butter and they were excellent BUT it smells like what is it, fish, in the home environment. I even used the stove fan and that hasn’t helped the smell of fish at all. It’s pervasive and prevalent and pungent around these here parts, but I suppose it will abate at some point. Otherwise, I am sitting here like so much smelly fish, listening to the final few discs in the Ormandy box. Now playing is one of the CDs I was most looking forward to – Norman Dello Joio’s Variations, Chaconne, and Finale. It’s a stunning and wonderful piece of music. The companion piece on the disc is the marvelous John Vincent Symphony in D. What’s interesting about the latter is that it was recorded in both mono and stereo – here it’s mono, but many years on they finally released the stereo version, which I have on CD and it’s great. Here we get the original mono release and it’s great, too, but obviously the stereo is what you want for that one. One does wonder if the Dello Joio was recorded in stereo at those same sessions and, if so, whether those tapes have disappeared. I may query Sony about it. Before the fish, I did manage to watch a motion picture on Blu and Ray that I’d never seen more than ten minutes of – The original version of The Italian Job, starring Michael Caine, Noel Coward, and others. I know it’s now considered an all-time classic, at least that’s what the packaging says and what all the talking heads say in the supplements. It’s fun, well made, but I’m not sure I’d call it an all-time classic or even a classic. The cast is great, it looks very good, and it’s paced very well. But there’s something that’s a little off for the entire thing, most especially the ending, which I found a bit of a letdown. And the Quincy Jones score doesn’t really do much of anything to help. But, it’s enjoyable and everyone looks like they’re having a grand old time.
Yesterday was a pleasantly pleasant day. I got eight hours of sleep, got up, heard some tracks that were trying to finesse and after hearing them I knew we could get them to where I’d be happy, but we didn’t do that work until early evening. I answered e-mails, ascertained there was nothing to gather up at the mail place, and then I did the quick bit of work that carried over from the previous day, so that’s all done now. I had an eight-dollar off thing from Postmates, so I ordered a chopped salad from Stanley’s. It arrived about thirty minutes later and I ate it all up – very good. No garbanzo beans. Then I listened to some more Ormandy, then watched the movie.
After the movie, Richard Allen called and we methodically went through the two tracks we’re finessing, almost note by note and now they sound excellent, so that was good. It took about thirty minutes to do the two of them. Then I watched some of the documentary about the making of The Italian Job. After that, I went to Ralph’s and got the sole and ten more Sparkling Ice drinks, came home, made the sole and ate it, and then it was back to listening to music. I also posted about the May 30 Kritzerland show, so I’ll do the same here. It’s going to be a very good show, I think, with a great cast. I’m hoping all of you will watch it live – this time only on YouTube – Facebook is just too glitchy and weird. And I think we’re going to do a little cast party and Q&A after, since it’s the last of the online shows. That should be fun, and I think I can get the entire cast to participate. Here’s the flyer.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, and I do believe I can have an entire ME day and evening. So, I’ll finish up the Ormandy box (only seven CDs to go now), I have a few movies to watch and a ballet, I’ll eat (I think I’ll either go out and eat at a restaurant or I’ll go out and pick something up to bring home. I’m not cooking again until the fishy smell is completely gone. Oh, and I did something I haven’t done in fifteen years, I’d guess – I made some Lipton onion soup dip so that I have it for snacking, not with chips or anything like that, but with vegetables, most specifically carrots and green pepper. I’ll use that as my evening snack and should be able to spread it out over four or five days. One I’m finished watching stuff and I’ve finished the last of the Ormandy box, I still have some other CDs to listen to and my ears are quite ready for some stereophonic sound, oh, yes, my ears are quite ready for some stereophonic sound.
This week will all be Kritzerland show stuff, I agreed to direct a little ten-minute play for the Group Rep, so I’ll work with its author a bit and then we’ll cast it (two characters). I’m also putting together another cabaret evening for them, too. Not sure when that’s happening. I think I’m supping with Marshall Harvey on Tuesday, I have to go back to the new storage jernt because I left a box of CDs there that I need here. I’ll go early so I don’t have traffic. And then on one of the weekend days, Peyton Kirkner and mom are coming and we’re going out to eat. I’m hoping I get the check disc early in the week, I have to plan a new release announcement, I’m hoping I get a notice that the books have been shipped, and then I’ll of course do whatever needs doing, because one simply must do whatever needs doing, mustn’t one?
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, have a ME day and evening, finish the Ormandy box, watch stuff, eat something light but fun, have some onion dip and veggies for a snack, and finally get back to some good ol’ stereophonic listening. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, whilst the fact that something smells fishy around here lingers in the what is it, fish air.