Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to the two symphonies of Kurt Weill – I quite like them both even though they are pretty far afield from his theater music. That said, you can still hear his particular style come through several times. I do need some new things to listen to, so perhaps today I’ll try to go through another box of CDs to see what I come up with. I don’t really have anything I’m waiting on at this moment, but there are so many CDs I haven’t listened to in years and years, perhaps as much as thirty years or more. Plus, I have a lot of box sets that I’ve only heard once, so revisiting some of those might be fun. I did manage to watch two motion pictures on Blu and Ray last night. The first was Raising Arizona, since I’ve been on a Holly Hunter. This was her fourth film but her breakthrough role. I saw the film on its opening day and found it very original and very funny – the laughs were pretty huge. I saw it a couple of times during its run. It was the second film from the Coen brothers, the first being Blood Simple – this one was the polar opposite of that. All these years later, it’s still very funny at times, with great performances from all, including Nicolas Cage, John Goodman, and especially Hunter. I would think today’s PC let’s be offended by everything crowd would not be happy with this film and especially the material involving the kidnapped baby. It’s unique still and I enjoyed seeing it for the first time in a decade (yes, another film I always think I’ve recently watched). The second film was Gran Torino, which I haven’t seen since the Blu-ray came out in 2009, I think. I really liked it back then and I like it even more now. It’s a terrific film, with excellent direction by Clint Eastwood, who also turns in a great performance. There are no other names in the film and with the exception of the guy who plays the barber, no one you’ll even recognize from subsequent work. The other two leads were young people whose first job this was – both members of the Hmong community. The young girl, Ahney Her, should have been nominated for a supporting actress Oscar – but the Academy, in all their brilliance, shunned the film entirely. Happily, despite the snub, the film was a big ol’ hit. And with good reason – it plays like gangbusters, is totally satisfying, very funny at times, and viscerally exciting. If you’ve somehow missed this one, it’s definitely worth your time.
Yesterday felt just like a Monday, which is good since it WAS a Monday. I got seven-and-a-half hours of sleep, arising at ten-thirty. I answered some e-mails, got dressed, and then decided to try banking early. First, I went to the check cashing bank – that took about three minutes with their big indoor ATM. Just love that there are no lines, it’s easy as pie, and I’m in and out of there fast. One can never quite say the same about my own bank, Bank of America. When I arrived, there were three people in line and two tellers. But immediately one of those tellers when on a break. Very annoying. Still, I was in and out in ten minutes and that took care of the banking portion of the day.
Then I went to Gelson’s. I got ingredients for faux chicken stroganoff, which I haven’t made in ages. When I got home, I realized I forgot to get white rice. But I had some bow tie pasta here, so I made two cups of that, sauteed the chicken, and added the rest of the ingredients and put it over the pasta and ate it all up. It was very good and not too bad, calorie-wise. After that, I did some work on the computer, a bit of work on the Group Rep cabaret, pretty much decided I’m not going to see the show I was going to see (too long a drive and I have an early appointment the following day), ascertained there was nothing to pick up from the mail place, and then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish and watched the two motion pictures, which you know all about. I had a little hot fudge sundae for the evening snack. It was good, too.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll record the two new songs for Nothing in Common, I’ll work on the Group Rep cabaret and continue casting the Kritzerland anniversary shows, I have one more bit of banking to do, I’ll eat something reasonable, and then, at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I’ll do the radio show with Donald Feltham, and continue doing the rest of the stuff that needs doing. We’ll also be hopefully shipping out the last two CD releases, which should be ready today, at least that’s what I was told last week. I do know the helper has been shipping out the Indiegogo stuff and all the online orders for the Blu-ray and CD of Tonight’s the Night, so hopefully people will start getting those soon. The rest of the week is more of the same – some meetings and meals and that’s about it – oh and figuring out our next two releases.
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, record the two new songs for Nothing in Common, work on the Group Rep cabaret, continue casting, do a bit more banking, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite “revenge” films – the ones where the lead character is done wrong and then rights things, the ones that are really satisfying? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that Monday felt like a Monday.