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December 21, 2021:

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to a performance of Andre Previn’s cello concerto – never recorded – I gather this performance is from a radio broadcast and it doesn’t sound so hot, but it’s an interesting piece but then I always enjoy Mr. Previn’s music and I don’t care who knows it, and certainly Kritzerland has issued a fair amount of it. And whilst listening I’m still trying to decide which of the book ideas I will actually write on January first. Decisions, decisions. Prior to that, I did watch a motion picture entitled The French Dispatch via a DGA screener. It’s another quirky Wes Anderson film – quirky in its writing, in its visual sense, in its photography, and every other way. Mr. Anderson’s films are easy to recognize because they all have that quality and are, in the end, quite arch. I also tire of most of them long before they finish, as it’s a little like eating a cream puff followed by a double hot fudge sundae followed by an entire chocolate cream pie. It’s also filled with leading actors in tiny roles, so that part’s fun. Saroise Ronan is in the film for less than five minutes – same with William Dafoe. It’s kind of an homage to Harold Ross, the editor of the New Yorker magazine, and so several incidents are inspired by real events, but not really. It veers between black and white and color, along with differing aspect ratios. It’s fun for a while, certainly, and Anderson’s view of things is certainly interesting. The score is by Alexandre Desplat and it’s very clear the temp track was mostly Erik Satie, which is what Desplat then gives us, only it’s Desplat aping Satie. There’s also a bit of film music from other films. I know this because over a year ago I was contacted about licensing a cue from a Kritzerland CD. I didn’t connect that when watching the film but there we were in the end credits, Kritzerland’s first onscreen credit for a film. Fun. That’s been my listening and viewing adventures.

Yesterday was an interesting day. I was up at ten, answered e-mails, got ready, and then drove to West Los Angeles for a belated birthday lunch with our very own dear reader Jeanne. We met at Louise’s Trattoria, a jernt we both enjoy. We sat outside – it was actually a very nice summer day in December. I had my usual pappardelle with Eyetalian sausage and a tiny Caesar salad. Dear reader Jeanne had a cup of soup and penne primavera. I regaled her with thoughts on both versions of West Side Story and we talked of this and that and that and this and it was fun to catch up – haven’t seen her in person in two years. I brought her a big bag o’ stuff, as she hadn’t gotten either Simply or Some Days Are Murder. We were there about ninety minutes and then said our goodbyes and I hurried back to the Valley and thankfully there was no traffic to speak of and believe me had there been traffic I’d be speaking about it.

Once back in the Valley, I did some quick banking, then came home. I caught up on e-mails and texts and stuff, sent some music to some of our young performers for the January show, chose a couple more songs, ascertained there were no packages, did some work on the computer, and then watched The French Dispatch.

After that, I went to Gelson’s and did the big shopping. I was absolutely certain I wouldn’t forget anything I needed, but as soon as I started driving home, I realized I’d forgotten several key items, so I’ll go back on Wednesday night and get those. But I did get ninety percent of what I needed to, plus food for today, tomorrow, and Thursday. I did have to laugh – I went to buy three things of those onion rolls I loved and wrote about here – when I first got them, at the same time of night, they must have had ten of them (two to a bag). I shouldn’t have written about them because what do you think happened? They had one package of two left. Once again, we cause a rush on foodstuffs.

Once home, I continued getting music to the parents of the young performers and then it was time to write these here notes.

Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’ll eat turkey sandwiches of my own making here, I’ll finish choosing the last of the songs and get that music on its way, I’ll write, then at some point I can watch, listen, and relax.

The rest of the week is more of the same and then she of the Evil Eye comes on Friday to clean and then I do the preparations for the Christmas Eve Do. As always, I have no idea how many will show up – I didn’t invite as many this year and I’m kind of hoping we don’t have more than fifteen or twenty, but we’ll see how it goes. I’m hoping to see the Darling Daughter on Christmas Day, and then between then and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve right here at haineshisway.com, all I’ll be doing is writing on the project with David Wechter and choosing which of the now three book ideas I’ll actually write. It’s really only between two, really, but I have three.

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, hopefully pick up packages, eat, finish choosing the last of the songs, write, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite holiday foods to eat, especially snacks and desserts? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall keep pondering the book choices. Decisions, decisions.

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