Well, dear readers, it is 2022. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, it is 2022 and it is also January 1 and therefore it is my fervent hope and prayer that 2022 and January will be a year and month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. So, let’s just say it loud and clear as well as clear and loud: HAPPY NEW YEAR! We had a lovely New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Bash right here at haineshiway.com, with lots of fun postings and merriment and mirth and laughter and legs. So, here are some fun stats from last year regarding this here site. We had our lowest posting year since 2015, although December did help with the posting count, which topped out at around 57,000 postings – not bad, though. In fact, December was the highest posting count for the entire year. And 2021 hit a new record in terms of site visits, with over 16 million. Our all-time posting total is 1,396,940, although by the end of the evening that could get to 1,397,000. The average postings per day is 184. So, pretty good stats, if you ask me. And I don’t care who knows it. I listened to a lot of Michael Torke music – hit and miss, but the hits are really enjoyable and accessible and tuneful and fun. I also watched the first two-thirds of a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Freud, directed by John Huston, starring Montgomery Clift, Susannah York, and Larry Parks. It’s a very interesting movie, beautifully shot in black-and-white by Douglas Slocombe, with fascinating dream sequences and a great score by Jerry Goldsmith, which earned him his first Oscar nomination. It’s long at two hours and twenty minutes. It opened in December of 1962 at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills and played there three months. At that point, Universal added a subtitle to the film – Freud – The Secret Passion – for the wide release and cut twenty minutes. The Blu-ray transfer is terrific. Then we had our wonderful New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Bash.
Yesterday was okay – I only got seven hours of sleep and was a little logy all day and evening. I did the Gelson’s run and got food for yesterday and today. For yesterday, I had two turkey sandwiches and they were very good whilst eating them, but later caused me some tummy trouble, which I’m hoping will go away. I did doze off for a bit at some point, but that didn’t really help. I chewed some Pepcids and popped a couple of Sambucol.
I did do some writing on the project with David Wechter, probably half the sequence I’m doing, so that was good. I didn’t go to the mail place but will on Sunday to hopefully pick up the other important envelope.
Then I watched the Freud thing, and then it was time to join the Bash, which I did. We all watched the East Coast balls drop at their midnight. And then our West Coast Bash continued, albeit with less people. At ten-thirty, I showered and washed 2021 down the drain, then did my annual contemplation thing, popped open the new bottle of champagne whilst throwing out the old bottle that’s been in the refrigerator for a year – just a little tradition around these here parts. Then we did the countdown for the West Coast 2022 and at midnight we welcomed 2022 with open arms, wished everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR, had our sip of champagne, and was determined to be in bed by one so I can get a good night’s beauty sleep and get up no later than eleven, but perhaps even earlier, to start the new book.
Today, the first day of 2022, I’ll be up no later than eleven, and as soon as I can get myself together, I’ll begin a new book. First, I’ll finesse what I wrote a week ago, then keep on going. At three, I’ll start cooking for the two or three folks who’ll be coming over – faux chicken stroganoff, which I’ve actually never made for anyone but li’l ol’ me. Then, whoever’s arriving will arrive, we’ll eat and yak, and then I may write a bit more before I sit on my couch like so much fish to watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I’ll go to the mail place, as I didn’t go on Friday, so hopefully the second important envelope will be there. On Monday, I’ll do some banking, but this week will be writing every day, mostly on the new book, but I’ll also finish the sequence I’ve already written half of on the project with David Wechter. So, a busy start to 2022. We’ll also set some dates to do some musical theater workshops at the Group Rep so I can see who I have for L.A. Now and Then, which we’ll cast in late January/early February.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by eleven, start writing a new book, cook, have a handful of visitors who’ll partake of food and conversation, then I may write a bit more, and then I can watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are you biggest hopes for 2022? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, as we welcome in both 2022 and January and, of course, it is my fervent hope and prayer that 2022 and January will be a year and month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.