Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, not listening to music because I’m playing around with something that could become a new song for L.A. Now and Then. That is what I’ve been doing for the past hour and then I took a shower. I haven’t listened to any music today, actually, so why don’t we remedy that right now. George Gershwin to the rescue, baby. Porgy and Bess, Lorin Maazel conducting the complete version of the opera, starring Willard White, Leona Mitchell. McHenry Boatright, and Barbara Hendricks. While I loved the Houston Grand Opera production, its recording is horribly produced and sounds terrible. I felt that way the last time I listened to the Maazel in its original CD pressing – but now I have the remastered version and it sounds pretty damn good. What else can I tell you? I tried to watch Mission: Impossible II, which is certainly a big step up from the first film, which now seems very quaint. The big step up is director John Woo, who does a terrific job with the look and feel of the film. It’s much slicker and its pace is much better. But I just couldn’t watch more than twenty minutes of it because I’m too antsy right now. I’m not sure why, but I just hop from thing to thing, and I guess relaxing isn’t in the cards right now.
Yesterday was okay. I got nine-and-a-half hours of sleep, so that was good. Once up, I had a lot of e-mails to answer and deal with, then had a long telephonic conversation, after which I made two tuna sandwiches and ate them all up. They were very good – on bagels. Even though a package was delivered, I decided not to go get it. Instead, I wrote the sequence for the project with David Wechter – a slightly complicated sequence that I think came out really well – really, two sequences that happen concurrently. Once I finished, I had another long telephonic call with someone doing some research about a person I once knew. I was able to give him some really good information.
Then I had a one-hour Zoom with David Wechter and he’ll now write his next sequence and we’ve got a pretty good idea how to get from there to the end – so, a light at the end of tunnel, finishing-wise. Then I tried to watch the movie and lasted about thirty minutes. Then I did some work on the computer, worked on a potential new song for L.A. Now and Then, had a toasted bagel with cream cheese, and that was pretty much the day and evening, not necessarily in that order.
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 something light but fun, I’ll give the new book the once-over before sending it on to Grant, I’ll get a casting progress report, and then at some point I’ll watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow and the weekend will be more of the same. Saturday, I may have to take a drive to Long Beach, but we’ll see how I’m feeling about that. I may have a fun meal somewhere come Sunday. Then next week we have to solidify casting, have a major production meeting with all the creatives, so a busy week upcoming.
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, give the new book the once-over, get a progress report, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite Gershwin songs and music? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, sorry for the brevity of these here notes – I guess after trying to watch Mission: Impossible II it was only predictable that I’d write Notes: Impossible.