Well, dear readers, it is late so I must write these here notes in a hurry because it is late so I must write these here notes in a hurry. But maybe I don’t want to write these here notes in a hurry. Maybe I just want to take my damn sweet time. Maybe I want to savor writing these here notes, what do you think about that? Perhaps I’ll listen to more William Alwyn to inspire me to all new heights and maybe even some new lowghts. Wait a minute. Hold the phone, alert the media, put your forks down, we have breaking bombshell news: It is December. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, it is December, the last month of 2023 and the month before 2024. I am finding it hard to believe that 2023 is almost done. It has flown by, like a gazelle doing a food review of a ghost pepper hot fudge sundae dipped in ranch dressing. It is my fervent hope and prayer that December will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. So, let’s start the holiday cheer right this damn minute. After all, not only do we the holidays, we have birthdays – dear reader Jane, dear reader me, and I’m sure a few others along the way. We’ll be singing Hannukah songs and Christmas songs, I’m sure there’ll be a few Randy Vicar stories, such as the classic The Randy Vicar and the Chicken Slider – that’s a great one. In any case, it is December.
Yesterday wasn’t December, it was November. I got seven hours of sleep, got up, did whatever needed doing, then I ordered three count them three slices of pizza from a new to me jernt, Joe’s Pizza. I gather it’s a favorite of people in New York. I got two pepperoni slices and a pepperoni and sausage slice. They arrived twenty minutes later and I ate them all up. It’s certainly no Dino’s Pizza. It’s better than Marco’s, though, but maybe not quite up to Pizza Wagon of Brooklyn. But I liked it and would probably order from there again. I wrote the blurbs for the two new releases. I was hoping to announce today, but I don’t have the audio samples yet. Then the two-hour window for the garage guy came and went. He finally showed up an hour-and-a-half late at five-thirty. He ascertained it was the gear box that had to be replaced – this garage door and gear box is twenty-seven-years-old. He tried to convince Grant Geissman to just get a new one, but Grant wasn’t interested in spending an additional $450. Of course, garage guy looked but didn’t have the gear box, so he said he’d come back today and attend to it. I hope so. I’m really tired of opening and closing it manually.
I then went to the mail place and picked up an important envelope – hopefully, the other one will show up today. After that, I moseyed on over to the theater. I had six things I wanted to clear up, as they’d gotten a bit sloppy for my taste. That went quickly and then I took my leave, and they began their brush-up rehearsal. I stopped on the way home and got an apple fritter – it was VERY sugary, but I don’t eat them very often and it was early enough for me to get it digested. Then I got the news that The Federal was closing its doors at the end of the month. As you know, we opened the room upstairs and were there every month for six years, before the management became unbearable for us, at which point we moved to Vitello’s. I have so many wonderful memories of our shows at The Federal, especially the first five years when we were treated so well. We always had full houses there, everyone enjoyed the food, and, for me, it was a very easy room to play. So, another jernt bites the dust, although The Knitting Factory, who owned it, said they’ll be back elsewhere. To which I say, why? If you couldn’t make it at The Federal, then why do you think you’ll make it elsewhere? Who knows? Not I.
Then I finished watching Torn Curtain. As I mentioned, even though it said UHD it sure looked like the Blu-ray transfer to me, rather than a new one. I’d left off at the farmhouse sequence, the best in the entire film. So, I began watching and that whole sequence looked great. So, I went back and sure enough, the other scenes looked better, so I think they pulled a switcheroo and finally got the UHD up and running. Anyway, it’s become all the rage to knock Torn Curtain, call it weak Hitchcock and a loser. Well, most people who do that weren’t even alive when it came out. I saw it on its opening day (that’s all in Kritzer World) and loved it. Yes, it had some bad rear projection and one set that was terrible, but I enjoyed Newman and Andrews and thought the German actors were great, especially the actor who played Gromek. He actually gives the best performance in the film. It’s a bit long at two hours and seven minutes, but I enjoyed seeing it again, especially looking better.
Today, I’ll be up by ten, I’ll go cash a check then deposit the cash, get something to bring home to eat, hopefully pick up the other important envelope, then I’ll wait for the garage guy to come. I haven’t heard back from the helper, so I guess she’ll come on the weekend or Monday. Then I’ll relax until it’s time to mosey on over to the theater for the first of this weekend’s three shows.
Tomorrow, she of the Evil Eye comes, so I have to be up early and out of the house, then I can relax and I’m not sure I’ll go to the evening show – we’ll see how I feel and if anyone I know is coming. Sunday, I’ll for sure go. Then next week is all writing, studying for the DMV test and other stuff that needs doing.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by ten, cash a check, deposit cash, hopefully pick up the other important envelope, wait for the garage guy to come, eat, and then see the show. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray/streaming player? I’ll start – CD, nothing. Streaming, maybe the UHDs of Vertigo and Rear Window. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to welcome in December – and it is my fervent hope and prayer that December will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.