Well, dear readers, how can this already be the last day of January when it was just the first day of January? That is just mind-boggling in a mind-boggling way. But here we are on the cusp of February, and it is my fervent hope and prayer that February will be a month filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. Otherwise, I am sitting here like so much fish having just re-watched the marvelous PBS American Masters on Leonard Bernstein. It’s a wonderful show and ultimately very moving. It’s kind of everything that Maestro isn’t. Of course, I had to listen to some Bernstein so now playing is his first symphony, the Jeremiah. My favorite of his symphonies is The Age of Anxiety and that’s up next. Yesterday wasn’t such a bad day. I did get almost eight hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails, and then began the proofing. I stopped for lunch, the Cheesecake Factory, farfalle with roasted garlic, chicken, sundried tomatoes, and mushrooms, the lunch-size portion. Hadn’t had it in ages and it was excellent. Thanks to a 50% coupon it was not too crazy. After food, I continued proofing, had a good telephonic conversation about an upcoming CD release, did the Zoom thing with David Wechter, and then finished proofing. By then, I was exhausted, my neck and back were killing me so I sat on my couch like so much fish, just flipping around the firestick. I sent the new book to the proofers for real proofing, took a nice hot shower, which was helpful to my aching neck and back, dozed off for a bit, then watched the Bernstein thing and here we are.
Oh, I also watched a bit of Fritz Lang’s classic motion picture, M. It’s really great and I love the way it’s directed. Lang was a great director and has made a few of my favorite films, including M, The Big Heat, The Woman in the Window (my favorite), Scarlet Street, Ministry of Fear, and even his lesser films are very watchable.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll go to the mail place and hope for two important envelopes, then Marshall Harvey is coming over and we’re going to watch a student film he made that just happens to star Stephen Nathan, who would, just two years later, star in The First Nudie Musical. The name of the movie is Together Again, which is another fascinating coincidence, since right around the time we first worked together I wrote a musical called – Together Again. Go know. I think we’ll grab a bite to eat afterwards. Then I can just watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is working on the screenplay with David Wechter, a lunch meeting on Saturday, on Sunday I’m presenting and singing at the Robby Awards and then praying for some modern major miracles.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora and the tango, for today is the birthday of dear reader Michael Shayne. So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to dear reader Michael Shayne. On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO DEAR READER MICHAEL SHAYNE!!!
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, go to the mail place and hopefully pick up two important envelopes, watch a student film, eat, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to be done with my initial proofing as we’re on the cusp of February.