Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, feeling impressionistic thanks to Claude Debussy, a purveyor of what the wags call impressionist musique, even though Debussy didn’t care for that moniker. But it was he who ushered in that particular era of musique and aren’t we glad he did? It’s just lovely sometimes to not have “form” and “rigor” put musical paintings in sound – ravishing colors of music taking you wherever your mind allows. The other composer most associated with the impressionist moniker is Maurice Ravel. Anyway, I just happened to start listening to James Conlon’s Debussy album of not the usual pieces, and it’s just beautiful. Conlon is a terrific conductor – his complete Vertigo is my favorite recording of that score. He frequently conducts operas here in LA and I must attend one of them one of these fine days. Anyway, it’s very relaxing, this impressionist music of Debussy – it’s like being in a lush garden with the fragrance of a multitude of flowers wafting through the air, dancing in the nostrils like Marge and Gower Champion. Wow, that was quite impressionistic, wasn’t it, that description? Without even knowing it, I’ve been writing impressionistic notes whilst listening to impressionistic music whilst doing impressions of Cary Grant and Edward G. Robinson in discourse with Tallulah Bankhead. Of course, I have no idea what the HELL I’m talking about, and that is what impressionism is, after all. No form. No rigor. Well, I’ve got a bit of rigor in my left arm, but that’s another story. Speaking of rigor, I did watch a motion picture earlier, one that I’d thankfully avoided because I didn’t really know what it was. I wish I’d kept avoiding it, frankly. It’s called Wonderland and is about porn star John Holmes allegedly being involved in some murders that took place on Wonderland Avenue off Laurel Canyon. In Rashomon style, the film veers from viewpoint to viewpoint in a pointless sort of way that’s simply confusing. The direction is horrible and there’s a lot of ACTING going on. It’s a pointless movie because no one really paid the price for the multiple murders and the majority of the characters are disgusting. There are better ways to spend two hours – that is my assessment. I’ll need something nice and frothy next or even something, dare I say, impressionistic.
Yesterday, I got a bit over nine hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails, but basically kept my trap shut for almost the entire day and evening, so hopefully if I don’t push things today and Sunday, I’ll be fine for Monday. I made faux chicken stroganoff over rigatoni, a pasta known for its form and rigor. Not a great choice – it’s better with farfalle or penne and best with rice. But it was still fine, and I ate it all up. I used one chicken breast and about six ounces of pasta. After that, I was logy and full. I just relaxed, and then I sat on my couch like so much fish and watched some YouTube stuff and then Wonderland. After that, I had a very brief telephonic conversation, and here we are.
Today, I’ll be up by noon at the latest but probably before that. If I am up before that, I’m thinking about making the other chicken breast and making a couple of chicken sandwiches on the remaining two onion pockets. We’ll see how I feel. But best to eat prior to rehearsal, since we don’t finish until six or so. Then I can watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow is a ME day. I may see what’s what at the mail place, I’ll probably bring something home to eat, but mostly I’ll rest the voice and watch, listen, and relax. Sunday is stumble-through with Brent Barrett and Kerry O’Malley arriving early to fun their songs. We start the stumble-through at two and should be done, even with notes, by three-thirty. Then I’ll eat something and get ready for our annual Tony Awards Bash right here at haineshisway.com. Then Monday is sound check and show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by noon at the latest, make chicken sandwiches, have a rehearsal, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and our DVD/Blu and Ray/streaming player? I’ll start – CD, Debussy. Streaming, something frothy and light. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall have impressionistic dreams of faeries and diet sprites flitting about in gay abandon in the lush windmills of my mind.