Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to no music whatsoever, trying to get these here notes written and posted on time so I can hopefully get a good night’s sleep, which I did not get the night before due to ABS (Active Brain Syndrome) and getting up repeatedly to write things down so I wouldn’t forget them. I’d gotten about four hours of sleep when that happened and then only another hour after I finally got back in bed and before the alarm rang for she of the Evil Eye’s arrival. So, I was draggy for most of the day and into the draggy evening. I had breakfast at the Magnolia Grille, which used to be a really hot spot for breakfast. I pulled into an empty parking lot and a restaurant with only one other person breakfasting. I was never really impressed with it, but I didn’t feel like any of my usual haunts. I had a bacon and cheese omelet – not so hot – and some home fries, which were very heavy but okay. I killed about an hour and fifteen minutes there. When I came out to the car I could see that the driver’s side front tire was flat as a pancake. What to do? I left and began driving back towards my house, but for whatever reasons, there are so few gas stations along the way and virtually none that do anything but pump gas and sell snacks. Worrisome. It was five miles back to the Oaks of Sherman. I just prayed and prayed, and it wasn’t causing swerving or grinding or anything like that. I drove at an even pace and hold your hats and hallelujah, I made it to the tire place about a half-mile before the home environment. Whew! They ascertained that there was no saving the tire and he suggested changing the rear tire on that side, too. The other two tires were fine. So, we did that and it didn’t take too long and all was well. I think Mercedes makes very strong cars – I know if this had happened with the Infinity, I’d have wrecked the whole axel. I made a quick stop at the bank, then came home. She of the Evil Eye was just wrapping up. I answered e-mails, printed out the commentary, decided on the sing-along, talked to the club and we’re still a bit light, attendance-wise, so trying to do something about that, but basically just rested my voice and relaxed. For a snack, I had s California Roll that wasn’t bad. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture entitled Stepping Out, starring Liza Minnelli, based on an English play that was a huge success in London, but which only had a very short run on Broadway, where it was directed by Tommy Tune. The film is written by the playwright, but makes changes, namely making an ensemble piece into a star vehicle, which kind of skews things a bit, transplanting it to Buffalo, New York, and adding characters that are only talked about in the play. And, of course, a final big, splashy production number written by Kander and Ebb. The choreography in the film is by Danny Daniels and it’s superb. I’m surprised no one ever seems to do the Kander and Ebb song from the film – it’s very catchy with a classic Kander vamp. The cast is very strong – Liza is Liza, Jane Krakowski is excellent, as is Julie Walters, who I think was nominated for an Oscar for supporting actress. Andrea Martin is fun and Carol Woods is always great. As the sole male in the tap class, Bill Irwin seems just right. Oh, and Shelly Winters as the group’s piano player is great, too. I’d only seen it once before but that was full frame and looked awful. This was in its proper 1.85 ratio and it was quite a pleasing transfer. Since there was only a fifty-cent difference between renting and owning, I opted to own. Five bucks. The film was a huge bomb, earning only $250,000 at the box-office because Paramount basically buried it. If you love Liza, you’ll love this – she’s really at the top of her game. Interestingly, they turned the play into a musical.
After that, I just relaxed some more and then it was time to write these here notes.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll rest my voice and relax. Then I’ll shave and shower and get ready and then around four o’clock I’ll mosey on over to the club for sound check. Then I’ll have a little salad, and then we do our show. Hoping we find more people to attend. I will, of course, have a full report.
The rest of the week will be catching up on stuff and doing whatever needs doing.
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, rest my voice and relax, shave and shower and get ready, have a sound check, have a little salad, then do our show, wait for a check if there IS a check, which hopefully there will be, then perhaps a late-night meal somewhere. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Aks 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, hoping for no more flat tires for quite some time.