Well, dear readers, let me keep these here notes short and semi-sweet because I’ve been writing almost the entire day, and I can’t even see straight, and I already was seeing crooked to begin with. There’s not all that much to report anyway. So, let’s just dive right in and get it done, shall we? The day began with me waking up at ten o’clock after seven hours of sleep. I’d intended to be in bed by one, but realized I’d totally screwed up a little timeline thing in what I wrote so I wanted to at least rearrange it and make notes on how to fix it and that took until two-thirty and then I took a long shower. Once up, I was more incoherent than usual, so I didn’t really start futzing and finessing until eleven-thirty or so. I got notified of two UPS packages that had been delivered, too, so I knew I’d be going to the mail place. Anyway, I began futzing and finessing the fifteen pages I’d done the previous day and evening, and it took forever due to the timeline thing. I ended up having to write two entirely new pages, change a bunch of details, and do the research to change the bunch of details. It was a little frustrating, but I finally got it done after about two hours. I wrote one additional page, then went to the mail place and picked up one of the packages. I told them I thought both would be small. They couldn’t find the second package and said the UPS guy said there was one package he didn’t have or had left on the truck, and he’d come back later. Of course, I had no idea if that was MY package. I then went and did a brief thing at the ATM, then went to Gelson’s and got some of their good stuffing and gravy and a small half-rack of ribs. I came home and attempted to eat the ribs but after two of the small ones into the trash it went, a complete waste of money. They tasted like they were a week old – tough, disgusting, and the sauce was thick and hard. I can never have the ribs again at my Gelson’s. The Studio City Gelson’s is always great, ribs-wise. Always fresh and tasty. The stuffing was fine but that was not enough to eat for the entire day and evening. Then I went back to writing and it was very slow going – a lot of dialogue in the sequence I was in, plus constant rearranging because of the error I’d made. I got seven or eight new pages done, then took a break and watched the first half of the new transfer of The Searchers. I hated the restoration they did back in the DVD days, which was the source for the Blu-ray. When that originally came out because it was so detailed and sharp everyone thought it looked amazing. Everyone but me, that is, and let me tell you how vocal I was and because of how vocal I was people began questioning the transfer. That took a very long time, but clearly it got back to Warner Bros. who went on the defensive about it. But I would not relent because the color was so ridiculous – with a huge yellow bias. Turns out, no one even looked at their IB Technicolor answer print, which just had image and no sound. Eventually, people agreed with me and then it became standard that people knew the color was off because Robert Harris took my side.
Well, I haven’t seen the 4K disc, but the new Blu-ray that comes with it is mighty luscious. Gone is the yellow coloring and we finally have the correct color on the bricks in the main title, and skies are Technicolor dye transfer blue. Of course, the image is VERY sharp and quite breathtaking, and I have no doubt the 4K version is even better. I’ll finish it up today. After I shut that off, I ordered enchiladas rancheras from Don Cuco – a combo platter, but no taco. It arrived surprisingly fast, and it was very good – came with rice, beans, some guacamole and sour cream for the enchiladas. That was very filling. Then I went back to writing and have currently done thirteen pages and will do two more after posting these here notes and showering. I have to say, there’s one real-life person in the book who makes a brief appearance, and I’ve become kind of obsessed with said person. Really fun to write that sequence. It’s brief, but I had a blast.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll call the mail place and have them look for a much bigger package and hopefully it will be there. I’ll futz and finesse, write new pages, go pick up the package if it’s there, get something to eat, write more pages, watch the rest of The Searchers, write more pages, and then watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow will be more of the same, as will Monday, and then we begin casting Drat! The Cat! on Tuesday. We’re for sure going to have to go outside the company to cast our leading lady – the only two candidates they had either don’t want to audition or think they have other gigs. I’d rather discover someone fresh and new, frankly, and I’m going to look at some of the young people who’ve done our Kritzerland shows and see if any of them would be right. I’m thinking of one gal in particular.
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, call the mail place, futz and finesse, write new pages, go to the mail place if something’s there, get food, write more new pages, finish The Searchers, write more new pages, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are the most visually beautiful movies you’ve ever seen, both black-and-white and color. I’ll name two right off the top of my head – for black-and-white, any of the Marlene Dietrich/Josef von Sternberg movies and, of course, Sundays and Cybele. For color, I’ll name The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping they find the package and happy to be done with the short and semi-sweet notes.