haines his way

11/03/2002:
"HOW LUCKIE CAN YOU GET?"

Well, dear readers, we had quite a little mini-celebration, didn’t we? I don’t know about you, but I’m rather exhausted from it all. I slept like a log (no mean feat) and my weekend visitor, Luckie the Dog slept like a dog. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, had/have a weekend visitor, Luckie the Dog. Luckie is a girl German shepherd and is very cute. Her current family left her here yesterday for a trial visit. Luckie was very freaked out at first, and one simply couldn’t get anywhere near her – she was alternating between whimpering and sitting by the door, and a low growl if I came to near. I just told her in the nicest possible way that everything was okay and to take her time. It was a very rough first hour – she would not budge from the front door. I had bought her some bone treats – those she allowed me to slide across the floor and she’d eat them. I’d also bought her some of those beefy rawhide things and those she looked at with interest but wouldn’t commit. After an hour I had a brilliant plan. I acted very aloof, and then I just walked into the kitchen, picked up her leash and said, “Hmmm, I wonder what this is?” That got her attention. She looked at me for a minute, got up and came into the kitchen and jumped up with her feet on the counter. I got the leash attached and off we went for a walk. Now, I’d been told that Luckie is a bit skittish around people and other dogs – it so happened that there were a lot of people out yesterday, so I suddenly became Luckie’s best friend and protector. Every time we’d get near someone she’d jump up and hook her paws around my arm and give me lots of kisses. In any case, when we got back, she went right back to being suspicious and unfriendly, but two walks later we were best friends and having a great time. And so it has remained.
I must say, that the one thing I could not get lucky to do was pee, and by eleven at night that was very alarming. But I let her out in the yard at eleven-thirty and she finally did. And this morning on our walk she did again. She hasn’t eaten a regular meal yet (even in her own bowl) but I’m hoping she’ll get hungry enough to do so – she has had lots of treats though, so she seems fine. She keeps nosing the food around in the bowl (it’s her food – it was brought with her) so I know she’ll eventually eat it.
Well, that was a fine dog story, wasn’t it? Perhaps we should all click on the Unseemly Button below to see if I have any other animal stories.

As you probably know, our very first live chat will be this very evening at six p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Some of you have e-mailed me your usernames – those who haven’t, do so before six. Michael Shayne posted complete instructions in Friday’s posts, and I will repost them here later today. It will be loads of fun, so even if you are a lurker out there in the dark, do join in for the merriment and mirth and laughter and legs. We are friendly here at haineshisway.com and there is no chance that you won’t fit in.
Last night I watched the brand spanking new DVD of Mr. Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief. What a splendid comedy thriller this is. The type of film they simply don’t know how to do anymore. Oh, they try, but they labor (and I do mean labor) without success. Of course, when you have Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis and John Williams, it is hard to fail – especially with a sparkling script by John Michael Hayes. The transfer is, for the most part, spectacular. If you want to see what vibrant color looks like on a DVD, go no further than this disc. It wall all shot in France and the color is eye-poppingly beautiful. I know we’ve complained about certain movies not looking like they should, color-wise (Singin’ in the Rain) – well, one look at the blue skies, and the red flowers and the stunning costumes of Miss Edith Head and you will understand. Unlike most Paramount DVDs, this one actually has a few extras, and they’re quite nice.
What am I, Ebert and Roeper all of a sudden? I also picked up Houseboat (also with Cary Grant, plus Sophia Loren and three cute kids – Paul Peterson, Charles Hebert and some little girl who should have been our very own Susan Gordon, since it’s the same writer/director as The Five Pennies. A pox on him, say I.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must have two count them two meetings (Lisa Richard is coming over and learning two of the new “Rosie” songs from Nudie Musical for a little demo we’re making), and then I must do a spot of writing and take Luckie on some more walks and then prepare for our live chat. By the way (BTW, in Internet lingo), if you haven’t sent you IM name by the time we start, just check in here and post, and we’ll find you immediately. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the sky is the limit, so take advantage of it with lots and lots of posts.

Replies: 33 Unseemly Comments

Here are the instructions. I'm going to ask Michael Shayne to set it all up for us and then invite us all in.
1 Select the screen names of the buddies you want to invite to the chat room.
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Click Send to send the invitation.
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Posted by bk @ 11/03/2002 10:36 AM PST

This site has gone to the dogs- namely ME!!!
Woof... you are a great walker.. not too RUFF... If I was lagging (and wagging) behind, it was only because I was checking out your buns of steel.
Posted by Luckie @ 11/03/2002 10:48 AM PST

Oh my god such pressure!!
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 11/03/2002 10:51 AM PST

Another dog? Another dog?? *Wag, wag, sniff, sniff*
Posted by Sandra's Dog Roxie @ 11/03/2002 11:11 AM PST

Well well well (that's 3hree wells) Since no one wanted to play my game the other day, I thought I would try it out again on this Sunday Free For All day... here's my original post:
On another chat board (certainly not as jiggy as this one of course) someone was talking about the reprise doing She Loves Me. Since this is a show that is on many faves list here.. I thought we might have fun casting it... here are my thoughts...
Georg: Brent Barrett
Amalia: Susan Egan
Ilona: Alison Fraser
Kodaly: Jim Dale
Sipos: Bruce Kimmel
Headwaiter: Jonathan Freeman (yeah.. I know.. but he was great doing it on bway already)
Arpad: Josh Bergasse (he's an ensemble member of Hairspray)

Posted by Craig @ 11/03/2002 11:12 AM PST

Craig---
The casting suggestions here have been the worst possible choices, not serious casting. That's probably why you have had no responses. For example:
Georg Harvey Fierstein
Amelia Patty Duke
Kodaly David Cassidy
Ilona Ricki Lake
Marachek Dame Edna
Arped Gary Coleman
Shoppers Destiny's Child
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 11/03/2002 12:38 PM PST

Only 6 posts and it's almonst
4:00pm PST? How I wish I could
join you all tonight in the live
chat, but hence, we must
rehearse "Side By Side By
Sondheim" WITHOUT one of the
cast memebers... not something
I'm looking forward to, but oh
well. Hey all... I'm planning
on putting together a gift for
my cast of SbSbS, and I thought
a CD of Sondheim recordings with
odd arrangements, or parody's,
something along the lines of the
hidden track on BK's Sondheim
CD, if anyone knows of any
recordings that may fit this
description or if anyone has any
ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Have a great time tonight!
Posted by Matthew @ 11/03/2002 03:52 PM PST

This was my fear. Six posts. The live chat should never be in lieu of posting, or even in Lou of posting. So, we've got some catching up to do. Talk about things, talk about Luckie, talk about Liza and David Gest and VH1.
Posted by bk @ 11/03/2002 03:56 PM PST

I've been outside all day mowing a field. My sister rented a field mower and I mowed the empty lot where her new house is going to be built (it's next door to where she lives now). That's my excuse. I'm now inside and ready to chat. I just hope I have something (anything) to say.
Posted by George @ 11/03/2002 04:06 PM PST

Dog story.
Our neighbors will be moving soon, after a very short four years. They've been very nice, as have their dogs, but she has a chance to move closer to where she works, which is fine by him, so we're getting separated from some very good friends, including those with tails.
The eldest has been Lacey, a shepherd mix, lovely girl. But she was lonely, and soon was joined by Scruffy, who indeed was, a happy guy just a little smaller than his girlfriend. They were a very joyful couple, playing together and sniffing through the fence, touching noses with our boys.
There was the one day when Scruffy somehow managed to get from their yard into ours. I was at work, as were our neighbors, so the only one who knew what was going on was der Brucer. Well, der Brucer and our boys. Luckily, Scruffy and the boys were familiar enough with each other through the fence that they immediately took to playing. When it came time for der Brucer's nap, with the boys settling in around him, they didn't mind at all that Scruffy found a place as well. As it happened, Lacey seemed to like the little vacation. And when the neighbors came back home, Scruffy was very happy to go back to his own yard, after a day's adventure.
Sadly, there came a day when the gas meter reader left their gate open just enough, and both Scruffy and Lacey took advantage of the situation and went exploring. Later that day, Lacy was found next to Scruffy's body, crumpled by a passing car. The poor girl couldn't wake him again, and was distraught for weeks.
But happier times came again, when our neighbors brought home Smokey, a little Shepherd pup with the largest ears and even larger paws. Lacey wasn't too sure about the little guy at first, but they've become fast friends. Der Brucer has been supplying our neighbors with pictures of Smokey as he's grown into his ears. His paws, however, are still only half-way grown into at this point. And, of course, we've been witness to kisses between our boys and the other pair through the knotholes in the fence, pink tongues washing black noses back and forth.
I hope our new neighbors, whoever they may be, like dogs.
Posted by S. Woody White @ 11/03/2002 04:42 PM PST

Matthew:
For your Sondheim compilation, might I suggest a recording of Maria Karnilova singing THE LADIES WHO LUNCH? Quite possibly the most ghastly performance ever recorded. So bad that it's glorious. It's on a live London concert album from 15-20 years ago; don't remember the title as it has somehow vanished from my archives. It's worth a listen if you can find it.
Tim
Posted by Tim H. @ 11/03/2002 04:59 PM PST

Live chat starts in half-hour. If you haven't gotten my your IM screen name please do so posthaste, to bruce@haineshisway.com
Posted by bk @ 11/03/2002 05:26 PM PST

Silly and great Sondheim recordings:
Silly: "Into the Words" and "Teeny Todd" from Forbidden Broadway;
Great: "Send In the Clowns" as sung by Dame Judi Dench in HEY MR. PRODUCER!
Posted by Jason @ 11/03/2002 05:39 PM PST

Gosh, S. Woody White, you
have me all moved AGAIN by
another dog story !!
Will you stop that please ?!
Don't know if that'll ring a bell
with Allan, but "my" hotel is
honored with the presence of
jazz pianist and singer
Dominic Alldis from UK....
Well, he's NOT playing at the
hotel... he's renting a room !
Hey, Luckie, be a lady tonight !
Hey, Sandra, the name on
everybody's lips is gonna be
Roxie !!
Hey, Craig, you can't win them
all... I know the feeling....
BUT I do remember when Bk
asked us to cast FNM for
Broadway, and THAT was
serious casting, wasn't it ?
Well, a French stage
adaptation of Shop Around
The Corner -- straight play, no
music -- has been packing
them up for MANY months
here in Paris, and grabbed
many awards at the last
Molière Ceremony - French
Tony equivalent -....including
best play, best adaptation, and
best actress !! Ain't that
refreshing ?
Posted by François @ 11/03/2002 05:47 PM PST

Matthew - might I suggest including "Everybody Wants to be Sondheim" sung by our very own Guy Haines. Dang funny stuff, that.
Posted by Jed @ 11/03/2002 05:48 PM PST

Make that: packing them IN !
Wouf, wouf!
Posted by François @ 11/03/2002 05:50 PM PST

I stayed up late last night watching "Strictly Ballroom" and enjoying the heck out of it!
This morning, I awoke with a mission in mind and went out and did all the things I didn't get around to yesterday, including getting some cat food and buying an assortment of birthday and sympathy (you never know) cards.
After returning home and making my late morning coffee, I suddenly realized my throat was getting a bit raw and I've got this upper nasal pressure that says "you're getting a cold"!
Aughghghghghghgh!
Nothing I've managed to do all day could dissuade this thing from happening. As a result, I've been lethargic and sleepy and not at all fit to commune with fine folks in a chat room.
I certainly hope the chat is going well, but I've barely the concentration required to write this. To all and sundry, my best wishes to you.
For BK and Luckie: That's DOG LOVE I'm reading between the lines. What's this "trial visit" stuff? The only time I've ever had "trial visits" with pets was when I was "considering" introducing a pet into my home and the pet's caretakers were loaning her out for a trial to see if she would grow to love me.
And she's "nosing her food" around in her bowl because you're giving her far too many treats! Stop spoiling her or you'll have a rotten doggie on your hands!!! Either that or she was so upset she'd lost her regular appetite and only had a "treat appetite."
Spill the "whole story" please!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/03/2002 06:17 PM PST

Oh the secrets you are missing if you are not jiggy with the chat room we are in...
I'lllll neverrrrrr tellllllllllllll
Posted by Craig @ 11/03/2002 06:22 PM PST

Francois! Ron!! Download AOL insatnt messanger and join us!!
Lots of fun!!!
Posted by MDS @ 11/03/2002 06:23 PM PST

Ahh, the chat room is quite jiggy. Of course, not quite as jiggy as this site, but damned jiggy nonetheless!
Posted by Jed @ 11/03/2002 06:25 PM PST

We are all dancing the hora together via the internet!!
Posted by MDS @ 11/03/2002 06:39 PM PST

I am currently in the chat room and it is abuzz with gossip. It moves fast and furiously...it's funny and dizzying.
Am glad I visited, but "Oy!" these sinuses are acting up.
Posted by Ron of the South @ 11/03/2002 06:55 PM PST

Michel Pawk is getting RAVE
reviews for her performance in
Hollywood Arms.....
And the soundclips for
CHICAGO, the film, make it
.....sound very promising...`
Trailer is appealing !
Posted by François @ 11/03/2002 06:55 PM PST

Oh, Francois...so few people here to chat with you.
It was interesting...and I'm sure it will happen again...but it doesn't replace this Unseemly Messageboard.
It's still early evening here and I feel like poo.
Hope all is well with you, Francois, and anyone/everyone else who is reading.
I need to rustle up some grub.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 11/03/2002 07:35 PM PST

Dearest Anya.. now we know you come here to visit.. now you have to post and keep us up to date (like Kansas City) on your goings on...
Sorry the chat was winding down when you just arrived...
Posted by Craig @ 11/03/2002 07:44 PM PST

The chat continues into the night. Will save it in case anyone wants to know what we talked about.
Posted by MDS @ 11/03/2002 08:21 PM PST

What a swell party it is. Just
let me say, on behalf of my
fellow chatters, that we deny
any responsibility should Miss
Susan Gordon find she did a
poor packing job for her trip to
North Carolina.
Posted by Jed @ 11/03/2002 08:42 PM PST

I got jiggy with the chat. I had a jiggy li'l rehearsal before the chat. My dog, Minx, is getting jiggy because I haven't taken her out on her leash yet...
Posted by td @ 11/03/2002 09:11 PM PST

Where are all the late night posters? A lull like this after a live chat will certainly not please Bruce!
Posted by Jed @ 11/03/2002 10:57 PM PST

Nice chatting with you all this evening; however, my cough and fur balls kept getting in the way!
Posted by Angela D. @ 11/03/2002 11:01 PM PST

I am absent from most things today. A close friend died this morning - we shared our love of musicals.
I hope the chat went well and that no-one was thrown out for unruly behaviour.
Magnus & Fosca send greetings to Luckie (in the rain!).
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 11/03/2002 11:35 PM PST

My condolences, Tom.
Only way to be thrown out of a HHW chat is to not join in the unruly behavior! Hope you can join us next time.
Posted by Jed @ 11/03/2002 11:40 PM PST

Great chat last night 8-D
Posted by Jrand55 @ 11/04/2002 05:01 AM PST

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