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[George]

Greetings from the Dayton airport.  The rain has delayed my flight by around 90 minutes.

Better delayed than canceled!

~~~Continued Travel Vibes!!~~~

[George]

DR JOHN G posted a fun link yesterday.

Years ago....on the Lake Woebegone show on PBS, Garrison had a couple of people on....the woman played fiddle and the man played a mandolin....they sang Broadway songs in a country style....my favorites were "Tonight" and "Shall We Dance."

Of course I can't find YouTube clips.....but it was hilarious and engaging at the same time.....

One of my favorite "alternative" versions of a show is Schlong's Punk Side Story!  I've had this recording probably since the mid 1990s, certainly within a couple of years of it's release.  It's really fun...even if you don't like punk music.

[George]

And the "Dance at the Gym" track is hysterical!  Listen to the sample to hear why!

[George]

Back from a Philly cheesesteak sandwich and a small Caesar salad, then picking up packages.  Prior to that I had a haircut.  I haven't talked about it, I don't think, but Grant Geissman has been fixing up this house he bought next to his other extra house (he bought it to stop it being a tear down, so there are decent people left in the world).  I saw it before any work had been done and he'd asked me about moving there.  I told him what I'd need to do so, i.e. more space and a proper TV room.  That's all built now and they're putting in the hardwood floor and it's looking really nice.  What I'm liking about it is all new things - everything is new within the house - fixtures, everything.  Still to come, fixing the front yard of the house, which is still horrible.  But he thinks it will all be done in six weeks.  So, as soon as he figures out the lowest rent he can charge (in order for me to move it will have to be less than I'm paying now, for sure), I'll have to make the decision.  I've been in this house for thirteen years now - the longest I've lived anywhere as an adult.  I love this neighborhood but the last year has been very trying - things go wrong in the house and unless I attend to them they stay wrong and then when I try to get reimbursed I get grief for not calling them.  But I've been down that road and, for example, it took three years to get the horrible windows fixed.  These are things that need immediate attention, like the broken sprinklers, but immediate is not in their vocabulary.  Plus the tear downs continue unabated, everywhere you look.  The charm of this neighborhood is evaporating daily as rich, entitled jerks, usually TV and film people, do the tear downs and move in - the houses have changed the entire vibe of the neighborhood and I just don't want to hear any more hammering and yammering and see any more trucks. 

The other house is about seven minutes from here in my old Sherman Oaks neighborhood.  Given that everything is new, I doubt I'll have any problems in the house and even if I do, Grant will take care of them instantly.  So, while I'd miss the City of Studio, I wouldn't miss the mess they're making of it.  The other house has lots you can walk to - it's only a five-minute walk to Ventura Blvd. and tons of excellent restaurants.  Jerry's is still an easy drive.  The big Ralph's market is right there, too.  So, plenty to think about.

Sounds like a great opportunity, BK.  Good luck!

[Catherine]

DR Jr, as a cancer survivor I know how important it is to be careful so you can complete your treatment successfully!!!  Take care!!!

[Catherine]

Guess what I am watching???

[Catherine]

I'm all alone with my guests!!!

[Jeanne]

Hello, everyone.

[Jeanne]

Travel vibes to Larry.

[Jeanne]

Continued MEGA HEALING VIBES to JRAND!

[Jeanne]

I saw Erik today for treatment. I went there in bad shape. I took some Arnica when I got home, but I expect to be rather achy for a day or two.

Of course, I stopped at my favorite food store across the street on my way home. Yes, an almond croissant! (A few other things, too.)

[Jeanne]

Bruce, change is good. You've had a long history of problems with the property managers where you're living now. I think it would be quite a relief, actually, to be away from them.

[Jeanne]

What do people without insurance do?

They try to get on Medicaid. In many cases, they simply don't receive treatment.

[Jeanne]

I heard about an interesting new service the other day: gogograndparent.com.
Granny calls their number and asks for a ride to such-and-such. I think Gogograndparent then arranges a ride with Uber or Lyft--I don't think they provide the transportation themselves--and texts Granny's son/duaghter/other to say she's on her way and gives the driver's name and number. Another text to say Granny's arrived safely.

Has anyone here had any experience with this?

[bk]

Page three?  Really?

[bk]

Where in tarnation IS everyone?  Listening to Czech music?

[bk]

The Czech is in the mail.

[bk]

I wouldn't touch that with a ten-foot Pole or a five-foot Czech.

[Jeanne]

the Czech is right here.

[Jrand74]

Never heard of that service DR JEANNE, but it sounds nice.

Thanks again, all....I am moving ahead.....

[Jeanne]

And I'm 5'6".

[Jrand74]

I hear thunder.

MR BK it sounds like a good move.....

[Jrand74]

That track was funny DR GEORGE....the rest of them were NOT fun for me....of course they are just excerpts....

But the Dance At the Gym was darn funny.....

[Jeanne]

Im glad your treatment plan has gotten straightened out, Jack. Hope everything goes smoothly now.

[Jeanne]

Vibes to all.

TTFN.

[FJL]

BK - don't forget to consider the costs of moving.  or is Grant going to help you move?

[George]

Where in tarnation IS everyone?  Listening to Czech music?

I'm listening to the original Broadway cast recording of A Bronx Tale with a score by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater.  Alan Menken knows how to write a melody.

I bought the CD on Amazon from a market seller.  It's autographed! 

[George]

Time to go to Hairspray rehearsal.

Be back later.

[bk]

I know - the costs of moving are never cheap, but thankfully it's not too far.  I'd absolutely need professionals for all the big stuff and mainly for the piano.

[bk]

Listening to lots of different performances of the Rachmaninov symphonies - oh, how I love these and never tire of them - and the performances, the good ones at least, are so varied and different, but somehow find fresh nuances.  Listening to Mariss Jansons right now - not a conductor I love (his Shostakovich set put me off Shostakovich for a year), but he does very nicely by the second symphony.  Not the best of the best, but sound is excellent and I like his performance.  I've got three different versions of all three symphonies conducted by Evgeny Svetlanov - he recorded all three three times with three different orchestras - they're all different but really good, I must say - all have their strengths - I really like the 60s one on Melodiya, because it's got that Russian sound - but his later two performances are not with Russian orchestras and their probably a bit smoother, sound-wise.  And the more I listen to the third symphony, the more I'm in love with it.  Also, I got a Japanese version of the Ormandy three symphonies - a "reviewer" on Amazon was complaining it wasn't a new master - someone took issue with that and said that to his ears it was, so I took a chance and guess what?  It's absolutely a fresh remaster and sounds great - the US release sounded just fine, but this has more volume and more clarity and depth and it's obvious from note one.  I also found out in the garage a tape of a broadcast version by Stokowski at the Hollywood Bowl - I have to say it's a terrific performance and at the time of the broadcast (late 1940s) it was the only time in decades that anyone had performed the symphony without the sanctioned cuts.  I'm seriously thinking about seeing if my genius audio restoration guy can clean it up - if so, I think I'll put it out on Kritzerland.  It's just like movie music.