Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Danise]

Hi Everyone,

I was very glad to read that everyone had a nice day yesterday.

I wish I could say I had pleasant night but I was up and down and down and up.  I guess I could say that I’m just glad that I’m not down and out.

The only suspect would be the Christmas meal which means I could blame the person who bought the food (me) or the person who cooked the meal (also me).  As you can see it is a mystery with a short list of suspects.  Unless it was the ham—I’ve never been able to handle perversities.  

Anyway, I’m taking it easy with a nice warm cup of lemon herb green tea.  I may even go this afternoon to see the dreaded POTO movie.

You would not believe the storm we had last night.  On a few of the occasions when I was up, the wind was howling though the trees and it sounded very much like it did when the hurricane came through.  My bedroom window flew open at one point and I had to go outside to close it.

I guess something happened at the Badcock store down the street because it’s alarm was going off and I could hear it say, “The police have been called.” It finely stopped after about forty five minutes.  

Jrand, why don't you have your paper delivered?  I only get the Sunday paper  (and pay a bit more for it) but it's worth not having to drive down the store for it.

[elmore3003]

Good morning, all!  Well, I've survived Christmas but will I survive this week?  Movies, movies, and more movies with goddaughter Charlotte, plus seeing friends, doing some small Ohio babysitting for teens of family friends, dealing with DARLING OF THE DAY contracts (still!), editing a desk of music, and a New Year's Eve Do in Brooklyn!

I had a wonderful day yesterday.  The partay at Mr Ron Raines' home was festive and the guests a delight:  the lovely wife and daughter (Amy) of the late playwright Steve Tesich who wrote the film BREAKING AWAY; Mark Johannes and Amy Danis, producers of the LITTLE SHOP revival and the play BUG which is making all the ten best lists this year, and their daughter Zoe; director John Margulis and his wife who works at the Metropolitan Opera; Mitch Weiss who runs the Barrington Stage Company; conductor and impressario Evans Haile, and several other fascinating folk.  

Ron and Dona (who is, incidentally, the first voice you hear on the OCR of COMPANY) always have fantastic bagels and lox, and they also served eggs, ham, venison sausage, with lots of mimosas, coffee, tea, cookines and sundried items I was too tipsy to investigate.  I got a lovely tie from them and a pair of nice shoes from London.  Other gifts I received yesterday were the Julie Andrews CINDERELLA DVD, which came from the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, several tasteful shirts, and a few nice checks.  

Today is my lazy day.  I plan to follow the example of DRMattH and do nothing but watch DVDs.  I have too many new ones piling  up, and I haven't determined yet which will be on today's menu.

I do have one question:  what is RATM?  I hope I put the initials in the correct order.  I've seen this mentioned several times now and I have no idea what it is!

I may have more questions when I check in later.

[td]

what is RATM

Recreational Arts Theatre Musicals. RATM in internet lingo.   A newsgroup which you may subscribe to via your ISP, or read daily at
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.arts.theatre.musicals

It's full of information, misinformation, flame wars and some undeniably fun people (Right, Noel?)

BK sometimes posts there, I sometimes post there; some fella calling himself Steve Newport posts there.  It is Mr. Newport who keeps some people away from RATM, for in spite of his vast knowledge, he'll meet any disagreements with a challenge and harsh attitude.

[Matt H.]

Comments from yesterday's posts:

Yes, for years NBC held the rights to broadcast THE SOUND OF MUSIC, and did so. Obviously their license has expired and ABC has the rights now.

I really wish I had been home to at least flip on THE SOUND OF MUSIC to see if ABC was showing it in high definition (and thus widescreen even though it appears pan and scanned in standard definition). ABC is usually very good at showing films in high definition. A rather pallid movie like ANNA AND THE KING looked stunning in high definition the night I caught it. Of course, you still have to suffer through endless commercial breaks and editing of the film, but I got into it and enjoyed it in HD.

[Matt H.]

Yes, I am SO looking forward to a day of DVDs. I know THE SNAKE PIT and SPIDER-MAN 2 will be on the bill. I have put off THE RETURN OF THE KING until either Monday or Tuesday.

[Matt H.]

I will occasionally post without first reading the notes, but when I do that, I NEVER read the posts preceding mine. This usually happens when I know I'm going to be leaving the house, but I feel I have something I want to say and don't have the time to read the notes and prior posts before leaving. Then, when I have more time once I return, I read the notes and then start with post #1 to catch up.

This happened just the other morning. But the notes ALWAYS get read.

[Matt H.]

Yes, I wonder about some of the films from 1953-54 as well. Was ON THE WATERFRONT filmed so it could be projected 1.85:1? How about THE COUNTRY GIRL or SABRINA or THEM!

[MBarnum]

Question for DRs who have the Kodak Easyshare camera: My camera goes through batteries like crazy (man). I would get about 4 or 5 photos taken and then the battery would be dead. I would replace the batteries and take a few more pictures..then poof...dead batteries! I finally gave up and let others take photos with their cameras....and they took pictures and mini-movies all the live-long day and had no trouble!

So does your camera have this battery eating problem?

[Matt H.]

Question for DRs who have the Kodak Easyshare camera: My camera goes through batteries like crazy (man). I would get about 4 or 5 photos taken and then the battery would be dead. I would replace the batteries and take a few more pictures..then poof...dead batteries! I finally gave up and let others take photos with their cameras....and they took pictures and mini-movies all the live-long day and had no trouble!

So does your camera have this battery eating problem?

Every digital camera I've had went through batteries quickly. However, I bought a couple of sets of rechargeable batteries and a charger, and always keep fresh batteries in readiness. They really are worth the money in the long run, DR MBarnum.

[Matt H.]

I just read an article in VARIETY that made me boiling mad. Oliver Stone was pontificating about the failure in the US of ALEXANDER, and he laid the blame on one thing and one thing alone: picturing the bisexual nature of Alexander. He says now he would have cut out all homosexuality from the film, and he is certain it would have been embraced much more in this country.

Really, if you're not going to be honest about the qualities of a man you're doing a movie biography about, WHY DO IT? And why do it dishonestly when we've already got a perfectly good (head in the sand) dishonest version of Alexander's life done in the 1950s by Richard Burton (it's even in Cinemascope).

Now, granted, I didn't see ALEXANDER, but from what I read in the reviews, there was only one male-male kiss, some longing looks back and forth between Farrell and Jared Leto, and otherwise it was heterosexual all the way.

I really was deeply offended and annoyed by these comments.

[MBarnum]

I am now going to brave the after Christmas shoppers, and do some after Christmas shopping of my own!

[Matt H.]

I am now going to brave the after Christmas shoppers, and do some after Christmas shopping of my own!

I did mine this morning - on line!  

[JoseSPiano]

Good Morning!

I finally got out of bed around Noon...  I've had my oatmeal and blueberries as well as a few bits and pieces from some of the other goodies on the kitchen counter right now.  That should hold me until tonight's show.  In other news...

I'm keeping an eye on the weather reports this afternoon.  Will we get snow?  Will we just get some cold rain?  And just where will it hit?  I really do want to head back down to Richmond tonight after the show.  I guess I'll just have to look at the skies - and roads - when I get out of the show and proceed from there.

In more sobering news... Well, world news... When my clock radio initially went off at 9:00, the first item on the NPR news was about the devastating earthquake in the Indian Ocean... An estimated 6300 deaths so far due to the tidal waves and coastal flooding... Affected six or seven countries... Vibes and Prayers to that part of the Globe.

[JoseSPiano]

Question for DRs who have the Kodak Easyshare camera: My camera goes through batteries like crazy (man). I would get about 4 or 5 photos taken and then the battery would be dead. I would replace the batteries and take a few more pictures..then poof...dead batteries! I finally gave up and let others take photos with their cameras....and they took pictures and mini-movies all the live-long day and had no trouble!

So does your camera have this battery eating problem?

Hmm... Do any of your manuals give some sort of battery life chart?  Or maybe you just need to make another trip back to Best Buy to exchange it... again..

I've also found that if you use the display/picture window, that that can eat up battery life faster.  -I just always still prefer to use the view finder.

I have an Olympus model, and although standard AA batteries can be used, they recommend rechargeables - they just last longer.  However, if you can get a hold of those industrial "style" batteries - theatre get them for wireless microphones - those do pack quite a lot of power. *Arena Stage - as well, as other theatres I've worked at - has this big bin of "old" batteries from the mic pacs.  They put in new batteries each show, but the old batteries are still not all used up, so...  There's lots of AAs and 9-Volts to choose from.  I always grab a bunch every now and then, and they still have quite the battery life left in them - at least in standard electronic devices. -Those microphone battery pacs use a LOT of power.  In any case...

Energizer and some other brands do make a line of batteries that are formulated for high-drain products.  -I think the Energizer ones are labeled "e2" or something like that.  You may want to spluge on a 4-pack and see if they make a difference.

[Kerry]

Even though this is the day AFTER christmas, it is still the season, and the following still applies:

"There is nothing that I can give you which you have not.
But there is much that while I cannot give, you can take.
 
No Heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.
Take Heaven.
 
No peace lies in us today that is not hidden in this present instant.
Take peace.
 
The gloom of the world is but a shadow.  Behind it, yet within our reach, is
joy. Take joy.
 
And now at this Christmastide, I greet you, with the prayer that for you,
now and forever, the day breaks, and the shadows flee away..."
 
                 Fra Giovanni

[Jay]

Is/Was Fra Giovanni any relation to Don Giovanni?

[Jrand73]

SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS on TCM this morning.

[Panni]

I've just read about the horrific earthquake in Asia. Quite a reality check as we go through our daily lives worrying about petty annoyances. My thoughts and prayers are with the people in that part of the world.

[Kerry]

Bruce, your daughter is an adult--old enough to make up her own mind and to not be ruled by some divorce decreee setting out visitation rights.  So why is your ex-wifelet still creating this problem?  BTW, do you and the ex-wifelet get along at all or speak to each other (other than arguing about what holidays will be spent with your daughter)?

[Danise]

I agree about using the rechargeable batteries.  

When I took my trips, I had four sets for both the digital camera and the video camera. I would load the camera with one set and carry two other sets with me. The other set was in the charger.  That way I always had at least one set that was fresh and ready to go.

I don't know how the cell phone cameras work--as far as how many shots you can get before it runs out-- but I always carry a spare battery for my plain cell phone as well.

I changed my mind about going out.  It's to cold, windy and nasty.  POTO can wait.  I might try to brave the elements to go to the grocery store to pick up a few things but that's as far as I am going today!

[Panni]

DRPANNI - I waited in vain yesterday for the topic to be brought up and the question asked, and it never was...so I will ask.  Why would your newspaper delivery boy bring you thongs?   What did you give him?  Was it the same delivery person from your old abode?  Is it all just a dream.....are you giving us the Gaslight treatment?  

DR PANNI does your DVD of the Colgate Hour include the original commercials?

The answer to question #1 is that - yes - I'm giving you the Gaslight treatment. The Tale of the Randy Newspaper Boy - like that of the Randy Vicar - is merely a religious parable.

As for the Colgate Hour DVD, I haven't watched it yet. I certainly hope the commercials are included.

[PennyO]

Good morning to all. I spent most of the day yesterday with my parents, and my sister's dawg. The p's were alone with each other - not a good thing these days. So I was lightness and cheer, and the dawg was a good distraction. But on the way back to said sister's house, said dawg vomited in my car. I didn't have the inclination to clean up said vomit, so that chore awaits. Mmmmmmm.... yummy! I don't mind, considering what I've been cleaning up at said parents' house...

Lots of thoughts of Present Moment living, of gratitude and appreciation as the secret of happiness, of the Why Are We Here question. Life is good. Off I go into my day, borrowing neither grief nor regrets from past or future. Blessings upon y'all.

[bk]

The ex-wifelet and I do not speak - she truly hates me, a total waste of emotion after twenty-two years of deevorce.  As I said, this has changed (the Christmas visit thing) just last year, and I felt I should nip it in the bud.  The problem is that the ex-wifelet lives near San Diego, so it's a real trek down here, and, of course, she's planned it so that she has the Christmas Eve party, and her friend has the Christmas Party, and my daughter gets lovely giftees from the friend so it's all very appealing for her to stay down there and not see her daddy dearest until after Christmas, which just doesn't cut it with daddy dearest.  

Panni is giving us the GASLIGHT treatment.

RATM is the biggest bore on the Internet.  I used to post there quite a lot (prior to this here website), until it became too insufferable (as do all usenet newsgroups), and I think I've posted there once in the last year-and-a-half and that was only to clarify something.

TCM showed On the Waterfront letterboxed at 1:85 last year - that, too, was a revelation of sorts, as many of the shots looked more dynamic.  The difference wasn't as great as Dial M, but now when I see Waterfront full-frame I just notice the head room.  Country Girl should be 1:85 and so should The Bad Seed - both would have been projected that way in a majority of theaters.  We should have at least had both versions on the DVD, because the differences are fascinating.

[Danise]

Oh, my!  I just saw the news about the earthquake.  They said there were divers at an underwater cave that are missing.   They could be stuck in that cave or carried away by waves.  How horrible!

[Noel]

Recreational Arts Theatre Musicals. RATM.
 Steve Newport posts there.  It is Mr. Newport who keeps some people away from RATM, for in spite of his vast knowledge, he'll meet any disagreements with a challenge and harsh attitude.

I'd only add that it's more than a few people who have steered clear of RATM simply because they can't stand Newport, who answers each and every post (and, often, his own).  There used to be a large number of knowledgable contributors before Newport went postal on us.  The handful who remain either can tolerate him, or, like me, ignore his ubiquitous posts.

[Michael]

best christmas gift:

dear mother and dear neice are visiting me for two weeks!

[Ann]

Good morning all

How lovely to be back in my own bed.  I did NOT fall out of this bed this morning, thank goodness.  I slept rather fitfully, though...kept waking up in the middle of the night and early morning.  I think I'm trying to fight off a cold, and the stuffiness was keeping me from deep sleep.  
But at any rate, I have now risen, taken a nice hot bath, and I'm thinking about a late breakfast before I head out to catch some after-christmas sales...

[elmore3003]

Recreational Arts Theatre Musicals. RATM in internet lingo.   A newsgroup which you may subscribe to via your ISP, or read daily at
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.arts.theatre.musicals

It's full of information, misinformation, flame wars and some undeniably fun people (Right, Noel?)

DRtd, many thanks!

[bk]

Having breakfast, which consists of Parisienne Cake.  Lunch will consist of Parisienne Cake.  Dinner may consist of See's.

[Ann]

Having breakfast, which consists of scrambled eggs, which turned out very well, and hasbrowns...which didn't turn out quite so well, but are decent.