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[Cillaliz]

I got the following from the guy I said was trying to set up a fund for musicians in New Orleans.  I'm glad Preservation Hall has started a fund. I would trust them to get the money to deserving musicians

"Since Wednesday, I've been looking for a fund to help New Orleans musicians, who are the heart and soul of that great city.  I've looked through the Musicians Unions (no help), the House of Blues, and numerous other music-oriented charities.
 
Finally, I found that the Preservation Hall (the organization that best knows every 80-year old jazz and bluesman in the city) has started a fund to help support the New Orleans musicians and entertainers.  
 
http://www.preservationhall.com/2.0/donate.php "

[Cillaliz]

I also got this link to a list of New Orleans musicians who are known to be safe.

 http://wwoz.org/music.php

[Dan (the Man)]

Well its the birthdate of a person you chat online with. (And I don't mean Kathy Lee Gifford)

Of course, it's not Kathy Lee Gifford.  I don't chat with her online.  We speak to each other through telepathic means.

[Dan (the Man)]

Its the deathdate (is that a word?) of Elvis

It's also the area code for Kansas City.

"I went to Kansas City on a Friday..."

[Cillaliz]

BB6


Interesting that Ivette mentioned teaming with Howie and Janelle in the Diary Room as well as she being the one who approached Howie.  

[Matt H.]

And full night of video watching for me, after finishing my chores, of course.

[Cillaliz]

And full night of video watching for me, after finishing my chores, of course.

So what is your chore on Monday? I'm beginning to think your system is a good idea

[Cillaliz]

So what is your chore on Monday? I'm beginning to think your system is a good idea

Oh, I forgot, it's Tuesday!

[Matt H.]

My first DVD of the evening was LADY IN A CAGE which I've had on the shelf for weeks but just now have gotten to.

Most of the transfer was very sharp and detailed with excellent contrast - rich looking black and white. (I could see all the fur on James Caan's hairy chest, and BOY was it hairy!)

I found a couple of shots really strange, however, when Caan was in the elevator with Olivia deHavilland, and they were in close-up, it would be strangely soft and grainy. I am not sure exactly why that happened on some shots in the elevator and not others, but it was quite odd.

The movie was as violent and gruesome as I remembered, but there was plenty about it I had forgotten. Didn't remember that Ann Sothern played such a big part in the show. I only remembered her from her room, not a part of the heist at all.

[Matt H.]

Oh, I forgot, it's Tuesday!

Tuesday is cleaning the living room and entry way. It's one of the larger rooms in my house, but this summer, my friend Jeff had been storing a bunch of stuff in the living room while he was getting his own new condo in order. So, since so much stuff was piled up in there, it has been pretty easy to clean the parts of the room I could get to, and I just left the other half filled.

Over the last few weeks, of course, he's been methodically moving stuff out so that now there is just a table and one big box left meaning I basically have the entire room to clean again, and it does take longer.

[Matt H.]

Oh, and thanks for asking DR Cillaliz! I used to try to clean the whole house at one long time, but it took hours, and it was such an obnoxious chore thatg I'd put it off and not do it as often as it needed. Now, doing a room a day, I can get the whole downstairs cleaned in six days spending no more than 30 minutes a day on any one room. I certainly have that to spare, and it never takes long enough for me to get sick of cleaning.

[bk]

Those super grainy shots, MattH, are optical blowups - in other words, the director didn't take closeups in that scene, and when they were editing they needed to go to a closer shot (probably to tighten the scene), and that's how they solve the problem.  Being an optical makes it three times as grainy.  You can see the same thing in To Kill a Mockingbird and many other films, including some by our biggest and best directors.

[bk]

Dinner was yummilicious - we both had the pounded steak with country gravy, and we split bread pudding.  Miss Sophie Jones is extraordinarily beautiful these days (I've known her since she was two), and we had a splendidly splendid time.

[bk]

As a thank you present for some favors she did for me, hotel-wise (she works for the Renaissance), I bought her some perfume - this incredibly wonderful perfume I smelled on someone a few weeks ago, which has become my favorite perfume ever.  It's by Givenchy and is called Very Irresistible.  Womens at haineshisway.com - you will want to give it a try.

[Matt H.]

OH, back to videos.

After LADY IN A CAGE finished, I put in the 1959 HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES with Peter Cushing.

I've been running across this film on various Showtime channels for the last few weeks and every time I'd see it in progress, I'd tell myself I wanted to watch my DVD of it, and then I'd forget and pull something else out to watch.

Tonight, I remembered, and watched the first 45 minutes or so. It's not enhanced for widescreen TVs of course (naturally since it's MGM and the film is a 1.66:1 aspect ratio), but the movie is still remarkably sharp. I don't think the color is quite as rich as it might have been, but it's fine. And I'm really enjoying seeing it again. It's been quite a while.

[bk]

Here is a classic piece of Musso and Frank art for your viewing pleasure, taken by my very own cell phone.

[Matt H.]

Those super grainy shots, MattH, are optical blowups - in other words, the director didn't take closeups in that scene, and when they were editing they needed to go to a closer shot (probably to tighten the scene), and that's how they solve the problem.  Being an optical makes it three times as grainy.  You can see the same thing in To Kill a Mockingbird and many other films, including some by our biggest and best directors.

Thanks for explaining it, bk. Makes perfect sense, but shame on that director! It really took me right out of the film with such a startling contrast between the super sharp shots right before and right after the blow-up.

[Matt H.]

Here is a classic piece of Musso and Frank art for your viewing pleasure, taken by my very own cell phone.

I wonder whose Diet Coke that is?  

[Matt H.]

Then, I watched RESCUE ME, its penultimate episode of the season.

{spoilers}







Some hilarious stuff with the various firemen (one of whom is questioning his sexuality but played for laughs), but much of this episode was grim in the extreme with woman battering (by another woman), an Alzheimer's sufferer attempting suicide, and a tragic accident with someone's child. Boy, lots of plot strands to dangle at the end of this season!

[Matt H.]

Obviously, my copy of RED GARTERS did not get here today. Mail is always a bit screwy on the days following a Monday holiday. I think packages back up in the post office over the holiday, and they just pick and choose a few to deliver each day until the backlog is cleared out. Drives me crazy.

[Matt H.]

I'm also looking for my copy of THE STING and the Garbo collection.

[Matt H.]

Did anyone watch that 90 minute Garbo documentary on TCM tonight? Since I knew it is included in the Garbo set, I opted not to watch it tonight, but I've read some very good things about it, and we'll get to see that color film test she made in the late 1940s when she was considering returning to the screen. Sad for her, the money couldn't be raised on just her name any more and the project was abandoned. At least, that's what George Cukor always said. The new documentary may contain other information.

[Matt H.]

All right, it's after midnight here, and I need to get to bed.

Have nice evenings, you wonderful people out there in the dark!

[DearReaderLaura]

Here is a classic piece of Musso and Frank art for your viewing pleasure, taken by my very own cell phone.

Why, it's the perfect blend of form and formlessness, and it makes a real statement about the human condition.

[DERBRUCER]

The one repertoire staple that I still have to "think" about is "Mister Snow" from Carousel.  The piano part in the piano/vocal score is tricky, and just doesn't fit under the fingers as easily (as I think) it should.  Octaves doubling the melody in the right hand, and then basically a stride piano left hand.  I'd rather play the verse to "There Won't Be Trumpets".

That would be special - the singer vocalizing "Mister Snow" while you play "There Won't Be Trumpets".

der Brucer
 

[bk]

I, too, got not one package or piece of mail today, except four boxes worth of supplies from the post office.

[bk]

Laura, I agree completely with your assessment.

[JoseSPiano]

That would be special - the singer vocalizing "Mister Snow" while you play "There Won't Be Trumpets".

der Brucer
 

Well, don't think I've been tempted to do just that when a particularly attitude-iness singer has just walked into the room.

Of course, there are those times when the singer is "singing" "Mister Snow", and I might as well be playing "There Won't Be Trumpets".  Or when I'm playing "Mister Snow" and they sound like they're trying to sing "There Won't Be Trumpets".

[FJL]

DR Jose - Is there actually some theory that it's better to send announcements in an envelope than via postcard?   Do people just not look at postcards as a knee-jerk reaction?

[JoseSPiano]

Well, I believe tomorrow morning I shall hie myself back up I-95 to Fairfax, and then try to get on one of the afternoon trains back up to NYC.

I really have had a swell time here in Richmond the past day and a half.  Just nice and relaxing.  And I do have to admit that being back here has brought up some wonderful memories, as well as a bit of nostalgia.  I do miss this city.  But that's life.

*And having Joel and John as my hosts certainly has made this visit quite enjoyable and comfortable.  Joel is quite the doting mother - "What would you like for breakfast?"  "Can I bring you some water?" "Are you sure you wouldn't like to go to the gym with us?" "How do you like your hamburgers cooked? and what would you like on it?" "Would you like to practice some more?  We can turn the TV off."  Etc., etc., etc...

And it was also "nice" being able to give Steve some space this week (since I normally stay with him).  He's in the home stretch of getting the rehearsal CDs done for the Men's Chorus, and this is also the week of the big computer system transition for him at work.  Oh, and since Tulane's hospital is part of the Columbia-HCA Healthcare system, he's also been having to deal with all the shuffling going on there medical records-wise.  He did offer to let me stay with him as usual, but I didn't want to impose... And since I know how he can get during those high stress weeks at work...