Tag Archives: Alan Bennett

These Days

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Let’s hear it for Friday! Well I’m relatively excited about it. Left work at 4:00PM. Lydia had today off and Monday too since her mother and little brother are in from Estonia. So my work load increased somewhat and I didn’t mind, made me busy and made the day go faster which is god. Lately it’s been a crawl, and I blame that on daylight savings. It’s affected my body clock so much that lately I’ve been getting up before the alarm clock. That was ok, no hustle in the morning but still I wouldn’t mind a few more minutes, even with going to sleep a little bit earlier than usual. Maybe it’s daylight savings, maybe it’s creeping decrepitude. I really couldn’t tell you. I’m reading Sherman Alexie, Flight. Good book, interesting plot, a bit violent, surprised that my sister gave it to me. It’s a good read and I’m enjoying it.

Also in the middle of the latest New Yorker which could mean I’ll be caught up when the new issue arrives. I also have two plays by Alan Bennett on loan from the Millburn Library, through the BCCLS system, an online system that allows you to borrow library materials from most of North New Jersey. I need to return The History Boys dvd to the library since the used copy I bought from Netflix arrived so I can watch it any old time that I want. Not a bad deal, it was $9.99. Alan Bennett also wrote The History Boys. He was in Beyond the Fringe with Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Jonathan Miller back in the 1960’s for those that are playing at home.

Last night I watched Lost which was pretty good, not excellent but not bad. Six more episodes until a nine month hiatus so they better get it together soon enough. After Lost, I was lost so I watched one of the Iconoclast series on the Sundance Channel. It featured Michael Stipe from REM and Mario Batali, a NY restaurateur. I used to love REM, met Michael Stipe and Peter Buck separately at McSwells back in the day. An old friend of mine, Ann Boyles used to go out with Peter Buck a long time ago. I was working the door with Ann when Peter Buck showed up. It was uncomfortable for both of them, I think especially Ann.

Stipe I met when he was singing with the Golden Palominos on hot summer night. He was gorgeous then, a bit mysterious, not aloof, Raphaelite curls drooping over his eyes when he would sing. I heard that if he didn’t know what to say to someone he would compliment their clothes. That night, Michael Stipe liked my shirt. I am fairly indifferent towards REM lately. Lost interest somewhere in the 1990’s after Automatic For The People, their last great album. My former landlord Pattie Kleinke had a fanzine at that time, but gave it up when they became super big. She felt they sold out. One of those fans that wanted them to stay small. I guess staying small is not that easy when you sign a contract with the Brothers Warner for $80 million. I don’t begrudge them anything, but they should take a break. I think they lost the plot. Maybe their big in Europe and elsewhere but I don’t think they’re all that here in the states.

I got an email from Christina Miro the other day. She was a co-worker from Wanker Banker. I think she found Jesus. Somewhere. She sent me an email warning me of the dangers of mocking god. The email included John Lennon saying in an interview in 1966 with Maureen Cleave of the Evening Standard (yes I know all these Fab facts) saying that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus. It was true at that time, and maybe even today. But the email stated that since he said that, basically his murder 14 years later was justified, by god. I wrote back that it seemed like that that god was a bit mean and unforgiving. Haven’t heard from her since.

Just got a call from Chuckles who just scored the latest B-52’s from a friend in the biz. There is a plan afoot to meet up and get a burned copy. Woo hoo. I got the single, Funplex and it’s very good. Near vintage B’s. And by that I mean closer to Cosmic Thing than it is to Rock Lobster. I’m sure I’ll eventually get a legit copy and give the burned copy to some lucky reader, so keep it in your pants.

Here’s two interesting things via YouTube. Which is weirder? Let me know what you think.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

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Well it’s Wednesday and I am so over Wednesday. A lot of hype and what have you got to show for it? Just a hump in the middle of a 5 day work week. True it’s a steep enough hump to get to Friday going downhill. I’m cool with it. Last night, watched TV, Scrubs, Daily Show, Colbert Report and it was all good. Come 9:00 I had no idea what to watch. I do love TV, it has been my erstwhile companion for most of my life. A perfect companion that gives and gives. The babysitter I couldn’t shake, nor did I want to.

I scanned to see what was on and decided to give The History Boys a chance. I did rent it last summer, but I couldn’t get into it. Maybe it was the season, maybe it was me. In any event, I was enraptured by the movie. Totally captivated. It really is a great movie. Great script by Alan Bennett. Great directing by Nicholas Hytner and great acting all around. I loved it. The soundtrack had instrumentals by New Order, The Clash, The Smiths, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen and Pigbag, with the final song, Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered sung by (who Julio and Stine call the whiner), Rufus Wainwright.

I can’t recommend this film enough and I regret not seeing it on Broadway. Man was I stupid or what two years ago? Ok maybe stupid is too harsh. Then again I was working with a bunch of snobby Brits and the idea of seeing more Brits on stage was something I would go out of my way to avoid, which I did. And I am developing a crush on Frances de la Tour. Just something about her. I was fascinated by her in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, and she’s great in the History Boys, where she actually has lines. Richard Griffiths is touching and the boys are all handsome and endearing. It really made my night which carried over to good feelings for today.

My sister Annemarie had a successful Laughter Yoga group which was a good thing to hear. Spoke with my brother Brian. His son is back in school which is a hopeful thing. Brian and his daughter Cassie are going to our cousin Neil’s wedding party on Friday night. Bill and I canceled due to expenses and the fact that Bill’s not really up for that sort of thing right now. I asked in January if they were going to the wedding party and I had no response which lead me to believe that they weren’t invited. Obviously it turned out that they had been invited. It would be nice to go but then again, after arranging to take the day off, I rearranged it so I would be in anyway. Got to put in a full week of work sometime.

I have a wedding card which I’ll send off, once again apologizing for not being able to go and see that wing of the family all together again. One was missing when Bill and I went to Neil’s house for Thanksgiving in 2005. There is still most of the year ahead, so who knows? Perhaps if Annemarie and the Arcata contingent we can make a day trip down there and say hello. Beats saying hello with a corpse in the room, wouldn’t you think? A reunion of sorts. Works for me. Go rent The History Boys. I don’t think you’ll regret it. And if you do, I’d love to hear what you think of it. Scripps is fine, you’ll see.

Here’s something from YouTube regarding The History Boys.

Actually on 11.9.08 I’ve noticed that the videos are no longer available via YouTube. Bah!