Bet Your Bottom Dollar That Tomorrow
I'm just trying to get through tomorrow without falling apart or having a rabid anger fit. Susan and Marilee are going as my posse, and if I spring a leak and want to leave I will. I am unfortunately not numb in the right places.

I am watching the film "In the Places and Time of Tosca" which is Tosca in the real Castel Sant'Angelo, Palazzo Farnese, etc. With Placido -- and Ruggero Raimondi, who is a fave of mine from way back since I like basses and baritones. They are usually murderers and rapists (not ALWAYS though) and I wonder if I have some weird liking for murderers and rapists.
Later:"Places and Times" was ruined by C.M., who wiggled too much when other people were singing, and over-acted like you wouldn't believe. And the close-ups were too close up. And some camera angles were koo-koo. However, everybody else was swell. I enjoyed seeing the places: Sant' Andrea, Palazzo Farnese, and Castel Sant' Angelo. I didn't like the translation, either. I'll have to see the newer one -- I read a review that said Raimondi's Scarpia in the first was a cute little kitty next to his later Scarpia.

In a recent New Yorker there was a heart-breaking article about "jake leg" -- something I had never heard of. In U.S. Prohibition days (1930s) over-the-counter elixers containing alcohol could be sold. One particular compound contained an ingredient (simplification here) that paralysed tens of thousands of people. Mostly poor men. Made me weep.

I met with the principal and outlined my plan to split my job in half and give half to a young artist who can learn a bit then take over. At one point Becky said, "How will you exist?" I replied that I didn't think I needed to exist.

I enjoyed Swimming Pool -- it was a little window into how a writer imagines things. I don't think I've ever seen another film that covered the same ground. This one really worked quite well.

I did the Which Trouser Role Are You? and I was happy to see I am Count Orlofsky from Die Fledermaus (which I adore...well, welcome to the club).