Month: February 2011

I fell asleep pretty early on during the Oscars. James Franco really didn’t want to be there, did he? I liked the Times description, they said it was like pairing James Dean with Debbie Reynolds. Anne Hathaway was charming though.

So I read this piece in the Times the other day, Free Trove of Music Scores on Web Hits Sensitive Copyright Note, and it kinda makes music publishers look like the bad guys.

But I’d just been reading about when the publisher Novello start publishing small, affordable editions of choral classics. They made a fortune (I think) and they made tons of people very happy. They were heroes. From a 1894 letter to the editor:

“Looking back … over the half-century, and remembering … the costliness of good music … it is delightful to call to mind the great work which Messrs. Novello’s house has accomplished in placing the noblest monuments of the great masters in the hands of all orders and degrees of men. To them we owe the greatly enhanced enjoyment of an oratorio which springs from the possession of a portable copy which can be carried easily in the hand and used during the performance. I well remember the publication of the first octavo edition of “The Messiah” … which were eagerly looked for by the subscribers. The same original copy still stands on my music shelves …”

Finney helping me with A Sea Symphony. “No, it’s this note.”

Finney’s all, “Don’t take my picture,” but sorry little dude. Picture taken and more to come.

I had a few things I needed to do, but now I am officially off.  I’m going to read some magazines, get caught up on my tv-backlog, and then I will return here to live blog the Oscars.

It’s gorgeous out so I’m a little insane, but there it is. This is how I want to spend my day.

Okay, on to People and More.

7:03: Buddy, who is wearing gray tonight, looks like he’s about to attack Finney, who is, as usual, in black. Guys! Guys! Who are you wearing? Okay, they’re snubbing me. Guys! Hrmph. Think they’re better than people.

7:08: So far pretty ho-hum. I don’t know a lot of people’s names, alas. Liked the lilac gown on the Black Swan address. Mila Kunis! Love Scarlett Johansson’s dress, but I don’t like her, ever since she made some really catty remarks about over-weight women. Sharon Stone, except for having on too much eye liner looks better than she has in a long time.

7:16: This is pretty dull. Maybe Sharon Stone will say something crazy.

7:25: Celine Dion is an alien. Maybe she will eat Ryan Seacrest.

7:31: Adam Shankman!! Maybe he will dance! Dance Adam! ADAM. Damnit. I love you anyway.

7:58: I love the color, the neckline, the beading on Natalie Portman’s dress!

8:01: I just switched to ABC and discovered that I’ve missed watching Tim Gunn. I am beside myself with grief and regret, and why oh why didn’t I know he was going to be on?? TIM!! Oh wait, there’s a clock that tells me there’s a half an hour left until the show start. I get a half an hour of TIM. Okay. I’m calm now.

8:15: On Echo we’re critiquing people’s teeth instead of their outfits. Natalie Portman did not do well, surprisingly.

8:42 LOVING Anne Hathaway.

I’m going to live blog my day. My day when I do NOTHING. So yes, I am going to blog about nothing. Cats. Celebrity outfits. Okay, I lied, I plan to do one useful thing, I’m going to write a new post for my blog for my book Unbelievable. But then, I will immediately commence with the slothing. And Oscars!!

Looking uptown at Hudson and Bank Street, I think.

It’s almost as delicious as a day off. Before I start working today I’m planning my day off tomorrow. Such fun. Even though I didn’t go to any movies last year, I can’t wait for the Oscars. I just find the whole thing so entertaining, the red carpet, the clothes, everything. I don’t know why! But when I’m finished working for the day I will go out and get myself a selection of healthy and not-so-healthy treats to snack on while watching, I’ll clean up the apartment and then exercise so I can be a complete and total slug tomorrow. I will be blogging my day and the Oscars.

Last night I went out to dinner with my friend Chris. We’ve know each other since we were 13! She still looks fabulous. Even though we’re not spring chickens anymore (what does that even mean? why do I use expressions I don’t really understand?) she’s managing to still look great. I can see the 13 year old in her face still. I can even still see the mischief. (She was a very mischievous young lady. As was I.)

Someone walking their dogs when we came out of the restaurant.

Although it’s rare, sometimes I forget to grab my camera before heading out the door. When this happens I’m miserable for the rest of the day. I’m sure I’m going to miss the best photographs of my life. I went to the library yesterday, and of course that’s when I saw all these shots I could have had. Like the people crowded at the door of the ice skating rink behind the library, waiting for it to open.

I had to wait a long time for the Victoria biography I ordered to be brought up from the basement. It wasn’t a problem, I went nuts on Proquest, my favorite thing. I was looking for stories about choral societies around the country. When the biography finally came it was in Spanish. “Hola Isabel, como esta? Estoy bien gracias, e tu? Bien gracias.” <——The extent of my Spanish. Finney and Buddy's post-breakfast conk-out.