A Quick Word and What's to Come
April 23, 2005No lengthy discourses today. A few random thoughts...
On serializing The Price of the Crown... Thus far, I have gotten close to 100 e-mails, and about 98% are in favor of posting it. The others think I should avoid giving away what I might be able to profit from some day. (Believe me, I weighed this before I made the "offer.") So, at this point, it's likely that I will go in the direction of serialization. Look for a final annoucement in May (before I disappear for about a week on my excursion to Manila, where, I am told, my Internet access will be limited). Posting will likely begin around June 7. The success (or lack thereof) will determine whether I also post the sequel. (There's one of those, but I promise the series does not drag on like The Wheel of Time, and the books stand on their own.)
On updating ReelThoughts... Generally speaking, I have decided that five updates a week is about the right number. Probably four on weekdays and one on the weekend. There may be variability to that schedule. I have found that each update takes about 30 minutes, so it's not a big strain on time. But, for example, I don't expect to be making any updates during the Toronto Film Festival, when finding an extra 30 minutes would be an impossibility. (However, I do daily festival updates, so is there really a difference?)
On "Spamalot"... Just saw this today. I plan to write up something (not a review - I don't "officially" review plays) for tomorrow. Also in upcoming ReelThoughts, I want to discuss the concept of "guilty pleasures" and their opposite, "disliked masterworks." I have plenty of both, which I will reveal over time. First, though, I have to provide an explanation of what I believe both to be. With the end of Star Trek just around the corner, I have some reminiscences. Ditto for Star Wars, which is unfurling its final chapter only a few days after Star Trek leaves the airwaves. At least Doctor Who is going strong again, and I have a few things to say about that, as well.
And to those who scoffed about my appreciation for "24"... I have to say, after the poor quality of the last two episodes, I'm starting to wonder if you might not be right.
Whatever happened to Saturday Night Live? What used to be one of the most consistently offbeat and hilarious shows on TV has turned into a wretched, nearly-unwatchable 90 minutes. (Yeah, I know - it has been that way for years now.) For some reason, I keep tuning in, hoping against hope that something might make me laugh.
That's all for tonight. I hope those thoughts were random enough...
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