Some Like It Cold

I started a chilly, sunny morning with work. Though it wasn't bad when I got in at 11, most of the day was very busy. Beyond this being the last weekend of the holiday season, it's the beginning of the month. Other than dealing with the usual fun, cranky people who don't bag (and a few annoyed managers who are trying push us saying "give the store 10s on the survey, because they don't count if people don't"), there were no major problems.

My schedule is surprisingly good for early January. I have slightly fewer hours next week than last week, but nothing horrible. Otherwise, one late night on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday off. That'll give me plenty of time to start getting the Christmas decorations down and begin this month's cleaning.

I didn't really need to do much grocery shopping. The only fruit or vegetables on my list was grapefruit. Restocked skim milk, buttermilk, bubble bath, and low salt and fat cream of mushroom soup. Took advantage of the half-off Christmas sales to pick up candied pineapple, curling ribbon, flat sheets of parchment paper, and one last box of Duncan Hines' Holiday Green and Red Velvet Mix.

Had a quick dinner at Tu Se Bella's in the Audubon Crossings Shopping Center behind the Acme. It was about 5:30 when I got there, and they were busy, but not overwhelmingly so. I was able to eat my plain cheese and white broccoli pizza slices at the tables by the window and watch shoppers go by and people pick up their dinner.

When I got home, I changed, put everything away, then ran the 1939 Paramount musical Rhythm Romance, another movie from the box Lauren sent me for Christmas. Bob Hope is an opportunistic boardwalk barker and the manager for drummer Gene Krupa and His Orchestra. He convinces an attractive singer (Shirley Ross) to start an act with him, and even write a song. When the snooty manager of the boardwalk's biggest dance club finally hears Krupa's band, he signs them right there. He also convinces Ross to come along after he tells her that Hope gambled away her ring and the rights to their song. Hope finally makes enough money to make things right, just before she's about to marry the manager.

Originally known as Some Like It Hot (the title was changed when the 1959 movie became better-known), this is a charming but otherwise fluffy little B musical. Though Ross and Hope have two nice songs, a seriously hot Krupa and his band are the major attractions. In fact, their success in this movie convinced Hollywood to give that new Big Band sound a chance in bigger films. Ok time-waster if you're a fan of Hope or Big Band music or catch it on TCM.