By the time I finished eating, it was so late, I called Uber for a ride to the movies. The gentleman arrived within three minutes. He was even the same pleasant fellow who drove me to the Cherry Hill Library book sale in July and Lauren and I to The Big Event in June. For some reason, his GPS directed him behind the movie theater building, but he quickly got that sorted out and dropped me at the Cinemark 16 in Somerdale within 10 minutes.
As it turned out, I was 15 minutes late to the second showing of Wicked. Thankfully, I think I only missed the commercials and the first minute or two. I'll go further into this movie tomorrow on the Musical Dreams blog, but I can say without spoilers here that, yes, I did enjoy it. I've been waiting for this movie to come out since the Broadway show was a sensation back in 2003, and I wasn't disappointed. Good things come to those who wait.
My original plan for lunch was the new Colombian restaurant further down the White Horse Pike that finally opened a few weeks ago...but I walked out of the theater and into into a heavy and cold shower. We need the rain, but I don't need to get soaked. I ended up next-door at Applebee's instead. Took advantage of their $9.99 meal deal to get a simple burger and fries. The burger was a little on the dry side, but it wasn't bad, and the fries were good. Had them with a Diet Pepsi.
Made my way up the hill to Walmart next. I was hoping they'd have the soundtrack from Wicked or some good Christmas music, but no dice. They barely had any records left at all, and even fewer TV collections. I just ended up buying apple butter (which I couldn't find anywhere else). granola bars, and more cookie boxes and bags. Grabbed a pretzel at the combination Subway/Aunt Annie's Pretzels to make change for the bus.
Thankfully, the bus wasn't that late. Those cold showers kept coming down, and would continue in some form or the other for the rest of the day. Given it was only about quarter after 2 at that point, the bus wasn't busy, either, and all the traffic was going in the opposite direction. I got off the dentist office on the White Horse Pike in Oaklyn within 20 minutes.
Put on The Monkees when I got home. "The Wild Monkees" are first conned into taking jobs working at a hotel by its owner, then fall for four tough biker chicks staying there. Their even tougher boy friends force the guys into a motorcycle contest, but the ladies aren't as amused.
Went downstairs to make pumpkin muffins next. That's why I bought muffin tins and canola oil yesterday. I had a can of pumpkin around and found a simple recipe online. I used dark brown sugar instead of regular sugar and added the last of the dried cranberries, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. I haven't tried them yet - they're for work this week - but they sure smelled good in the oven!
Put on The Wild Wild West after I got back upstairs and online. "The Night of the Eccentrics" has Jim West seeking the killers of an undercover agent. He turns up the Eccentrics, a group of circus performers (including Victor Buono as their leader Count Manzeppi and Richard Pryor as a ventriloquist) who have been hired to kill the President of Mexico. Jim does manage to escape them, only to fall into their clutches again and be challenged by their sharpshooter (Anthony Eisley).
Got my schedule next. Given we're coming up on Thanksgiving, I don't think you'll be surprised to hear that I have more hours and only two days off next week. Surprisingly and pleasantly, no 8 1/2 hour days. I work a normal 6 hours in the afternoon and evening on Tuesday and Wednesday. And yes, I did get Thanksgiving off this time. I put in for it about a month ago. I wasn't working Thanksgiving again after it was a mess last year, and we get paid the extra money if we work the day after. Being early on Saturday does mean I'll miss the Collingswood Christmas Parade, though.
Worked on the inventory next. Finished out R through T with the Media Theater Rose Marie, Saturday Night, Steel Pier, vinyl and CD versions Reader Digest Treasury of the Great Operettas sets, and the 2002 stage Thoroughly Modern Millie. Steel Pier goes back the longest here. I heard so much about this show in the Press of Atlantic City when it debuted in 1997, I had to have the cast album right when it came out. I very likely picked it up from what was then The Wall in the Hamilton Mall right before they became FYE.
Had dinner while watching Match Game Syndicated. Fred Grandy took Charles Nelson Reilly's place this week while he was out directing an opera. Meanwhile, Gene doesn't appreciate Bill and Joyce's answers about what mindless people go on to become one bit!
Returned to The Monkees after I ate. Davy, Micky, and Peter are "Hitting the High Seas" when they're shanghaied into working for a crusty old sailor who turns out to be a pirate. The trio not only have to figure out how to stop the pirates from robbing a luxury ship, they have to do it without a badly seasick Mike's help.
Finished the night at YouTube with two unique animated versions of The Nutcracker. The Canadian animated film The Nutcracker Prince from 1990 follows the original story "The Hard Nut," with Megan Follows as a soft-spoken and sweet Clara, Kiefer Sutherland as the Nutcracker, Phyllis Diller as the Mouse Queen, and Peter O'Toole as a squeaky old toy soldier. This wasn't a hit at the time and isn't generally well-regarded, but I think it's funny and very sweet. Sutherland is stiffer than the Nutcracker, but Follows is a lovely Clara, and the realistic Disney-style animation for most of the movie is rather pretty. (The actual retelling of "The Hard Nut" is more grotesque and stylized - frankly, Perlipat doesn't look much uglier after her transformation than she was before.)
The Care Bears' Nutcracker Suite from 1988 was originally supposed to be their fourth film, but ended up as an hour-long special and the series finale for Care Bears Family. This one goes off on a story all it's own. It also relates to the original Care Bears film as a teacher tells her dance students the story of how the Care Bears and two Cousins helped a little girl named Anna and the mysterious Nutcracker save Toyland from the evil Vizier and his hench-rats. Anna's little brother Peter is desperate for adventure and follows them, along with Hugs and Tugs, who are looking for their own special ornament.
The short "Tom Turk and Daffy" has Pilgrim Porky stalking a turkey in the snow for Thanksgiving dinner. Daffy first hides the turkey, then rats him out when he hears Porky talking about Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey finds a way to turn the tables and make Porky go after Daffy instead.
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