I left my job on Monday, as I mentioned.

Throughout the month, I awaited the La La Land Black Friday batch, sure that it would be filled with treasures. As I got closer to my last day and as the job I was trying to get was constantly out of my grasp, I thought to myself, 'if even one of the releases is something I absolutely gotta have, it's a sign that this'll be worth the trouble'.

Today's releases:

If there's one thing I cannot abide, it's being confronted with the knowledge of my fuck-ups.

I know what I said a couple of posts ago about not being happy with what a label puts out, but I have the good grace to bitch about it on a website that almost no one visits. Posting this shit on the FSM board...I may as well announce to the world that my diaper needs changing.

And seriously, no Shirley Walker release for the year? Dick, I am sorely disappointed.

"You having a bad day?"

I used to hear this a lot at my grocery job and I heard it in one of the calls I took today. Usually, it's said in response to a snappish tone in my voice that may have been instigated by the ludicrous demands placed upon me by the dumbfuck customer.

'Well, you must be having a bad day because I just know that I, God's perfect little snowflake, couldn't possibly bring misery into another person's life, consciously or otherwise.'

People can be the fucking worst, sometimes. Thank God Monday's my last day.

"So what's all the fuss?"

Varese Sarabande has slowly but surely made its way back to the comeback trail vis a vis their CD Club. This year has seen releases of expansions of Gremlins 2, Chain Reaction and Outbreak (spoiler alert: this is on my list of favorite new CDs in 2015).

Monday saw the release of a 1-CD distillation of the epic-length soundtracks for Bill Conti's "North and South" as well as an Encore release of Elmer Bernstein's engaging score to Spies Like Us. Granted, other labels have been cooking up the likes of a complete box set for "Lost in Space" and releases of every soundtrack for the Jaws and Back to the Future series, but one would think that these releases would bring joy to someone, right?

"...another lazy reissue..." (and bear in mind that we were told ahead of time that the releases wouldn't be 'Grails or Deluxe Editions')

"Varese disappoints again"

"Is that it?"

Yeah, never mind that some people may enjoy this music, or have waited for a non CD-R release of Spies. Let's just complain our heads off.

Film music is more than spending hard-earned money on CDs. It represents the full spectrum of emotions: joy, sadness, excitement, introspection, etc. For years, I've used film music as a substitute for companionship, and reading some of those comments, it should not be a mystery why.

I imagine people gravitating toward soundtracks because (much like myself) we enjoy the music in the films and want to re-experience it time and again. Even more, I imagine it's because we don't really fit in in society. Film music (I assumed) was the province of the outsiders; the nerds who fixate on its intricacies. Who'd have thought that the obnoxious, boorish jocks would turn their noses up at film music...or that the nerds would become the jocks, 'cause I'll be Goddamned if that's not what happened here.

I guess I should be glad that one of the releases wasn't Maurice Jarre's (underrated) synth score to No Way Out. The whiny bitching would've been off the charts.

Well, I still need to do a read through to make sure it's ready for public view, but I managed to get that screenplay done.

Celebrated my triumph with a re-watch of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Pretty good night.

While rooting around Film Music Site, I stumbled upon the weirdest listing:

As a proud owner of both Carl Stalling Project CDs and an avowed lover of Looney Tunes, this is quite a surprise. However, I have no idea who this Willard is and why this release wasn't trumpted on all the major film music sites.

I think Jamie Lee Curtis's line from Halloween is apropos: "I'll kill you if this is a joke."

I've said it before and it bears repeating...

I so want this to be played at my funeral:

(This or "Billy's Funeral Dirge" from Game of Death. I'm not picky.)

We miss you so much, John.

Interesting bookends to my day: I try to help a Black woman who, in return, gives me an inordinate amount of shit. What a world.