Two False Starts and Then Success

Arrived at the studio early so that Ellen could show me the newsletters she had created during the early stages of the history of Woodstock Public Access Television, when the station was still broadcasting on Channel 6. They are fascinating, and in their time, they served to assist their viewers via articles and monthly schedules. It was also used as a fund raising technique as "members" of the studio were mailed copies. Also copies were available in local stores. I told her that if I had the time, it would be something I would like to reinstate. Then my guest, Franc Palaia, arrived and we set up his visual aids for his presentation on Ancient Roman Aqueducts. Ellen then shut the air conditioning (on arguably the hottest day of the year so far), because the noise interferred with the audio of the broadcast, and off we went into Show # 26. After the introduction, during which time both Franc and I studied the photos (I never get tired of seeing the photos), I began to introduce the evening's show. Suddenly the studio phone rang, and someone who was watching it live at home, called to say that there was no sound on the broadcast. We get so few calls during the show, that I just had the feeling this was not going to be a good call. Ellen told us to stop immediately, and she and Richard (who designed the studio and maintains it) fixed whatever was wrong (I never know what's going on there), and off we went once again. On the second try the show was very enjoyable, and Franc's photography just amazing. His knowledge and interest in this area of Roman history made for an excellent show, complete with an abundance of beautiful images. On another matter, earlier in the week I had an idea to write a book about Italy using my slant on things, ya know, truly ALAN'S Italy, but quit after 2 chapters, because I lost interest and found the things I was writing just restating many things that every other guidebook contained. I instead decided to write a book about the amazing experience I have had producing the TV show, and the total experience of first getting it on the air, my myriad illnesses that derailed the project, and finally, how I conceive of and create shows weekly. I called it Alan's Italy: My Personal Journey, and although I talk a lot about the show, also spend a lot of time relating stories of my experiences in Italy, and why I became so passionate about it. It took about 6 days, writing for perhaps 3 or 4 hrs a day to create what appears to be about 120 - 150 pages (as far as I can tell). When I tell people that, they appear to be amazed at how quickly the book was written. I, in my continued attempt to be as modest as possible, use the line used by James Cagney in the movie Yankee Doodle Dandy, one of my favorite movies of all time. The character he plays, George M. Cohan, has somehow gotten into the dressing room of the famous actress and singer, Faye Templeton, to try to convince her to let him write her a show. Faye indicates that she has no time to talk to him, because she is in the middle of doing a performance now, and afterwards tries to get home quickly to Westchester (which she indicates is only 45 minutes away, but a world of difference), because she likes to get as far from Broadway as possible. When she exits to go back on stage, he writes her a song, Only Forty Five Minutes From Broadway. Then when she returns after the next act she is performing, and he presents the song. When, amazed, she asks how in the world he wrote a song so quickly, Cagney, or Cohan, explains that the lighting was bad, otherwise it would have been faster ! That's what I said, but I am quite considerably less famous that the incredible song and dance man, who also composed some of the world's greatest music. I then found an online publishing company who will publish the book for a few hundred dollars, complete with editing and marketing services, although I will be able to also market it myself. Perhaps someone on the planet will buy it, but since my mom and dad have passed away already, and I would have doubtless sold an additional four or five hundred copies right there !  This, however, fulfills yet another dream of mine. The company has already started the editing process, and the book may be published within the next few months in hardback. I immediately started to write another book, this time focussing on places in Tuscany that most tourists never see, because all the guidebooks focus on places like Siena, Montalcino, San Gimignano, etc. I will talk about and show some stunning images of places to which my native Italian friends have taken me over the past few years, relatively obscure, out of way places that are, nevertheless, amazing and wonderful. It's called Alan's Italy: Tuscan Adventures, and will doubtless take more than a week to write (perhaps two).Have a great day and thanks for reading this blog !