SUMMER SOLSTICE

I'm always a bit sad that the first day of summer is also the longest day of summer....  Just as we start to enjoy the freedom and relaxation and late evenings that summer brings, it starts to go away.  Were I a poet, I'd write a heartbreaking poem about this....

But, being just a screenwriter with far too many meetings happening to get anything else done in my life, I will post some more pics instead....

June 8:

A couple more confirmation pics that really should have gone in the previous post.  Here's one of the few family photos we have taken in years, probably the only one we'll take all year:



June 9:

The last confo picture:  Sabrina and some of her friends from Harvard-Westlake who came to her confirmation (a couple had to leave early)....



June 10:

This has not been the best year for jacaranda trees.  They flowered late, and seem to be speeding through their flowering season.  I haven't had that moment yet this year that I've become accustomed to in late spring -- the moment where you turn a corner onto a street that's all jacarandas, and everything around you is brilliant purple and you just catch your breath with the beauty.  I've been trying and trying to get a decent jacaranda picture, but nothing has turned out well.  So I've had to settle for the loveliness of fallen blossoms on the grass....  Is it any wonder that purple and green are my favorite colors together?



June 11:

Our writers group has a tradition that whenever someone sells a script, the triumphant writer takes the group out to lunch (the level of restaurant is determined by the size of the sale).  Here we all are (minus Bob) at our lunch to celebrate the sale of POMPEII.



June 12:

A lovely little moment after church when brothers Michael and Daniel pulled out a ukelele (which they just happened to have with them) and serenaded us with the Iz version of "Over the Rainbow."  Absolutely beautiful.  I took a little bit of video, too, but don't know yet how to transfer iPhone video to my computer in a usable way.



June 13:

Such a treat to have my friend Kitty here in L.A., passing through for a few days on her way from Australia to New York.  And an extra bonus treat that, not only did she make time for me, but my afternoon meeting got pushed, so we could have a 3-hour lunch.  Mexican food, of course, since she can't get it in Australia.



June 14:

We like going to movies in the mornings.  Not only do you get that lovely $6 ticket (at AMC Theatres) but you still have part of the day to get stuff done.  But apparently not everyone likes movies in the morning.  This was our theater for X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, about 3 minutes before the 11:45 showing was about to start.  Oh dear.



June 15:

What a thrill to get to see the Avery Hall/New York Philharmonic concert version of Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY!  It was so terrific -- Neil Patrick Harris was easily the best Bobby I've ever seen.  An absolutely packed house for the event.



June 16:

I understand that a place like The Grove needs to keep renovating and redecorating.  But perhaps they could rephrase some of their signs.



June 17:

One in a series of photos in the changing room of the Beverly Hills salon where I get my hair cut.  On Feb. 1, the hangers were empty -- only 3 people in the salon.  On April 30, quite a few empty hangers, but also a decent amount of business.  Today, the place was packed and I could hardly find a hanger for my own clothes.  Let's consider this a leading economic indicator.



June 18:

Cory is about to turn 17.  Oh my.  How did that happen?....  Regardless, it means another party.  Since summertime parties are always difficult, we did it a bit early (not as early as we wanted to, though).  But Cory blew out the candles before I could get the picture.  That boy is so difficult.



June 19:

When it's your birthday at ComedySportz, they pull you up onstage to participate in one of the improv games.  Cory acquitted himself quite well, gave them something to work with, got off a few good lines.  Given some of the embarrassed birthdayers I've seen standing on the stage like a stick of wood, I think the performers were probably thrilled to have him there.



June 20:

Driving to a meeting in Santa Monica, we found ourselves behind the Google Earth Street View camera car.  We were so tickled, we ended up chasing it for a few blocks, had to circle back to find our meeting.  Good thing we were running early!



June 21:

Hammering out a pitch takes work.  It also takes good food, endless caffeine, and a place to plug in.  Happily, this one seems to be working.



And it's all downhill (e.g., shorter days) from here....