highlights from last saturday’s party

After being stuck in traffic on the 101 for decades, then getting lost in Echo Park, then spinning out trying to parallel park on an SF-worthy steep hill, which led me to scream “I hate LA!” out my window, I finally made it to a 100% fun party hosted by Ukulady and her lovely Ukulad.

• I introduced Anthony, one of the best 11-year-olds I’ve ever met, to the magical universe of Wacky Packages. His obsession was instantaneous and wonderful. He also gravely debated the merits of standard-issue Pop Rocks versus Pop Rocks dips. He gave me a hug when he left. Siiiigh.
• With the parents’ permission, I got to squish (gently, and with love) a 1-year-old who gamely grinned throughout the procedure.
• At one point I found myself with a mouth full of Krispy Kreme and another in my hand, without a conscious memory of getting to the donut box.
• I talked to a writer who had a similar background to mine (grew up in the southwest; both of us the youngest, by far, of a large family; had dads in WWII; our moms died a year apart at the same age). It was the last similarity that led to a cathartically hilarious and passionate conversation about how lame the Amercian grief process can be — my favorite subject!
• This writer’s fantastic wife and I bonded over our proud Girl Scout memberships as girls — and both of us admitting it was mostly for the uniform.
• My friend Jayne showed us pictures of her in costume for her role in Big Love, which was pretty great and made me feel preeny at the fact I have cool working Hollywood friends.
• Conversations topics with various people: The Museum of Tolerance; the awfulness of LA; how George quit pot and now is really productive; shrink dads; Justin Bieber: hot or not?; circus training leading to life epiphany; guns; how “The South” is not a place (after the guy from Georgia and the guy from Tennessee were encouraged to “drawl together”); wax lips.