Luca is 8!

His cousins and sisters, parents, auntie, grandma, and friends celebrated today!

Happy Birthdays!

Celebrating Laila and Loic's 40th birthdays!

Big family news -- after their wedding in early August, Peter and Claire are moving to the Bay Area! Peter has been awarded a fellowship with an organization in Palo Alto that helps academics like him find jobs in the private sector, probably in the high tech industry. Claire can transfer from Google in Venice to Mountainview or San Francisco.

We are thrilled!

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Violent Times

The incredible chaos shaking the world this week is shocking. Yesterday's horror in Nice, France, and today's coup attempt in Turkey have dominated the last two news cycles. Meanwhile, Trump named his V-P., someone few voters have ever heard of.

Since Loic's Mom lives near Nice and his family is from a village near there, we were all worried until we learned late last night his family members are all safe.

Events such of these in a globalized economy have many ripple effects.

The Republican national convention occurs next week.

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Test Run Angles

My friend Wei visited KQED this week. We needed a "host" for a fake show as we were trying out a new table on the set. She happily played the role. She so charmed the "guests" that what was supposed to be a ten minute session went over an hour.

Filming a "live" TV show with a panel of guests is about angles. Camera angles. That is what we practiced with Wei.

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The Way It Goes

Brunch today with Aidan and Julia.

Julia broke a toe yesterday. Aidan took her to the hospital, where they wrapped it and gave her a boot.

Dylan got his driver's license today.

Coming up on two weeks since Father's Day, when I had my health incident. It was hot, mid-day, and I was dehydrated and over-dressed, given the weather Just as we got to the cash register to order our food (for takeout).

I started sweating and shaking and felt like I would soon collapse. The kids got me to a chair, where I became unresponsive as they tried to ask me what was wrong. They called 9-1-1.

In the ambulance, I got an IV, EKG, BP tests, and they drew blood.

At the ER, more of the same. I was scared because I did not know what had happened.

After some hours, the medical staff decided that I had essentially fainted. No stroke or heart attack or anything like that.

Since then, I have been drinking much more water than I did in the past.

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With My Grandchildren

"Grandfather's Day"