So what's up?

I've been doing quite a bit since I returned from Europe (aside from spreading the news about my wife's pregnancy).

Last week I worked quite a bit. I had a few recording sessions both for the Mancini Institute and a couple of friends. Thurs. and Fri. I played for a cocktail party on the roof of the Regent Beverly Wilshire. The party was for the movie press after a screening of the upcoming film 'Hollywoodland'. I was hoping Diane Lane would show up but, alas, no celebs were present. As a matter of fact I don't think much press was present either, both nights there looked to only be 20 or so people in attendance. Hope that doesn't mean the movie sucks.

Saturday Carrie and I saw 'Clerks 2.' Those who know me know that 'Clerks' is one of my all-time favorite movies. But I think that the original is Kevin Smith's best movie and every film he's released since then has been increasingly bad. They've all been pretty mediocre with the exception of 'Chasing Amy'. 'Mallrats' was funny but shallow, 'Dogma' badly needed some editing and about a half hour chopped off of it, 'Jay and Silent Bob' featured two characters that were much funnier and effective as secondary characters, and 'Jersey Girl' was fun but not much more than stock romantic comedy fare. When I heard 'Clerks 2' was being made I was disappointed. Smith had said that 'Jay and Silent Bob' was to be the last film he made featuring the New Jersey characters from the first four movies. Obviously not the case. But I had to see it anyway, I couldn't help myself.

I was right. I got the feeling the Smith was doing nothing more than clinging to the characters, jokes, and plotlines that made him a success in the first place. Kind of sad really. But the movie was fun and did make me laugh a few times. Carrie went with me, she enjoyed it even less than I did.

Yesterday we went to a friend of mine's hockey game. Today I played poker.

Not bad ways to spend some time off.