White Christmas

"When I'm worried and I can't sleep...I count my blessings instead of sheep...
and I fall asleep, counting my blessings..."

Tonight I went across the street to The Crosby Street Hotel to see "White Christmas" - one of my favorite holiday movies.  It was co-written by Mel Frank, an old friend, someone I was very close to when I lived in California.  Mel's mother lived above me at the Harper House in West Hollywood and we became friends.  Eventually, I got to know Mel and most of the Frank family.  Seeing "White Christmas" or any of the movies Mel wrote or directed is always very special for me.  I can always hear his voice in the dialogue. 

And speaking of counting my blessings...here are a few of mine... my daughter,  Zoe, my loftmate, Abigail, good friends...family, Samson, the dog who is staying with us for a few weeks, my health, our lovely home...good neighbors, NYC...my work...my writing...

So much to be grateful for.  And it was also a difficult year.  We lost Emily Squires, our dear friend the night before Thanksgiving 2012, and then we lost our beloved Lucy on May 5th, 2013.  Then Zoe's dad was diagnosed with lung cancer -- he's doing well now, but it was a rough summer.  The play, Scrambled Eggs, was up this spring and we had a fantastic 3 week run.  I've gone to Dublin, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and Charlotte for work.  I've done more traveling this past year than I have in many years.  It's been challenging and rewarding.

And I'm proud of the women in Congress who broke the stalemate over the debt crisis.  And Obama for getting his health care program up and running (imperfectly, yes, but still today is the deadline and millions of people have signed up.)

Laws are being passed all over the country to all gay couples to marry!  And next - gun control reform.  That must happen in 2014.  That will happen. 

So many blessings. Happy 2014 to anyone who reads this!  Onward.