A night inside the writers room of The Mindy Project

Occasionally Angela goes to writerly events with me -- and when I asked her over a month ago if she wanted a ticket to the Writers Guild's event Inside the Writers Room of The Mindy Project her quick response was, "Will Ike be there?"

Yes, Angela knows who the writers of many television shows are. She follows them on Twitter and often I only have to say a first name and she knows exactly who I'm talking about. Ike is just one example - but a good one. He's not only a writer on the sitcom but an actor on the show. And Morgan, Ike's character, is Angela's favorite.

So off we went to the panel, held in a movie theater on the west side. We met up with a fellow writer I'd connected with at Friday Night Drinks and we chatted, checking baseball and hockey scores all evening. A really great night.

After a screening of an episode the writers, including Mindy Kaling who's also the creator and star of the show, talked for over an hour about their experiences writing the show, working in Hollywood, and what it's like to enjoy the heck out of your job. And as the evening wrapped up, something Kaling said stuck with me:

"No one's going to believe in you except you and your mom so just do your own thing. I created my own opportunities and just kept chipping away."

I love that. I love that this woman who was raised to be seen and not heard, who knows it's polite not to be a drama queen and draw the attention of the room to herself, has gotten all the attention by doing her own thing. By writing her own material from day one, from preserving even when the network she wrote a hit-comedy for wouldn't make her next show, by just doing her own thing.

It was a fun, interesting night, for writers and television lovers alike. And a good chance to catch up with some friends new and old. And yes, we waited around long enough after to snap a picture with Ike, much to Angela's delight. And he was just so gracious and thankful to us and very sweet. Which was pretty awesome.

Angela, Ike Barinholtz, me & Akshay

The Magic Castle

Every week Angela and I go to The Magic Castle in Hollywood. We drive up to the big old house and wait in the valet line and then, just as quickly, drive ourselves down to the parking lot, get out and walk down the block to church. Not once had we ever gone inside the castle. Not once. Until last week.

Last week our friends Sean and Lu invited us and our parents to be their guests at The Magic Castle and we jumped at the chance to actually go inside. It's members only, unless you know the secret word, and we'd heard great things about it. They were all true.

We had a magical night. We explored the castle, we read about the history of the club, about the magicians who've performed there, we had a lovely dinner that cost a lot of money, and then we settled in for two magic shows. We giggled and laughed and oohed and ahhed in amazement. My dad supplied his wedding ring for one illusion and somehow the magician performing fused it with another man's ring. Then gave both men back their respective rings. So cool.

Lu, Sean, Sarah, Chris, Angela, & Tom - inside the lobby of The Magic Castle, the only place photographs are allowed!

It was just a regular Monday night in May in Hollywood but inside The Magic Castle you found adults amazed like children at the slights of hand, at the tricks and illusions, all dressed up (suits, ties, and dresses are required), out on the town. That was pretty amazing.

And as we wrapped up our evening and waited for the photographer to give us our commemorative photos, I noticed Angela watching an older man on a banquette. He was shuffling cards, two grown men rapt with attention before him. That's when Angela pointed out that the man in front of us was also the man in the photograph on the wall. One of The Castle's legends was performing card tricks right there at the bar. As we watched, and soon became involved in the trick, I couldn't help but think about how special the evening had been. Friends, family, good food, fun and just a little magic.

Frederick's brother!

When I was cleaning the fridge a few weeks ago I found this note pasted to the side. I'd forgotten about it but instantly had the memory of the day we received it when I saw it...and I laughed so hard! My parents are hilarious!!!

A commencement that is only the beginning...

On Saturday as we left the San Diego Convention Center in the middle of the afternoon after a lovely commencement ceremony my dad commented to me, "Do you think this will be the last one for all of us?"

I told him I didn't know. For our little family unit of four, this is the eighth graduation we've attended together. There was my dad's graduation from Cleary University back when Angela and I were little (but not too little that I don't remember that hot day sitting under the tree outside seeing my dad in his blue cap and gown!). Then there were high school and college graduations and then I managed to have two more ceremonies, from grad school then from UCLA's screenwriting program. With Angela's graduation on Saturday we figure we're done. But who knows? There are still doctorates and other degrees...(but we'll pay off this student debt first!).

But you know the coolest thing? My parents have encouraged us from day one by example and by instruction. Go to college. Keep learning. Read. Write. Study. They read the paper every day front to back. They both have college degrees. They lead Bible studies and learn new skills working on mission projects. They are amazing and exactly what I aspire to be.

So is it the last one? Who knows. For a while most likely. But it doesn't have to be. There's a lot out there none of us have experienced yet! But for now we'll bask in Angela's accomplishments - her Master of Education degree! - and celebrate for a while.

A Celebration

Sonora as "Mother" with her stage kids

Last night Angela and I headed north into Hollywood to a party at our friend Sonora's house. We took wine and a gift, we mingled with people I've met once before or not at all, and we spent a lot of time grazing the lovely spread of snacks laid out before us. We talked with a mutual friend we don't see socially enough and we had a great evening.

The reason for a Monday night party?

Sonora, our host (also the producer I'm working with), was in last night's episode of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

I can't imagine what it must be like for an actor to see her or himself up there on the screen, knowing all that went into that day or that week or that year but I can imagine it must be pretty amazing. Not unlike knowing what it's like to hold a bound copy of a script I've written. And we were all pretty excited for her.

It was a lovely night, a night of happiness and love and laughter and something we don't do enough of in this town or this world - celebration. As Angela and I drove home last night I commented how great it was to mark this occasion with friends and family. How great it was to celebrate the little things in life and the big. How we have to be grateful for all that we have and every chance we get.

I'm so happy for Sonora, so happy that I got to hang out with my friends new and old, and so happy that I have an outline done for our sitcom that I'll get to show Sonora at coffee in a few hours! Yay for celebrating!

Challenge Accepted

Two weeks ago Noelle, awesome college apartment roommate of Angela and I, posted on Facebook that she was going to challenge herself to a reading contest. You know, like those ones we all had to do in elementary school where you read for 15 or so minutes a day and your parent signs off on it? I commented, "Challenge accepted."

Guess what arrived in the mail yesterday.

Just in time for May - so here goes. Starting today, I am going to challenge myself to read and write every day. For at least a few minutes. Maybe more. Maybe less. Off to a good start so far - today I read the new issue of Written By, the Writers Guild magazine, and a really long article in The Hollywood Reporter. Also, the LA Times this morning (most of it, well, fine, I read the front page article in Column One and the comics. It's still reading).

Also, I wrote. A lot. I wrote with my fingers too, not my computer. I wrote note card after note card detailing the new outline for my comedy pilot. I wrote jokes and dilemmas and conflicts and a long list of what might get thrown in a food fight. Then I wrote about the five stages of grief and how I might fit them all into a 22-minute sitcom script and make them hilarious. Yes, grief.

So -- here goes! May is reading (and writing) month! Game on, Noelle and Angela!