On the way to Martha's birthday party in the Sunset we stopped at Nick's so I could pick up some tapes I'd lent him (and lend him some more). Briggs got out one of Nick's scrapbooks and I was glad to see them connecting on that level, since they're both archivists and their both much more about craft than I am.

Had a nice time at Rich and Martha's. John Henry is getting to an interesting age. I learned that "book... Johnny boy" means "please give me that book." Tim, an old friend who gave me legal advice when I was responding to Mattel, made partner at his small firm this year and told me that by the principle of laches, Mattel's failure to respond to my reply to their letter undermines their case and puts me damn close to declaring victory (in my small battle - overall they may have won the war).

The old neighborhood (9th and Judah) has really come up in the world. Ivy-league sweatshirted students from UC Med have been supplanted by yupped-out parents pushing four-wheel drive off-road capable baby carriages, old-time greasy spoons have been replaced by nuevo-nouvelle cuisine joints like House, where we had dinner tonight. I had very rare ahi tuna.