Down in San Diego

I'm sitting in a conference room in the Sheraton in San Diego. It's ELC time again, and all the Superintendents are deeply embroiled in small group discussions. This is the largest ELC since I began doing the conferences ten years ago, and it's really exciting to see so many school leaders packed into one space.

I'm always a little nervous going into these, as I offer lateral thinking that usually makes sense to them, but sometimes goes completely out to left field for them. They don't mind that so much, as it presents a cognitive challenge for them. So far, though, everything seems spot on. The theme, memory and how to make your message "stick" is a theme that is more directly touched on in film than some of the others in the past. (for those not familiar, I make a video montage of the conference theme, and provide metaphor illustrations from movies at break points to reinforce whatever they are currently talking about)

It's been a very encouraging week, with songs coming in for Sweetie Tanya from Arwen Anderson and Steve Kahn, and the peace that comes from having The Chinese Angle finally cast. I got photos from a shoot on Sunday for The Chinese Angle, and they look fabulous. I think we'll have a final postcard image by tonight. I'll post a link to it here!

I had the great pleasure of running into Oliver Crow last night. I was walking back from my meeting with Antero for The Invisible Forest and realized I was walking only a few blocks from the Crow/Shaferman residence. I got voicemail though, and headed back to Oakland. I needed to swing by the office, as I had left a crucial piece of cabling there that I would need here in San Diego. Oliver called as I was walking into the building, and he was only two blocks away at the Lake Merritt Dance Center. I haven't hung out with Ollie in at least six months, so we went for a lake walk and chilled out for the rest of the evening.

Needless to say, I was *very* glad that I had finished my ELC montage the night before.

Tomorrow I'll head back home, and then it's off to Rangoria next week.