Thanks to Esther Miller and Mike, we have visual images now!!  We haven't loaded the images from yesterday or today, but I did want to try to see if we could do it and it appears we have.  Any of you folks who might read this might let me know if there are actually pictures on the blog or if I'm living in a fool's paradise!

I thought about Universal Studios more after I blogged yesterday, and I do think they've missed the mark.  It's fine and dandy what they do there, but the reason people are interested in Universal Studios is the movies, so the rides are really not necessary.  Maybe one to show how they use modern technology to give people a virtual experience, but I think they should have screening rooms where you can see movies on the big screen and Mike thought they should have a show being made, from the beginning idea (the pitch) to the final show, with actors and lighting technicians and filming and all of that.  It wouldn't have to be real -- you could use real actors to play all the different parts.  I think if we come back to Los Angeles (and I've really enjoyed it -- I would come back, in spite of the smog and the traffic) I'd rather see a real studio tour rather than one with amusement park rides.  Lots of the studios offer them and they'd probably give you a clearer picture of what the work is like.

Today we left Los Angeles and went out to Banning to visit Mike's dad.  Mike has wanted to come for a long time because he hasn't seen his dad for a really long time (long before we were married, which is an eon, of course).  Mike's dad is in Banning and still plays music -- he has a couple of "gigs" coming up even though he's 81.   He and his wife, Annie, were great hosts and we had a good visit.  Mike showed them pictures of all the furniture he makes and of course, they have seen his website before but they were still impressed.  It is the first time Gordon has seen Anthony and William and they were good guests and I was proud of how they behaved.   Gordon and Annie invited us back for "gusto" and we're really going to try to come, although our schedule is really tight.

Tomorrow we're going to the San Diego Zoo (we are in San Diego now) and then the Safari Park.  I've read that in the safari park, the people are enclosed and the animals roam at will and that's as it should be, I think.  Mike and William are down at the pool right now, and Anthony wants something hot to eat so we'll probably slip down and see what we can find in the area.