Could anything be more fascinating than the news released this week that octopi have been found to walk on two, er, legs, in order to disguise themselves? Prepare to be amazed: See this Discovery Channel video that shows the "algae" octopus, discovered off Indonesia, and the "coconut" version, discovered near Australia, on the move. Both have found ways to go mobile in which they take on the look of objects in their natural habitats, "walking" away quickly, disguised, when predators approach. This is really something - perhaps what's most incredible is that nobody's documented this before.

A beautiful spring has returned to L.A. this weekend -- cool, clear, though slightly hazy, and the hills and mountains are covered with green. We brunched in Santa Monica this afternoon and plan to view, finally, "Leoda's head" at the Haunted Mansion in Disneyland this evening to check in on Akhil's handiwork. Meanwhile, Todd's in Vegas with the guys, betting on NCAA games, Heather's got a work trip to L.A. (yippee!) planned two weeks from now, Carolyn's prepping for baby, as is Minda, Regina & Bill bought their new house in N.C. already, and Kendra's due in six weeks! Counting down...

They're calling the wildflower explosion in the SoCal desert a "hundred-year bloom" that we're unlikely to see twice in a lifetime. All the rain we've had this um, winter, has created the phenomenon that's driving thousands out to Anza Borrego, Joshua Tree, and Death Valley -- though they say the same type of thing happened after the El Nino weather of 1998. Hundred-year bloom or not, we had to see it. So, we drove out to Anza Berrago, the nation's largest state desert park, about 150 miles southeast of here, on Saturday. They're not kidding - blooming like crazy! And as full of winnebagos and motorcycles as cacti and other flora, I must say.

Here are some photos from the park:





We stayed the night in Julian (pop. 203), an old gold mining town that's very rustic, old-fashioned, and full of pie (we bought a Dutch apple to go). And it was freezing there -- like 30 degrees. First time for us in this area, which took us through Temecula and San Ysabel. Strangely enough, this part of SoCal was really similar to the New Zealand experience. Same type of rocky, hilly landscape, sparsely populated, lots of baked goods. No snowcapped mountains, a few less sheep, sadly no flat whites, but truly striking in resemblance. Ignore the end-of-the-world-like development you'll endure along the 15 freeway. Once you get to the 78 it's pleasantly bucolic.

Back at home, we're anticipating Monday. Doom. This week I'm losing my favorite colleague, Mark, to greener pastures and Akhil's getting closer to his very long trip to Florida (3 weeks).

Just drove back from an early morning power walk in Manhattan Beach -- one of SoCal's greatest features.

Now -- down to business. Houston, we have a satisfied customer. Cool toys for big kids: Here's Akhil in the Shuttle simulator at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

A wide shot:

Mission Control:

Nick & Akhil, and the littlest astronauts:


(Oh, and the conference went well too...)

Congrats to Marivel, who recently restarted her life as a hairstylist, leaving the high-falutin' world of network TV PR to live a dream. First major gig:

Welcome to our new and improved template. My friend Scott told me to enable comments, so I did. Does it work? Let me know (or leave a comment).

Once again, last night, we went to the Fox and Hound, a very odd bar for L.A., for happy hour. They DO have Irish soccer fans here - just like Boston. Except that here, the bartender moonlights as a supermodel and drives a BMW roadster, and the cook drives a Lotus. Well, maybe it isn't the cook's. Perhaps the Aston Martin with the faux UK license plate is. While I'm here -- Khanh I got your message and hope to talk to you asap!

Here in L.A. it's like a glorious, early summer - our windows are open, I'm wearing open-toed shoes, and the flowers are blooming as they do. Taxes are done, too, so we're heading into (offically) spring with all ducks in a row. Akhil's off to Houston on Wednesday where he'll convene with other robot people -- and visit with Nick at NASA. I'll be stuck here as usual -- not too lucky with my allotment of vacation days. But now that I am reading "Happiness," by Richard Layard, I know that being stuck at work is infinitely better than being stuck outside the workforce. Apparently, joblessness is more traumatic than divorce, death, and a variety of other troubles.

We're richer, he says, and more comfortable than we've ever been, but over the last fifty years, the western world's "average happiness" level has stayed just about the same, while trust, faith, and family have fallen. He also points out the Western world's flawed yet prevalent belief that putting yourself first results in the greatest happiness for the greatest number. It doesn't. It results in "Not My Problem" -- and "Go Screw Yourself!"

It's not like the U.S. is the only place with this attitude, but it certainly may be among the worst. Comparing oneself to others, however, seems to be the real killer. And Americans excel at that. Seeking inner peace is a lifelong commitment.

Once again, I've lost touch with most of my non-California friends ... heck, make that just plain friends in general. Where is everyone NOW? Stuck in snowdrifts, I suspect, as Boston pulled down a few more feet in the past week. Here in L.A., the 101 freeway produced another rainbow today after a day of intermittent rain. This has got to be the oddest winter in a century, whichever coast you're on. Akhil's got yet another trip planned - to Houston - next week but otherwise it's rather dull drudgery here at home, where the holding pattern continues...