Happy 55th wedding anniversary to my amazing parents!

Like their parents before them, they continue to set a quiet example of unbounded altruism and unquestioning kindness, whether they're securing food, clothing and shelter for people in need; providing comfort and care for sick friends and strangers alike; prioritizing their lives around the needs and activities of their grandchildren; taking in their broken son and working fiercely to repatriate him through endless ups and downs; or simply providing a freshly baked pie for someone in need of delicious homemade goodness. They’ve gracefully faced challenges like my dad's macular degeneration and my mom’s breast cancer head-on, invited lonely people to join us for Christmas dinner, and good-naturedly endured constant ribbing from their children. The example they set for us is so genuine and so inspiring that I fear I can never do it justice in the way I live my life. They love us unconditionally and we gratefully love them back. I'm proud to call them my parents and I'm thrilled that I can laud them publicly so the people who are important to me can celebrate their anniversary with us.

My grandmother braided and stitched these monsters by hand 75 years ago

and they’ve held up insanely well underfoot in multiple rooms in multiple houses in multiple cities since then. But as impressed (and kinda proud) as I am by all of that, they’re about to leave my bedroom and go into storage as part of my Total Mega-Dood Bedroom Makeover.

Sweet 16!

Happy 16th birthday to my delightful niece, who has grown from being a squirmy toddler who refused to be snuggled to an adorable little girl who charmed everyone into giving her cookies and hosted clown- and cheerleader-themed birthday parties to an inquisitive student who’s rocked at basketball and tennis and cello and show choir and debate to a kind, talented, brilliant young woman whose passions for academics and social justice (and I suppose I should mention the Dodgers) inspire all of us to be better people.

My sister literally asked me to take a selfie with my niece outside the auditorium after Newsies tonight

Out of the blue. With no warning. I wasn’t even aware that my phone had selfie capabilities so I obviously wasn’t familiar with the technology, but fortunately there were some “tech-savvy” (as the students say) students (as they call themselves) nearby who patiently taught me how to use the selfie functionality on my phone correctly, safely and responsibly. So here is my first-ever attempt, which I wouldn’t even have if it weren’t for the supportive wisdom of my sister:

But anyway. Newsies. Wow. Disney selected my high school’s theater department as one of five in the country for their first school licensing of the show, no doubt because of the groundbreaking work I did there when I had the lead in Oedipus Rex when I was a senior and we all know that emotionally and morally labyrinthine Greek tragedy + unworldly high-school actors = transcendent theater magic and I hate to brag but it’s staggeringly obvious that you can draw a straight line from the sticky stage blood matting my eyes shut on that stage in 1985 directly to tonight’s epic “Seize the Day” sung on that same stage by kids whose parents weren’t even old enough to drive in 1985. So you’re welcome, Disney.

But the torch has been passed. The kids in Newsies tonight grew up with my niece and nephew or are the children of my friends. Some I’ve known forever. Some I just recognize by sight after having watched them sing alongside my niece and nephew over years of school concerts and shows. And I feel so parental and proud of all of them ... and thrilled that they have this opportunity — this AMAZING opportunity — to be a part of this amazing show ... and so proud that my high school was selected for the national honor of field-testing this delightful, brilliant, challenging material. And I can safely say the kids and the staff and the teams of parent helpers and the entire department rose mightily to meet the challenge and blow away the expectations. They’re all the kings of CR.

Happy and safe running today, NYC!

Seven years ago this weekend I went to New York, saw some shows, had dinner with some lifelong friends, and ... oh, there’s something else I’m forgetting here ... shows ... dinner ... yes! That’s it! I ran my seventh (and so far last) marathon! With Jared from Subway! Well, not really WITH him; Subway was not going to let him embarrass the company with any kind of marathon-related scandal so they had him running literally in a ring of elite runners who made sure he crossed the finish line ... right in front of me. The jerk. He went on to pursue other scandals soon after the marathon, while I went on to curse my decision to leave all my cash in my hotel room during the marathon so I had to hobble more than two miles around marathon blockades from Central Park West to East 45th Street after the run because I couldn’t pay for a cab. But Woody Allen saw me cross the finish line, so the entire race was like a red carpet gala. I even took home a big shiny award, which I self-congratulatorily wore along with many of my crippled marathon brethren to LAX the next day.

Of course, all of this was back when the only thing runners had to focus on was the joy of running through 26.2 miles of cheering crowds in all five NYC boroughs and not being wounded and murdered by terrorists. The 2017 NYC marathon is happening as we speak, under 26.2 miles of heavy security — a week after multiple pedestrians were murdered in a terrorist attack in lower Manhattan. I’m sitting here in Iowa unable to protect today’s runners so each one can experience the same euphoric joy I did when I ran, but I know we’re all putting our trust in the extended local law enforcement to keep everyone safe. I don’t know if I know anyone who’s running today, but my heart is with everyone, and I’m excitedly cheering from afar in the hopes that today’s marathon is as thrilling — and safe — as mine was for every runner.