Yesterday was my birthday and more notes, emails and phone calls came in than I thought I had friends. Thanks to everyone for being so cool. One student even baked a cake and delivered it to my office. Totally unexpected. But seriously, much thanks!

I’m trying to learn the joy of celebrating a birthday for the sake of the day itself, rather than approaching the day with dread. Have a long ways to go with that one.And it’s doubly good news, because the strike is now history. Despite the saber rattling and threats, the writers inked a good deal which provides their members a foothold into new and emerging revenue streams. More money is always good.

I remember a few months ago industry editorials came out against the strike and warned that writers were in for a long, painful, fight that would certainly end unfavorably for them. In the meantime, the networks and the film industry lost 3.2 billion dollars. A lot of shows in the production pipeline got canned in retaliation.

But the warring parties settled.

I guess Walt the Janitor and Bobby the PA had trouble crafting television shows. Maybe it’s all the coke they snorted off the pool boy.