Just Swimmingly

In case you were wondering why so many Brits move to L.A.: Buzz overheard this exchange at a recent film premiere.

“Do you have a fabulous palazzo? “ asked a visiting Englishman of a British expatriate friend.

“Yes,” said the expatriate. “We have a different pool for every day of the week here.”

Young Blade

In the mail, Buzz received what could be called a BYOD invitation--Bring Your Own Drums. It arrived from the Lost Dog Men’s Council in West Los Angeles. It offered a “day for men” entitled “A Fondness for Swords, a Desire for Music--Initiation, Tempering and Mentoring of Men.” Robert Bly, wherever you are, have we got a party for you!

It was not exactly spelled out what would go on during the $85 event, though hints were given.

“Initiation, the tempering of the soul and mentoring recall the ancient art and tradition of sword making. First a catching fire, ascending sparks, a rise in the spirit’s temperature and the endurance of the fires of the emotion,” said the invite. “Our metal is tempered by periodic quenching in the waters of the soul: one’s matter dipped in the tears, grief and sorrow; or immersed in the old, the blessing the healing chrism.”

There are very few invitations Buzz is afraid to accept, but. . . .

And a PC New Year

Two weeks ago Buzz told you what the socially conscious crowd has on its Christmas wish list (donations made to charitable organizations). Now that the flood of Christmas cards has begun, we are seeing two trends in what the politically correct and socially conscious are sending: some scream JOY, PEACE, LOVE and HAPPINESS in huge block letters (a kinder, gentler feeling gone awry?), and others give you the warm fuzzies, featuring, for example, pictures of people’s pets. And, natch, they’re all on recycled paper.