This has been a full weekend.

Friday night, I attended a screening of Buster Keaton’s 1928 silent movie Steamboat Bill, Jr., surrounded by historical instruments at the Nethercutt Collection. The Nethercutt not only has a world renowned collection of classic cars, but also restores and exhibits historic reproducing pianos, Nickelodeons, phonographs, striking watches, Orchestrions, cylinder and disc music boxes. The engineering of these things has always fascinated me. Dean Mora, a top expert for 1920s and 1930s music, performed on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ. (The instrument in the Nethercutt Collection is one of the largest of its kind).

Detail of the Nethercutt's Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ. Photo: Reinhard Kargl

Saturday night, friends and I spend time observing the night sky in the mountains outside of Los Angeles. (The mountains of Southern California still have relatively dark sites in proximity to populated areas).

At the entrance to Charmlee Park in the Santa Monica Mountains, California.

With SMAAC founder Robert Lozano and our Newtonian refractor.

Back in the city after midnight, I accidentally ran over a small shaggy dog! Luckily, the animal was not hurt — just tremendously frightened. I noticed the dog had a collar tag, but each time I tried to approach him, the terrorized animal tried to bite me. With lots of patience and smooth talking, I was able to inch closer and closer until he finally allowed me to inspect his collar tag. Finally, an address! Together with my friend Thor, who happened to have a pet crate in his nearby apartment, I sat out on a mission to find the dog’s owner. (Getting the dog into the crate was another problem to be solved. I was bitten, but my leather gloves prevented an injury).

After some difficulties, we were ultimately successful. I ended up banging on doors in a bleak, gang infested, rough neighborhood where hardly anyone spoke English. This generally is not a bright idea in the middle of the night.

But it was all worth it. Roused residents at the building (who at first probably thought we were immigration agents or police officers) directed us to the right apartment and ultimately, to the dog’s family.

It turned out the dog had been lost two days ago and had since been wandering some of the roughest streets of Los Angeles. Happy ending for one dog and his overjoyed family – including a very cute (and very sleepy) little girl in pajamas.

Photo: Dave Gooley

Being a writer, I have a fascination with fine fountain pens. So on Sunday, I attended the annual International Fountain Pen Expo in L.A./Manhattan Beach. Each year, traders, collectors and pen aficionados from all over the world get together to exchange information and trade in vintage and new writing instruments, inks, accessories and ephemera. All of these are prized collectors items.

Photo: Reinhard Kargl

For the fourth time in the course of the last few months, I had to bid final farewell to someone close to me.

John was an extraordinarily kind hearted man who always had a warm smile and handshake to offer. He was the sort of person whom one could wake up in the middle of the night when in trouble, and I never doubted that he would lend a helping hand — no matter what. John was a man for whom honor and integrity were sacred. Not only did he possesses these virtues, but he embodied them.

John was an American patriot, but he loved traveling and exploring the world. Forever curious and deeply interested in history, languages and world cultures, John traveled to over 20 countries on almost every continent. He climbed the pyramids of Egypt and on the Yucatan Peninsula as well as the Great Wall of China. His last travel adventure lead him to visit war memorials in Washington D.C., Pusan, Korea, Nagasaki, Japan and finally, Vietnam. On most of his journeys, John was accompanied by his wife Marie.

John was born on November 1, 1935 in Masonville, Arkansas. He died, as a result of cancer on December 27, 2009. We interred his body at Inglewood Park Cemetery in California.

Heard one of my favorite pieces of music at the Hollywood Bowl: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, conduced by Leonard Slatkin. What a delight on a perfect summer night!

Saddened about death of my grandfather Gottfried (“Fritz”) Koch of Eisenerz, Austria, who passed away at the age of 84 years. “Opa” leaves behind my grandmother, his wife of 63 years, as well as children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Although he could sometimes be stern on the outside, I remember him as a loving man who will forever be in my heart as a part of many beautiful childhood memories.

25 years ago today, John Lennon was shot and killed in front of the Dakota Building in New York. Even though I was a toddler when the Beatles were active, they still had a great impact on me as a teenager and beyond. I can’t quite recall the moment in which I received the news of Lennon’s death, only that I was shocked and sad. Hard to believe that 25 years have passed since then.

News of the premature and surprising passing of a very dear person has reached me.

“Willi” was a kind mentor and fatherly friend during my student years. And had life not taken a different turn, he would have become my father in-law. He inspired my fascination with creative pursuits, vintage markets and the tireless acquisition of interesting, unusual books and objects. He also awakened my appreciation for the art of cooking, fine wine and cheese. During my most rebellious years, he accepted me the way I was, without passing judgment on the eccentric, provocative and outrageous ways in which I thought, dressed or wore my hair at the time. Willi loved to cook, and although I was on a tight student budget, I ate like a king whenever I was a guest at his house, and often left with leftovers for the next day.

He was a remarkable man, a person of genuine warmth and honesty who possessed unfettered tolerance for others, and whose philosophy was simply to “live and let live”.

Without him, I would never have become the person I am today. Thank you, Willi. I am lucky that fate joined our paths for a time, and I miss you a great deal.