A hello, smile, and nod of acknowledgment would describe my exchange with David at the Hammer. I was one of many photographers trying to capture a bit of the magic that surrounds him. He did a collaborative music performance on keyboards, screened his five-year in the making digital project “Inland Empire,” then talked and answered questions where he displayed a flair for ideas and witty sense of humor. And then he surprised us with a live performance by the Valley Girls. All in all, a great evening. Fast forward a few weeks, as if seeing him recently wasn’t enough, I have the good fortune of actually meeting him at a local bookstore’s signing for the release of the film’s dvd. He is endearing and full of good happy energy, I would gladly meet him again.