happy birthday, to me

So far, this is turning out to be a MUCH better birthday than last year, which I guess isn't setting the bar very high. My students surprised me with a few handmade cards, covered in candy, covered in masking tape. Maybe "surprised" isn't the right word, since I warned them all week I would be expecting good wishes. I also received a lanyard and a large, stuffed dog. My favorite surprise was that one of my students, (one of my favorites, actually YES WE HAVE FAVORITES) brought a box of cookies to hand out to everyone in my honor. I love him. Cookies are the way to my heart.

Last night I went on a very fun First Date, perhaps the most fun First Date I've ever been on. We had drinks and appetizers and entrees and a cheese platter and more drinks. We did the cheeses taste-test style, and one of them was so godawful he described it as, "sock-like, reminiscent of basement." I spit mine out in my napkin, which was not at all awkward. (I had nine different kinds of cheeses all together last night, and I'm thinking they could be the cause of my splitting headache today.) Also, he made me laugh and didn't try to stick his tongue down my throat.

Today, I celebrated my twenty-sixth by taking three naps and a bath. In a few minutes, I'm going shopping with my brother to buy me a new cell phone. Happy birthday, me! Then we are having Family Birthday at Pink Taco Hip Mexican Restaurant, which is a far cry from CPK or Thai food, which is where we've gone for every family celebration in the past five years. It's also the nickname of female genitalia, which my mother figured out late in the game.

Here's to a good year, full of cookies and laughter and free of douche-bags.