on a warm welcome and my birthday...

Mother of pearl! Over eighty comments on my delurking day post? I'm not going to lie, that's freaking awesome. You are freaking awesome. Thank you for introducing yourselves (or commenting even though I already know you and adore you!) and sharing some bits and pieces about yourself. Can I also say that I'm thrilled to have discovered some other frosting and Middle of Nowhere aficionados? So, anyway, those of you who are fairly new, welcome! I'm working through checking out each of your own pieces of the internet, and look forward to making some more BFF's. (I'm afraid my husband is going to be fairly concerned if I mention "online friends" more than I do at the present time, but heck. What is a girl to do? At least I don't play Warcraft anymore. Wait, you didn't know I used to play Warcraft? I'm hiding my eyes now, as you mock me openly. I'm done talking about it now.)

My birthday was a good day. Everyone keeps asking if I had a party. But somehow I just prefer a nice, relaxing day with a couple of my favorite people. I've never been a party-throwing type of person. If someone else wants to throw a shindig in my honor then sign me right up, but as for me? I'm entirely too obsessive compulsive to throw a party, I think. I'd be too busy running around making sure the chip bowl was filled and that people weren't spilling wine on the rug and that everyone was actually having a good time because oh my gosh what if they aren't having a good time and are completely bored and then everyone will talk about what a lame party this is and I will be so seriously embarrassed and upset and go hide in the bathtub sobbing with a glass of wine because I so desperately want to be Martha Stewart but buckle under pressure.

So. Parties are a no-no. For the time being, at least.

I ended up having a relaxing morning, then meeting up with M for a beach day. We enjoyed a lunch of Wienerschnitzel beforehand, because I thought, "Where is somewhere I want to eat a guilt-free birthday lunch? Heck, I ate a cupcake for breakfast - let's continue the madness with some Wienerschnitzel chili cheese fries! Tally-ho!"

(It was amazing, by the way. As if I'd have to tell you that.)

After lunch, we headed to the beach and soaked up the sun for a couple hours before heading to one of my favorite happy hours at Taco Surf. We dined on chips, guacamole and a pitcher of Bud Light. We laughed until our stomachs hurt, as usual. We walked around the shops for a while, then stopped by our favorite hole-in-the-wall bar for a little bit afterwards, just for the heck of it. M was all, "IT'S HER BIRTHDAAAAY!" And this huge group of people who were more than halfway belligerent and had apparently been there half of the day cried out, "YYESSSS! IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAAAYY! LET'S GET WAAASTTEDD!" And I was all, "I'M DRIVING, SO NO, BUT I'LL DRINK THIS LEMONADE SHOT AND CALL IT A DAAAY!"

I met Jay for a dinner of Pizza Hut pizza, because it's my favorite ever. It reminds me of being a kid, because it's where my family would always go. Deep dish Pizza Hut pizza? Amazing. And to finish the night off right, M came back over for a bit of wine and 30 Rock DVD's with Jay and I. After about three episodes, I realized that mine seemed to be the only laughter echoing throughout the duplex. I turned around to see both M and Jay dead to the world, asleep on the couches. I wanted to shake them and cry out, "Every party has a pooper and that's why we invited you! Party pooopers! M and Jaaaay!" But I'm nicer than that. Most days. (And actually I was pretty tired, too, but don't tell anyone.)

So, that's the way I rung in twenty-four. It was just perfect. And I guess that so far I'm enjoying twenty-four.

I've been doing alot of thinking about things lately; about myself, what type of person I am, the usual questions. Sometimes I'm entirely too pensive, and seem to be more so when I feel like time is passing by too fast. Which it seriously is.