Despite the additional aches and pains associated with advancing years, I had a great birthday weekend. For one thing, Friday night I was able to buy dinner for myself and three friends. This may not sound like a typical gift to you, but then you haven’t been unemployed for over a year. Finally having the resources to actually choose whether or not you can do something like that, as opposed to just automatically not, is very liberating.

And then there was ice-cream cake.

And dancing.

Saturday didn’t really begin until one in the afternoon due to the after-effects of the above; but once it did, things began to bode well for the coming year. ADG was kind enough to get me many thoughtful and awesome gifts; each I now have no idea how I might have lived so long without. Most of the day was spent lolling around listlessly and relaxing, vaguely aware that we had dinner plans later in the evening. I suggested on a couple of occasions that we might delay dinner for the next day, as it was cool if we just kept lying in bed watching the UT game and Office Space. ADG, however, was insistent…
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…which was good as she’d organized a surprise party. Which was awesome. And also awesome.