The nicest friends

Today was great.

I had birthday greetings all day long, from friends online, family calling and getting to hang out with people I adore. Emily and I spent the day making monkeys, which was so fun and so satisfying. You know how good it feels to do something that you’re good at, especially when it’s still challenging and interesting? That’s the kind of work we were doing today. It felt great.

We wrapped up around seven and went to Grand Sichuan on St. Marks Place for dinner. Twenty friends descended on the place, filling two giant round tables. Stephen, Chris, Jenny, Aimee, Kris, Lon, Katie, Emily, Jessica and I were at one table. Jodi, Sam, FabulousGirl, Jed, Preston, Sarah, Kahlua, Jonathan, Julianna and Sue were at the other. I switched tables about midway through.

The food was great. Emily ordered a crispy fish, which was amazing–I’ll post pictures as soon as I’m back to my computer. We also ordered something called Bad Smell Bean Curd, because, really, how could you not? It was like crispy, mild blue cheese served with a pepper sauce.

Aimee read my runes, which was cool and strangely on point.

Afterwards, a smaller group of us trooped back to Jodi and Sam’s for Mom’s pound cake. Mmm mmm good. We talked until my birthday had passed. I like all of these people so much. Some I’ve known for ages; some I’ve just met, and they are all nice, funny and deeply interesting.

What more could a girl ask for on her birthday?

Well…my husband would be nice, but Rob and I got to talk a little bit on the phone. I miss him, but friends help make the birthday wonderful. Thirty-eight is looking pretty good.

The funny thing is, thirty-eight seems fine, but the fact that my twenty-year high school reunion is this summer is just not okay.

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