I am. I know. But now I will make up for it, with the sun blazing in my eyeball through the window at 4:29pm (i LOVE that) by posting some pictures for your perusal. Some of these are repeats of the ones at chicketycheckitout.blogspot.com, so don't be mad. Some are recently new, though.
On the Wednesday before my birthday, on the heels of work, then class, then preparing a lesson to deliver for the 7:25am class at SLP HS (which meant I would have to leave the house at 6:30am on Thurs), then the Louis XIV, Hot Hot Heat, Editors concert at the Fine Line (we got tix for Xmas)...we arrived home at 12:30a.m. and ncd said, "My brothers both texted today to see what we're doing for your birthday." I freaked out stating that I was in no mood, as an introvert who was away from her house for 17+ hours and was looking forward to scant sleeping hours, even, to plan a birthday and that if someone ELSE would like to plan such an event then they jolly well could, otherwise I'd be looking forward to staring at a wall and not having a task list 10 miles long! SO, after this hissy fit, ncd calmly says, "Well, I was just thinking about having b+j, and e+b, and maybe trisha and adam over for dinner."
"Oh," I said, "Well, that seems like a fine plan."
Arrive Saturday. b+j, e+b, trisha+adam, doug+raedean arrive for dinner as well as susie and colin whose presence i requested. And then Karla who brought, as she styled it, "some shitty lotions that my coworker gave me for Christmas" as well as a Velveeta cheese cuber. Then Doug and Rae brought me cleaning products. People continued to arrive. By the time that Kris and Nels showed up at 10, I realized I'd been tricked into a surprise party. And what was more, I thought people were just finally getting smart and giving me some cool shit (like their old copies of Atonement and Saturday), but slowly began to realize that Nate had instructed them "recycled gifts only". But seriously...it took me forever to figure it out. I just accepted everything--the increasing amount of people showing up at the front door, the awesome gifts...and I kinda like that about myself. I'm quite merry and I think this proves that I'm still easily contented (even though I seem like a crazy bitch freaking out over every little thing because I'm over-scheduled). Anyway, some pictures:
Susie and Trisha doing dinner dishes--now THAT is a champion thing to do for a girl's b-day!
Assorted Assembled watching some of the directors' videos ncd got for Christmas from my 'rents. Michele Gondry is what is captivating the masses right at this moment, I believe.
The weekend before the surprise party, ncd arranged to have bday celebration with Mom who was here chillin' clm the younger out. here is a foto of us in our finery after our foray to the Guthrie for Robert Bly's translation of Peer Gynt!
Below is a picture of clm the younger and Mom in clm's new bed from Ikea (spending clm's xmas gift cards there in attempt to get her organized and reduce the "crack house" appearance of her room was a key element of Mom's 'chilling out' process).
And in between that, just to throw yer inner timeline off a little more (just stay on the roller coaster with me) was Give Kids A Smile day. We stay extra on Friday and the hygeniests and docs do free dental work for anyone who wants to sign up and show up. It's always fabulously chaotic. Standing up is Patty (the one who teaches me yoga--which, incidentally, I am now waiting around the office for)and the dds doing this kid's exam is OUR AGE...and has a husband and new baby. And we have another guy who is our age and has a wife and a baby. How DOES one manage to pack all that into just the years we have under our belts?
And here is a picture of your other half as Sweet Bear who reminds you to brush every day, twice a day, and to eat sweets only in moderation. Matt R. once starred in a DVD about this bear. Perhaps I'll find a copy to send you.
And finally, from before the birthday, before Give Kids a Smile, before Guthrie night, but during Mom's visit at the end of January (I think)...there was this visit to Brit's with various people you might recognize (the one sitting next to Susie is her sister...the one sitting next to Justincredible is Colin, her fiancee (don't know if you've met him, but you'd love him):
Speaking of that, did you know that Susz's former roommate, Brenna, and PKO are getting married on the same day as Colin and Susz? C+S are getting married in British Columbia, however, and it is out of the question for me to miss that (for various reasons). Ncd and I are contemplating a split-up to attend both. We should talk about this on the phone.
So, there. Those are all the worthwhile photos on my camera right now. Is it silly to tell the other hemisphere of oneself, "I love you"? If not, I love you.
