Hi. I'm 31 years old. It was my birthday Sunday. Don't feel bad if you missed it, I kept it on the down-low. I mean, I told some people about it like a week ago but I didn't bring it up again. It's just 31, which isn't a biggie. I did, however, drive down to Jersey on my birthday to have a family get-together. Along with my twin sis, her husband, my aunt, and my parents,I got to see my 9 and 5-year old cousins, who are sweet and hilarious. My aunt told me that she had to tell the older one, D, about the birds and the bees earlier this year. Apparently they were out at a restaurant one night, and he kept asking and asking why their male dog was going to the vet to have an operation.
"The operation is so Fergus doesn't have any babies."
"But I thought only women had babies?"
My aunt and uncle exchanged a look, sighed, and explained it to him. After going over the physiology of it to him, he asked in disbelief, "Why would anyone want to do that?"
"Well, people do it when they're really in love, because it's very pleasureable."
Apparently D looked at them like they were completely insane. And now whenever his little brother L asks any questions that relate to where babies come from, D rolls his eyes and says something like "Believe me, L, you do NOT want to know."

I gots some good loot. I had a very modest birthday list (my parents request one every year) and, through the generosity of the multitude of family assembled, I got everything on it. I got three books, a DVD, some fun stuff from my sister, and a neato T-Fal (?) omlette pan that has this special red circle embedded in the teflon that somehow tells you when it's hot enough for frying, or something.

Oh - I also got the Atari thing, the old fashioned controller that contains ten early 1980s games, that I blogged about weeks ago. I'm really enjoying it, seeing all of these games with new eyes. They're still really challenging. Even 9-year-old D, who rules the Nintendo 64, was finding them hard. I had forgotten how horrible the limited sound effects were. The programmers must have decided, "Well, we can't make it really sound like a flying rocket, so instead we'll use this ear-splitting, continuous, droning whine. That's close enough."

Even though it was all grey and dreary out today, everyone I met was in a great mood, myself included. At work people were downright cheery (possibly because many are parents whose kids had their first day of school today). I went to shape-note singing after work, which featured some just-returned Smithies. Even though one of the serious singers admonished everyone to try to stay more on key, I didn't let it get me down. I sang nice and clear and loud and it was great. Plus another alto with a great voice said she thought I was 22 years old (after I told her I just turned 31) which is always nice to hear (at least, it has been ever since I turned, say, 20).

30 was a difficult year. It may have been my hardest year yet. It's at least in the top three or four. But I am going to rock this year. You hear me, 31? I will rock you!