Where does the time go?

Today is my 36th birthday. Celebrations: I went on a date with The Hubbins Saturday night. The girls "surprised" me with breakfast in bed. (I never saw it coming. Not even when Thing 2 smirkingly interrogated me at dinner last night about how I cook my eggs.) My secretary brought a cake to work yesterday, which was quite tasty. I'm having lunch today with some former colleagues, who will join with me in eating my 36 free buffalo wings from a local college bar.

It doesn't get any better than this . . .

When I was a yout, I had a practice of writing a letter to my friend Bill on October 30th. This went on for 5 or 6 years between the ages of ~17-22. The letter would rambling on for several pages, reflecting on the prior year and give a snapshot off where I was at that point, as I stood on the precipice of another year. I don't remember why I stopped writing them -- I probably got annoyed with Bill about something and figured I'd "show him". Anyway, I don't have the time for such indulgence anymore.

But for those of you still reading, here are a few highlights and low lights:

1. I quit a job, was unemployed for 4 months while operating The Law Offices of Me, and got a new job.

2. I immediately pissed off a partner at the new job (for something that was, at best, a miscommunication between me and another associate). I've decided that his dislike is probably not going to make a big difference in my career because bigger fish (including his two rabbis) like my work a lot, send it to clients sans review and with attribution, and give me more work. AND my clients have brought in a VERY respectable chunk of cash so far this year.

3. I rode a mechanical bull last week. Got a big nasty black and blue to prove it.

4. I've discovered the Cosmopolitan, and it has become my cocktail of choice. Nothing will ever replace the Margerita in my heart, but I gave up looking for a bartender who could make a decent one. Sour mix has no place in a Margerita and don't get me started on the fruity concoctions and "top shelf" Margeritas featuring brandy and whatnot.

5. October sucked and I'm glad it's nearly over. Great Grandpa died. Thing 1 was diagnosed with scoliosis for which she will have to wear a brace; Thing 3 will need tubes in her ears; the dog is becoming senile and keeps peeing all over the house; one of the mini anoles died; etc.

6. Thing 2 just gave me the coolest birthday gift ever. She repurposed two t-shirts, sewed them together and made me a bag. I love it! I've got to figure out how best to use it.

7. The Hubbins finally (finally!) got good treatment for his chronic migraines. Instead of being in a constant state of pain, he has had exactly 2 acute migraines (that lasted for only a day or so) since early summer.

8. Lieutenant Sister and I went to a swanky NYPD affair at the New York Yacht Club this past Friday. (That room on the upper right -- that's where the party was. I could have spent the entire night admiring the woodwork.) I wasn't certain of the address (when do I ever drive myself there?), so I looked on their website and concluded that if I had to ask where they are located, I'm probably not their of people. (I felt compelled to swipe a few custom imprinted paper handtowels from the Ladies Powderroom to prove their point. Commodore J. Pierpont Morgan would not approve.)

9. I dyed my hair for the first time last month. (It is darker and redder than my natural color.) I've got the line of demarcation one-half inch off my scalp to prove it.

I can't take any more introspection. Until next year. . .

Frances, Fran, Franny, Fred, Farn, Psycho, Fran-tic, Miss-Tic, and That-Pain-In-The-Ass-[fill in the relationship]-of-Mine