yesterday i received and inordinate amount of calls, voicemails, emails, wall writings, xanga comments, e-cards and various other forms of "happy birthday" including a virtual flowers and 5 people singing "happy birthday" into the phone (all in different keys). nothing like technology to make you feel loved. thanks, guys.

today i started my job. well, i filled out all the paperwork and trained for it (i get insurance, i'm part of a union, i should save for retirement and under no circumstances, no matter how christian someone is, should i ever EVER call them a "bible thumper" under penalty of verbal reprimand).

tomorrow i actually go to my library and start working there. this is official coolness (thank you, kathleen, for lending me this word). one of the ladies at orientation today was transferring out of that library very much against her will and told me all sorts of good programs to do, all kinds of lovely things she had done and how much i would love the children. she also said "i put up with things for the sake of the children" so we'll see where that statement takes me.

every year, i got to choose what kind of cake i would have on my birthday. for the past 15 years, i've been choosing cheesecake. clearly, this was not the year to break tradition. mike hates cheesecake. hence, my cake:
















objects in picture are smaller than they appear.