My Birthday, by the numbers

Positive

1. Cheri, at the office, baked a pina colada cake
2. Debi took me out to lunch at Gabriella's; marvelous food, good company
3. Gathered with friends and like-minded folk yesterday evening (though the event was not connected with my b'day)
4. Conducted a meeting, and remained calm
5. I only thought about the assasination of President Kennedy once, and was not consumed with melancholy at the coincidence that he was murdered on my eighth birthday

Not so positive

1. No birthday cards, not even from my co-workers
2. I generally lead "Happy Birthday" for others, but it just felt too queer to lead it for myself. I started the group off, and they quickly went off key
3. Actually, that was quite amusing
4. I bought my own birthday presents

Honestly, not so bad. I'm a year away from the half-century mark, and it amazes me that some of this stuff even mildly ruffles my feathers.

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By the way, here's what I bought:
Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac: Celebrating Nature & Her Rhythms in the City
Folkways: A Vision Shared - A Tribute to Woody Guthrie & Leadbelly
Madeleine Peyroux: Careless Love

The Folkways cd is quite old; it was originally released in 1988. I bought it because I was jonesing to hear Dylan sing "Pretty Boy Floyd" again (I once had the tape, and lost it).

The Peyroux cd is new. I heard her interviewed on NPR a couple of weeks ago, and they played a couple of tracks then. If you've ever wondered what it would sound like if Billy Holliday sang Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me to the End of Love," then this is the cd for you. But, her singing is more than mimicry or gimick. You can tell this 20-something woman really feels it. The jazz combo is a bit too nightclub for my taste, but Madeleine's singing makes up for it. Recommended.

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Canon Joplin was at that meeting I mentioned; it was a debriefing of the people who facilitated "Faith Sharing" as a pre-convention event. She was quite complementary of my part in making that a reality.

Just think: three years ago yesterday, Mother Joplin officiated a house blessing for the place I currently live. When I think of the years which preceded that house blessing, and the years that have followed, I marvel. I give thanks for every step. I give thanks for Brother Dave and Sistah Linda, who helped with the house down-payment. I give thanks for Dr. Omed, who listened as I bemoaned lost love unattainable love. I give thanks for Pam, who generously shares her time & friendship.

I give thanks for Elsie. Our relationship could not survive over long distance, but I give thanks for the time we did have together.

I give thanks for you, dear reader. Without you, I'd just be muttering to myself.