so my 30's screech to a halt a mere 15 minutes from now

A few years ago I began keeping track of who called, left messages or sent notes on my birthday, not because I'm petty, but more because I was kinda into counting, recording stuff and being generally OCD-ish about a number of things (I know the number but I'm not telling because that would just look scary). I don't wash my hands nearly as much anymore, and leaving the house takes half the amount of time it used to. We have 4 exterior doors you see.

The fridge list has become somewhat of a joke among my friends who when calling will inquire where they wound up that particular year and so forth. Last year someone upped the ante by calling significantly early, thereby altogether eliminating any sense of fair play. Now we use Rollerball roolz! Anything's fair.

Got a bday card a full 2 days ago from my sister in Seattle. Automatic summa cum laude there, plus extra style points for clever card art and generously lengthy hand written note. I do not give points for gifts because my tackiness does have limits, though some would argue otherwise. Another sister called early this morning, garnering impressive EBP (early bird points), and my Mom called this evening. I teased her, saying she has so many kids she couldn't really remember my actual birthday wasn't until tomorrow, but she insisted she calls each year at sundown the day before. She has always wanted to be Jewish and this is her way of getting to play like it. I spoke with one of my brothers tonight who had happy wishes for me. He'd actually called last night, too, so he gets additional follow-up points.

My oldest sister usually makes a really big deal of it because 20 years ago she decided her wedding was going to be the day after my birthday. This put the rehearsal dinner, yep, on the 3rd. So I think she feels like she has to make up for robbing me of that one evening all those years back. Happy 20th, AG!

Every so often, on random years, I'll get a memorable "celebrity" one time caller. These are long ago friends, well-wishers who out of the blue remember and call me, totally surprising me, first, because they remembered at all, and second, because they were industrious enough to track me down. One of these celebrities sent a note, maybe 8 years ago, and completely made my day. I have since told him this and he said he never realized licking a stamp could be so powerful. That told me a couple of things: you never know the impact the seemingly small things you do may have on someone else, and this dude has clearly never tried acid via USPS.

People often use the expression "your ears must have been burning" meaning you were being discussed or your name came up, etc. Though I do not live to be the topic of conversation, I will be the first to admit, sure, I love it when people think pleasant things about me, sending positive chi my way, but I absolutely must draw the line at the graven images thing. I mean really.

A neighbor, who I secretly believe he secretly believes he is a prophet of sorts, declared my next ten years, my 40's, the decade of pulchritude. A little hokey and dramatic, but I kinda like it. Who wouldn't, right? Well, we'll see about that. In the meantime, I'll regularly be consulting the Oracle at Kiehl's and various soothsayers of Aveda and Origins. Forget about spiritual growth, green living and whether or not the Dali Lama will ever be allowed to return to Tibet. 40 on, it's all about skin care.