Being surrounded by the friends I've made over the years was so amazing yesterday. Not everyone could make it, but they were with me in spirit. Especially my dad, Cenobyte and family, Cheruby, and my brother and family.

I learned so many great things are going on my friends' lives that I didn't know about yet. An engagement, a bid on a first house, a job interview, new opportunities, a possible reunitement, etc. So many good things happening for so many people. Oh, and an invitation to a D&D game. Sweet!

Forty people came out to help me celebrate and five people had well wishes via other mediums including a lovely phone call with my grandma in the morning and my dad calling from the road singing happy birthday to me.

And once again, I was surprised at people getting me presents. You'd think that I'd learn this one. The celebration of my birthday was supposed to be the present to me. That doesn't mean that the stuff i got wasn't incredibly neat and cool and delightful and appreciated. I got gardening stuff for my new favourite hobby, a hammock, an acre of rain forest, frog magnets, Lego knights, magnetic poetry, Logan's Run, thanks for inspiring a friend, money, a silk scarf, a glass bead necklace, balloon animal menagerie, Satsuma essential oil set, chocolate covered almonds, etcetera. And what meant the most was the well wishes from everyone. I cried several times throughout the day for good reasons and none for bad reasons.

And last but not least, showing my age by showing you how much I love this particular piece I found on Nueba's blog.

And lastly, I didn't have a chance to tell everyone why I wanted to celebrate my birthday with so many people. I wouldn't be the person I am today without the influence of all my family and friends and their experience and support and constancy. Thank you everyone for everything you've been through with me in the past 30 years. You mean the world to me.