my bday rocked.

so my birthday was rad.

it began at 11:00 pm, friday, september 9th, and i was meeting a cast of people for the very first time in a hillbilly karaoke bar on galbraith.

it. rocked.

i only sang one song, John Cougar Mellencamp's "Hurt So Good," and i didn't sing it well, but people like watching me dance so i wasn't an entire disappointment.

I left an hour and a half later, when the rednecks started crooning tunes my way, pointing and dedicating their music to me. i've worked too long at dairy queen in my life to not know when hillbilly men have suddenly got a thing for me. i bolted. :)

and i decided i was too young to go home yet.
i wanted something fun.
i cruised OTR looking for some parking, not sure yet where i would end up. parking proved much harder than anticipated, and i wound up four or five blocks away. "crap," i thought, knowing OTR is one of the most unsafe neighborhoods in all of cincinnati. "CRAP." I was not into being mugged and abducted tonight. I peered out my window. Two guys came walking by. I shuffled my keys, wallet, jacket, bag together and hustled out of the car.

"Hey! Where you guys headed?" 

Neons, they called back. 

"Can I walk with you? I don't like walking by myself down here!"

Of course they said yes, and the night was off. Turns out, they ROCKED. I ended up sitting in the middle of a group of absolutely freaking HILARIOUS guys, all buds, who delighted in razzing each other for my benefit. For hours. Like, three of them. Three hours, at least. Halfway through the night, I lean over to John, one of the original two, and ask if he's got a lady. "Not at all," he says. "So we can go on a date?" I ask, and he enthusiastically agrees yes. 

I give John a ride to his home. We're getting along well, very comfortable, kickin' it, no pressure and easy. We sit on a bench outside his apartment talking till four a.m. When my stomach grumbles, we go for breakfast, and I make it back home to my place around six. I. AM. PUMPED.


**also, p.s. how f*cking cool is it that my birthday cake wound up being panCAKES at five a.m. bought by someone that is hot as hell? umm...hello, good birthday, hello**

Two hours of sleep, and a shower later, Dan, our resident computer wizarding guru, and I are heading to the Apple store in Kenwood. I hadn't had a computer in two years, and the one I had before that was older than fossils. I had one, briefly, before my psycho ex-boyfriend happily broke it for me, and, of course, didn't replace it. My life had been in the toilet for a long time since then, and now,  here I was, with a happy computer wiz, heading to the Apple store to make the biggest purchase of my life.

Twenty-six minutes later, I left with my new MacBook Air clutched protectively to my chest. Oh how AWESOME IT IS. 

I went home and crashed. Dan downloaded and updated my software for me, and I caught another three (ish or less) hours of sleep while my family fervently texted and called me telling me how much they love me. :) It rocked.

I woke up and my mom had Saturday air-mailed a celebration basket to me, full of cookies, ribbons, key lime popcorn, and so, so much love. I had a great conversation with her about her school and happenings, and moved forward in my day with all my family close in my heart.

D + E are sick as dogs right now, and we had chinese take-out for dinner. E took forever gathering her purse and keys before we went to pick it up, and I moved my car in the interim. Getting home, they had set up a cake, a present, a happy surprise! The take-out was delicious, and we spent the time laughing and talking about bdays past and present. Nancy had given me a card, and Dan and Elizabeth gave me an AMAZINGLY beautiful scarf from India, fair-trade, of course. They had picked up a cake, and we fell apart tasting its deliciousness.

Of course, living with D +E is the greatest blessing ever. They're really allowing me to set my feet forward into my life. :)

Afterwards, I headed up the stairs to get dressed to go out to Arnold's with Rick and Ashley (aka the greatest loves of my life.) :D I met them at Arnold's, and we HAD A BLAST! Ashley took a couple of pictures, which I'll post as soon as I get them. I walked into an outside patio, FILLED with big-band swing. It was amazing! Rick and Ashley were already there, had set up an ADORABLE opera-creme (aka DELICIOUS) cupcake from the Bonbonerie with 2-3 candles, and a present in my seat.
Oh, I love Ashley so much!
They lit the candles, I made a wonderful wish, and blew them out.
The presents were amazing. Ash had picked up a book of photos from Cincinnati, and went through notating on stickies all the places we had gone and adventures we had had together. Our plans are to fill the book up with more plans, more fun things! She gave me a beautiful scarf of light and dark blue--PERFECT for fall and winter, and a magnet talking about how friends are cheaper than therapy--HA, HOW RIGHT SHE IS! :D

The band all night was incredible, VERY TALENTED, and they played me a song for my bday, "Country Women," to which I took incredible delight. I wore a wine red colored dress, boots, deep red lipstick, and a sequined heart in my hair. 

I saw John for about an hour afterwards, just dropping by his work to say hey, and then I went home, happy and full and so happy to be alive. The day was filled with over a hundred family and friends wishing me well on Facebook, and I was continually and constantly overwhelmed by how special that felt. I'm so blessed and lucky to have such a strong, supportive future full of loving arms. 

Here's to the BIG 2-3!!