birth death and stuff in between

This might be a long one, suckers. Snuggle in.

First off, I have so many photos I want to slap up here, it ain’t even funny no mo. Hopefully I’ll be able to spend some time on that tomorrow.

Which brings me to my next point. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. Tomorrow is Nothing. (Except an HST meeting and show in the evening, but I should have a good 6 hours to myself before that.) This brings me a great deal of joy. Don’t get me wrong, the birthday festivities have been wonderful – in fact every single day since LAST Saturday has included some form of birthday celebration or gift receiving or well wishing. But I’m glad it will be over soon because holy fuck I’m so tired.

It was an awesome week, though, and last night was the final hurrah with a delightful little birthday party at Iguana in midtown. An odd area of town for a late Thursday night birthday party, if you don’t work at ING at least, but it really worked out quite well. My improv group was coming from practice only several blocks away, my sketch group was coming from the PIT where they’d just seen Clayton’s level 3 show, so they weren’t far away either. We carved out a little spot for ourselves in the corner of the bar, which turned out to be the perfect little spot, and it was so nice to see everyone there all at once. I really only invited my close friends – I hate when people feel obligated to come to a party for someone they don’t know, and I hate being obligated to go to a party for a person I don’t know, so I thought I’d keep it in the family. There might be nothing I love more (besides cats) than all my bests in a tight little space, negotiating around each other for more drinks and chips.

I had several margaritas, chatted it up with people who I don’t get to chat with often enough and then, as some people started to peace out, I got settled on a chair and chatted with the some of the dudes, reconnected with Kev, who was taking photos and generally enjoying himself. :)

The night began to wind down when an extremely drunk 50-something came over to our area to pilfer through everyone’s coats and bags because he couldn’t find his own coat. Dude looked through those piles probably eleven times, slurring something to Kevin over and over. What a weirdo.

So I did a shot with Daniel, smoked a ¼ of a cigarette (! It’s been ages since I did that. It was gross.) with Dan, Steve, and Bill, finished my margarita, and called it a night. Kevin and Dan and I cabbed back to queens and I was in bed by 1:30am, which, for me, is the best possible way for a birthday party night to end. Maybe I didn’t feel that way when I was 23, but I feel that way now, big time. You know that phrase, “You can sleep when you’re dead.” Whoever said that can suck it, because I will be sleeping Right. Now. Yesssssssss. Please turn off the lights.

I got a really sweet card from Sarah and Matt and a bag of adorable cat stuff from my friend Sara and two pink roses from my friend Chris and I was so happy to have everyone there. Warm and fuzzy. It was a great night, couldn’t have worked out better. It’s too bad I didn’t get to chit chat with everyone who showed up, but I’m sure they understand.

Plus my boyfriend rocks. He sent me roses at work yesterday. A big thing of ‘em. Very happy making.

My mom’s present to me is still at the post office, so I’ll try to go pick that up tomorrow. I’m kinda excited that I haven’t opened it yet though. One last gift.

I’m lucky and blessed and spoiled and happy. And now I need a goddammed nap. When all is said and done, I will have had a show every day this week except for Thursday and Sunday. (And Thursday was my party and Sunday we’re going to Kevin’s parents house.) I’m just exhausted. I love performing, for sure, and hangin out is good too. But I need sleep, badly. I need to cocoon up in my bedroom, turn the tv on quietly, shut the lights, get the cat into naptime position at the foot of the bed, and sleep for 8 days. That’s not gonna happen, so I’ll take sleeping in tomorrow, and a relaxing day of laundry and other errands before my 6:30 HST marketing meeting. It’s not enough, but it will have to do.

Things are gonna continue to ramp up, though, as the next few weeks are equally insane. So I’d better start getting some more regular sleep and make sure I eat my fruits and veggies and make time for exercise (going to the gym tonight after work, in fact) because I’m going to need it.

A week from today, I will be in Toronto for the Toronto Sketch Fest. We’re leaving Wednesday day night, returning Friday night. Very cool. We’re one of only a few groups performing at the Second City stage, which is an honor.

The following weekend is Thanksgiving, if you can believe it. My little cousin is getting married at the end of December so we’re doing lots of pre-wedding stuff when I’m in Chicago for Thanksgiving.

Alright. That seems to do it. I have more to say on the subject of aging and my new plans to do so gracefully and with vigor, but I don’t have the energy at the moment. So I guess I’m off to a terrible start in that department. Zzzzzzzzzz. Turn out the lights please.

I’ll leave you with something my friend at work said today, which cracked me up for some reason:

“Stabbed to death is the worst.”

Agreed.