It's me, Pete... from the podcast.

Birthday

Tomorrow’s my birthday. It’s my thirty-first. It’s also the first taking into account my new resolution to never work again on my birthday. I put in for vacation three months ago, cleared my schedule, and am right now preparing for my day tomorrow.

As it stands, all the friends I’d planned on playing hooky with for the day are abandoning me for one reason or another. Ted’s uncle died. That’s legit, of course. Dumb luck that the funeral would be on a day of freedom. Why couldn’t it be on a day with something worth canceling? Curt’s got his weekly scoring class in Seattle. I don’t know if this one is as legit as a death in the family, but he’s spent a ton in gas so far, so I can understand how missing one week would be a blow to his educational ROI. And, of course, Kira has to go to school.

Here’s what I’m thinking. First, I’ll take the baby to daycare. I’ll probably linger around the house a while and go in a little later than usual. On the way back, I’ll be stopping at Krispy Kreme and picking myself up a half rack of original glazed and a latte to munch on for the morning. At around 9:00, I’ll be heading to Fry’s. It’s my birthday, after all, and I have yet to find something I’d like from my parents. I have to fix that trauma. Hopefully, I’ll still have some KKs to nosh on in the car on the way down to Wilsonville. If not, I may have to stop for a turnover and a Coke. No, I won’t.

On the way back up, I’ll stop at the new Apple Store in Washington Square. Kira and I went over there on opening day on Saturday. I was expecting more. It’s “well-lit.” That’s what Curt said about the place. Well-lit — too true. It’s well-lit and a little cold. They have all the same computers as the Tigard Mac Store a few blocks away but the Mac Store is warm, homey, welcoming. Not to mention the fact that the guys in there remember your name when you walk through the door, but, I’ll be stopping at the Apple Store anyway, just because I want to get to know the place a little better.

So, we have Krispy Kreme, Fry’s, and the Apple Store. Then, Curt’s buying me lunch. No, I know what you’re thinking, but I insisted. So, there’s lunch. And then the movies begin. I need to see Elf and Scary Movie 3 because those are the two that no one wants to see with me. Fair enough, they’re probably crappy, but what if they’re not?

And the rest is improv. I will note that I’d like to have my last Krispy Kreme at 10:41 AM. That’s when I was born. And that’s how I’ll be celebrating.