yes, so today is/was my birthday and I thought I would commemorate the occasion with a short entry. for approximately 70% of the day I had Bob Dylan's "Tryin' To Get To Heaven" running through my head even though it had no bearing on my feelings for the day. it was just because I've been listening to "Time Out Of Mind" nonstop lately. so that was fine. I left work at 2pm, opting to forfeit approximately $30 in order to have some special ME time. so I bought myself lipstick (how girly of me) and went to the newly constructed Contemporary Arts Center, which isn't too too far from my current workplace. it was very nice, and the building, which has been highly praised since its completion, was outstanding. I think my favorite installation was a circle of 40 free-standing speakers, each of which played one voice of a 40-voice Renaissance choral arrangement. as I walked past each speaker I would pause to hear each voice, and then I moved to the center of the circle to hear the full impact all together. a very simple concept, but very neat. there were other more artsy installations I enjoyed as well, but that one made me happiest. I spent about 2 1/2 hours there and then came home a little earlier than I usually would to have pizza and ice cream for dinner with my grandparents. which is a proper birthday party meal I would've probably requested every year from about age 9-15. since I couldn't have sushi tonight (didn't want to eat alone on my special big girl day), it was a good substitute. all in all, a fine birthday even if I wasn't able to celebrate with all my friends like I was last year. I was happy to at least have had some family around me, much nicer than my 22nd birthday in Connecticut where I had none of the above, except for April and Keira, whose acquaintences I'd only just made. also that day none of my friends or family could get through to me on the phone because the housekeeper had the line tied up all day long. but ANYWAY, I chose to further mark the day with a cigarette under the cover of dark a little while ago...slipped out onto the patio and ducked behind a tree down towards the wooded area of my grandparents' property. and now I'm enjoying a bit of chardonnay. so that's all for now, I'm receiving all sorts of phone calls from everyone so I have to run. more later...