Birthday

I must admit I went into this birthday with a bratty attitude. My mom always made me feel like the queen of the world on my childhood birthdays, so most birthdays since then were let-downs. Especially being a perpetually single person - I always throw my own birthday parties, which doesn't feel quite the same as having someone throw you a party. Plus, there are all the things I wanted to accomplish by 33 that still seem beyond my grasp.

But, in spite of my best efforts to feel sorry for myself, you - my friends and family - conspired to make this one of the best birthdays ever.

Sure, I threw my own birthday party - it was a joint thing with Natalie and CKinn. I invited everyone on Friday to Howl at the Moon, the new piano bar in the Power & Light District. Lots of good friends showed up - even the ones that are too cool for such mainstream endeavors. Dad came and bought everyone a round (he and I both had Diet Cokes - we Kirbys are crazy like that). Karrin got the three of us magazine subscriptions, which she put a great deal of thought into, selecting one for each of us that she knew would appeal to us - I got Oxford American, a literary magazine. And Brad, Jami, Laura, Katy, Shawn, John, Matt and Amanda all came as well to sing along to fun, cheesy music. We even sat in Heather's section. The good times and good friends started to dent my bad birthday attitude.

Saturday, Angi and I fulfilled our twice-yearly tradition - somewhere near my birthday and somewhere near hers, we go get pedicures together. I can't remember how this tradition started, but it's a wonderful thing. She's such a great conversationalist, which makes it all the more luxurious to sit with her in side-by-side electric-massage chairs with our feet being pampered by experts with accents we can't decipher. I went home and curled up happily on the couch, where I was watching Becoming Jane and looking at my pretty toes when Judith called to offer to make me a nice birthday dinner. I needed the me-time, so we made a plan for Tuesday night. Katy dropped by with a mix CD she made for me. Even on my nice, lazy Saturday, people reached out to me.

On Sunday, after lunch with Malcolm, Jami swooped me up and took me to see "A Marvelous Party" at the KC Rep, a fun musical of Noel Coward music and quotations. Any assumptions I might have entered the theater with about stodgy, old-fashioned music were burst, as it were, by songs like "What Ho! Mrs. Brisket" and "Would You Like to Stick a Pin in My Balloon?" I think I might have even blushed a little! Then we went for a little shopping and a little smoothie on the Plaza - it was finally nice weather (even Mother Nature was celebrating my birthday). Jami's shopping skills are right up there with Adrienne's, so even though shopping usually overwhelms me, around her, it's kinda fun.

I woke up this morning to hear Steve Inskeep on the radio telling me that it was Monday, March 10, and through my just-a-few-more-minutes-of-sleep haze, I thought, "Hey, it's my birthday! I'm 33!" When I got to work, Laci and Stephanie presented me with a gift certificate to a spa from them and Matt, and they planned a nice lunch for me at one of my favorite restaurants - Genghis Khan. Dr. Carruth even came along! Susan gave me a cute little book of Mr. Rogers quotes (I adore Mr. Rogers!). I spent my birthday evening at class, but it's OK, because I always come away from Jimmy's class feeling good about myself, because he writes nice comments on my papers like "well-written," "great example," and "thoughtful."

Jami called to say that I should stop by Lill's on my way home, where she had helped with their neighborhood dinner. When I got there, she had a chocolate brownie for me with a lit candle in it and group of strangers singing "Happy Birthday." I almost cried.

When I got home and got on the computer, I had birthday emails from Grandma Jackie and my mom and 14 birthday messages on Facebook.

So, really. I just feel too celebrated this birthday to possibly maintain my bratty attitude. Thanks to everyone for all your love and good wishes. They mean the world to me.