Aug. 16th, 2018 12:34 pm
Four dozen spins around the sun
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muckefuckSo it wasn't the worst birthday ever, but it might rate as the most uneventful. We had cake on the eve, since we were meeting for the game already. JB asked me a week ago what kind I wanted and I impulsively said "Tangerine!" He ended up making a very simple tangelo chiffon cake. I plan to work the leftovers into a trifle for Saturday.
I was unsure what I wanted to do on the day itself since storms were predicted so I ended up doing not much of anything. Diego is still unemployed and readily agreed to cheap lunch on Argyle. He was lukewarm on the fancy new place where Thai Binh used to be but agreed to give it another shot. The host was very friendly and excused the lack of vegetarian choices because they're working on hardcore segregation of facilities. I don't seem any worse for the meat-rich hủ tiếu, though it was a damn shame to leave so much broth. He claimed the cà phê sữa đá was fresh-steeped, but it still tasted too bitter to me.
One of my pals from the game who works from home offered to get together as well and I was inclined to take him up on it but first I decided to visit the shore. I guess meditating at Monshu's gravesite is becoming part of my birthday ritual now. It was a terrific day to be there; a stiff breeze relieved the heat and humidity and gave me some choppy water to watch as I took up a perch on the crumbling dune.
Despite sleeping in and consuming coffee, I still felt groggy and a bit ill. My allergies had started acting up the evening before and leaving a terrible taste in my mouth. I sent my friend regrets and headed home to take care of a couple of tasks before heading to Middle Eastern Bakery for a grand restocking. Unfortunately I lingered too long and the normally quick bus trip ended up being something of a hellride.
Still I managed to make it back well before the storm broke. Not only was there plenty of masala chai in stock (I grabbed three containers) but my favourite biscotti had returned. I got plenty of laban for my days of recovery after tomorrow's oral surgery but what I ate for dinner was leftovers from Monday: miso soup with ramen noodles and fried rice with additional egg. Then I decamped to the living room to continue watching good wishes roll in.
I've learned my lesson from past years and made a post in the morning making reference to the occasion so that the greetings came on the day and not belatedly, as they do when I post an evening summary. My siblings all called but I only got a chance to chat with my older brother. My copy of Y pla arrived and I amused myself by trying to read the first couple paragraphs.
And I was very content with it all. In another life, I would've made a fuss for my 48th, but it felt like enough just to be remembered by some of the folks closest to me and indulge in the simple pleasures of living in Chicago. (Speaking of which, my 30th anniversary of moving here comes next month. That deserves to be celebrated somehow.)
I was unsure what I wanted to do on the day itself since storms were predicted so I ended up doing not much of anything. Diego is still unemployed and readily agreed to cheap lunch on Argyle. He was lukewarm on the fancy new place where Thai Binh used to be but agreed to give it another shot. The host was very friendly and excused the lack of vegetarian choices because they're working on hardcore segregation of facilities. I don't seem any worse for the meat-rich hủ tiếu, though it was a damn shame to leave so much broth. He claimed the cà phê sữa đá was fresh-steeped, but it still tasted too bitter to me.
One of my pals from the game who works from home offered to get together as well and I was inclined to take him up on it but first I decided to visit the shore. I guess meditating at Monshu's gravesite is becoming part of my birthday ritual now. It was a terrific day to be there; a stiff breeze relieved the heat and humidity and gave me some choppy water to watch as I took up a perch on the crumbling dune.
Despite sleeping in and consuming coffee, I still felt groggy and a bit ill. My allergies had started acting up the evening before and leaving a terrible taste in my mouth. I sent my friend regrets and headed home to take care of a couple of tasks before heading to Middle Eastern Bakery for a grand restocking. Unfortunately I lingered too long and the normally quick bus trip ended up being something of a hellride.
Still I managed to make it back well before the storm broke. Not only was there plenty of masala chai in stock (I grabbed three containers) but my favourite biscotti had returned. I got plenty of laban for my days of recovery after tomorrow's oral surgery but what I ate for dinner was leftovers from Monday: miso soup with ramen noodles and fried rice with additional egg. Then I decamped to the living room to continue watching good wishes roll in.
I've learned my lesson from past years and made a post in the morning making reference to the occasion so that the greetings came on the day and not belatedly, as they do when I post an evening summary. My siblings all called but I only got a chance to chat with my older brother. My copy of Y pla arrived and I amused myself by trying to read the first couple paragraphs.
And I was very content with it all. In another life, I would've made a fuss for my 48th, but it felt like enough just to be remembered by some of the folks closest to me and indulge in the simple pleasures of living in Chicago. (Speaking of which, my 30th anniversary of moving here comes next month. That deserves to be celebrated somehow.)