It's My Birthday and I Can Opine if I Want to

Happy birthday to me,
Happy birthday to me,
At least I'm not forty,
But it sucks to be thirty-three.

I got a cold (my first one this year) and my period for my birthday. Thanks, self! On a brighter note, someone is taking me out to dinner tonight, and a surprise weekend getaway is in my near future. When I asked about the restaurant, K said the dress is "business casual." What on earth is that? Since I work at home, my business causal on most days is pajamas until 11:30, then gym clothes. Should I wear some mix-n-match Ann Taylor separates? I guess it just means no jeans, no shorts, huh?

I don't particularly need anything for my birthday, so I just wanted to rattle off a list of things I'm thankful of having: a good partner, a long relationship, pets, interesting, fun friends, more work than I can handle, some stories to be published this year, a supportive family, and my health. Although I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have some new headphones for my mp3 player.

On an unrelated note, I was in KMart yesterday looking for one of those slinky-like garden hoses when I noticed a sign in one of the aisles: "For the benefit of our patrons, we request that you refrain from smoking in this store." Have things gone downhill that fast that we as a society don't realize that retail stores generally are nonsmoking environments? It's not as if this KMart had a cafeteria or anything that would even remotely encourage one to light up. I just don't get it. Maybe that's something I want for my birthday, for people to begin minding their manners again.