<p>I could have SWORN that you and TheDaughter shared a birthday! Gah! </p>
<p>At least I got hers right! Sigh. When all else fails, she’ll spill the beans on when your birthday is (and what year you were born!) - just as she happily quashed that nonsense about you being a Johnny Depp look-alike! :)</p>
<p>Aries, we could find out from TheD how old TheDad is, and then we could let all of CC know! I seriously consiered emailing her just now, but I figured it would scare her to have a random person wishing her a happy birthday and asking how old her dad is… :)</p>
<p>Wishing you, my cyber friend, a day filled with joy!</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure I know how old TheDad is because I know that he graduated from high school the same year I did. But to reveal his age would reveal my own depressing age.</p>
<p>Happy Birthday, fellow Gaucho!</p>
<p>MomofPeruvians, sometimes I’m called a “groucho.”</p>
<p>Over30, I am indeed Over 30…in fact, I have something or another in particular in common with almost all of my well-wishers here. SBMom and I have much in common, as she notes. (I’m approaching the halfway point on the novel in progress. I’ll breathe easier when I’m past it. There’s a good “heading for home” feeling on the last half of any project.)</p>
<p>Marite, good story and a bit of arcana that I had not been familiar with. I’m not particularly fond of my Chinese zodiac sign. I don’t <em>dislike</em> it, it’s just not what I would have chosen. Btw, I may need to brush up on things Chinese for conversational purposes as it appears to be about 50/50 that I will be spending eight days in China next year.</p>
<p>Fwiw, my birthdate was the day of the autumnal equinox in Imperial Roman times. Aries, the D was my early birthday present lo these many years ago. I can’t believe that she’s now got only one year left of being a teenager.</p>
<p>…and one year away from having her “License to be an Obnoxious Teenager” decree expire. ;)</p>
<p>"Over30, I am indeed Over 30…in "</p>
<p>I’m expecting to see him Saturday, so I’ll find out. 
(I think he’s as old as Jack Benny.)</p>
<p>Happy B-day, TheDad! So, how are you planning to celebrate? Dinner out? Cruise to Mexico? Loooooong nap? However you do, have a blast!</p>
<p>Poetsheart: Short nap in between clients, dinner out at what’s reputed to be a romantic restaurant to which we’ve never been. </p>
<p>It seemed like unfair karma to have to attend several hours of a boring and mostly useless regional sales meeting…they only have one every two months, so why did it have to be my b-day?</p>
<p>A renewed “bonne anniversaire” - today is the day of the Roman autumnal equinox - or yesterday, depending on which source you consult. </p>
<p>Regional sales meetings are on your birthday to remind you to be responsible instead of enjoying your birthday - 'tis the lot of Virgos the world over.</p>
<p>Regional Sales Meeting?! No Fair! You couldn’t play hookie? Ah Well…
Hope dinner out as good. Did the restaurant live up to its billing?</p>
<p>The restaurant was Eurochow, a long stone’s throw from UCLA. It’s an Italian and Chinese place but NOT fusion. Had a very nice bottle of Meritage with dinner…not as heavy as the Far Niente Cabernet and a bit cheaper. I ignored carbs for the evening but was “good” anyway, except for the Black Forest Cake dessert…Cantonese duck, a corn-and-crab soup, and a spare rib appetizer. A glass of port afterwards, half the bottle of wine came home, and a nice mug of tea while catching up on e-mail and the like. I must now try to write 3-5 pages with uncertain concentration.</p>
<p>Aries, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to be irresponsible now and then. Reminds me of the Star Trek parody where Captain Kirk abandons the Enterprise for a bleach blonde in a red convertible on the planet Schwartz. But I went to the regional meeting anyway. I got there half an hour late and left 20 minutes early. There’s only about 15 minutes out of the three hours that’s useful but you can never tell in advance <em>which</em> 15 minutes and usually they’re not clumped together anyway.</p>