We are young despite the years. We are concern. We are old despite the times.

Well, we had snow over the weekend, and I had a birthday. It was nice, I mean all of it. The snow was pretty, even though my brother's plane landed in the middle of it. The birthday was all right. I had a few friends over for brunch, an event that caused me to prepare way too much food. I have no reasonable idea how much people eat, I guess.

In any case, this was the first time my whole nuclear family had been together in ten years. I wish J. had brought the rest of his family along, but for a weekend trip I think it would have been quite a production getting the kids on a plane.

I was at the Market when he actually got to the house, and then he called and said he'd meet me there. I went outside to look out for him, and I recognized him from a block away by his carriage and his gait. I was touched by this, even wanted to shed a few tears. You know, where has all the time gone, and weren't we kids in school not so long ago? I didn't actually cry, but maybe thinking about it counts for sentimentality.

Rob and Ed were among my guests, and I guess they're my sort of substitute brothers. Except neither of them has ever tried to give me a noogie or threatened to tell Mom about... whatever. I guess these days there's really not that much to tell Mom.

So I was happy on my birthday. There were nice people, good food, lots of conversation and no singing. I especially liked that part. David brought me the most amazing gift, which I should really photograph so you can see it. I can't exactly describe it except to say that it was manufactured in 1985, and the 80s were... different.

My plan for the next year is, well, I don't necessarily have a plan. I thought about ushering in a New Era of Fabulousness, but that sounds like a lot of when I consider it now. I mean, who decides what's fabulous? How are you supposed to distinguish the new fabulousness from the old fabulousness? Besides, I wasn't sure whether the New Era of Fabulousness was supposed to be for me, or for everybody.

You see where that could get confusing.

So I think my plan for 2002 is to hang in there and do a better job at things like saving money. I figure that I am not getting any younger, and I should start behaving like a responsible adult.

One of these days.

before - after