They say it's your birthday...

Friday was my birthday.

Sorry for telling you so late...

I've always had pretty crappy birthdays.  In fact, it's been known to be a birthday curse by my family.  They try...they always do, but generally my birthday just sucks.

I think the reason for this began because I'm a summer birthday.  A lot of people say, "Oh, that's great!  Summer birthdays are the best!  You get pool parties!"  While there is, of course, some merit to the pool party argument (who really can dispute the pool party?)  Summer birthdays generally sucked.

When I was in elementary school, the kids who had birthdays during the school year always had a day of "special treatment."  The teachers would get them balloons, their parents would bring a cake, we'd all sing.  This, of course, was in addition to the birthday party that would inevitably follow the next week.

Of course, when my August birthday rolled around, all my school friends were at sleep-away camp and weren't around.  The camp friends were really more interested in camp than in your birthday, so, for some reason it always felt like a second-rate birthday.

Then, when I was 16, I started to have a what I lovingly refer to as a birthday curse.  For some reason, things just never worked out on my birthday.

It wasn't until I was 29 that I had a truly enjoyable birthday.  I organized a nice dinner with my friends in the city I was living in, which, because I was moving, doubled as a going-away party. So, even though it was enjoyable, it was bittersweet.

Well, this year, I had what has to qualify as the best birthday ever, all thanks to the adorable lady that has kept me busy and away from this online locale.  Last Friday (I know!!! Friday birthday!!!  How cool, right?!?!?), I woke up ten minutes before my alarm to knocking on my front door.  Okay, that did scare the hell out of me, but when I opened the door and saw my fantastic girlfriend with bags of stuff, I knew something good was up.

She immediately told me to go back to bed.  Well, ten minutes later, I was awoken again to breakfast in bed.  Now, although I've brought breakfast in bed to others, I've never had it brought to me.  But, I fully admit, this wasn't any breakfast in bed.

No, no.  This was amazing.

Try not to be too jealous...

Stuffed french toast with strawberries, two types of syrup and chocolate skim milk.

And I got to eat it with her.

Oh yes, this was incredible.

So, after I woke up, I was greeted to the best things anyone could want on their birthday...

Presents!

Now, keep in mind, for years, I've been a "Presence is presents enough" kind of guy.  And, of course, that was true here.  Breakfast in bed was already presents enough.  But, I awoke to a "sushi-making kit" and a rice cooker, so we could make sushi together.  And, just when I thought that was all, I also received a stuffed college mascot, with a recording of my college football fight chant recorded by this lovely lady.

Well, the rest of the day was just as great.  Birthday calls from family and friends, lunch with the co-workers (who's company I genuinely enjoy), surprise gifts from my assistant, and sushi dinner with my friends and that lovely girl who already treated me so wonderfully.

And then, a cake!  

And just when I thought it was over, I came home, checked my email and had no less than fifteen happy birthday messages.  Most of which I shared with that lovely lady who made it such a special birthday.

Oh yes.  Indeed, a birthday to surpass them all.

To that lovely lady, thank you for making it, and everything, so wonderful.  And to the rest of you, I hope all your birthdays are just as wonderful.