Yesterday after work, I went to meet up with a couple of my coworkers who regularly have an Outback Steakhouse happy hour on Fridays. It turns out that they actually invited the courthouse to a surprise birthday party for me on the outdoor patio deck. There was a huge cake, flowers, those blower noisemaker things (except they didn’t make noise), presents. Bailiffs, reporters, courtroom clerks, clerks’ office clerks, law clerks, family members of people were in attendance. I felt special. Except for the fact that Mr. W refused to attend because he wanted to sit around the house all day and night, even tho he was off from work the whole week. Aside from that breaking my heart, I felt truly special. It has really been a great 29th year for me. My life had taken a 180-degree turn for the better, and I am so grateful for the people around me. The old friends who continue their support and whom I’ve gotten closer to, the new friends I’d made in the last year who’ve become my close friends today. It’s enough to make me shed a tear, man. *sniff* Thanks for putting that together for me, coworker Sandy!

Tonight: birthday dinner with my parents at Chomp sushi.