Exhausted

Saturday was my proxy birthday at my parents' house in Potter Valley. Everyone but my little bro was there. It was also for my dad's bday, which is actually tomorrow. Mine was Tuesday and I decided late Monday night that I would have people over for dinner.

I can never make plans for my birthday in advance. Several years I've taken off on solo road trips. That's usually when I live with housemates or family and don't get enough time alone. Fall makes me an extra-introvert and if I've been around people too much I'll take some time for myself. This year, I wasn't sure how I'd feel since I've been so tired and anti-social for the past month and since I've spent much of the past year alone. With D away most of the week I felt like I wanted to be around people. I knew that if I spent the day alone I'd end up depressed.

My sister invited me to dinner at her house and I accepted, but then in the morning of my birthday I called and told her dinner was going to be at my place and I would be making lasagna and inviting more people. I made two lasagnas with vegetables and ground buffalo, one with brown-rice noodles as a gluten-free option for my sister and me. I made a big salad and loaf of garlic bread. She brought P, their two kids, a couple presents, and some wheat and sugar free hello dollies.

I'm eating the semolina noodle lasagna right now and can't really tell the difference between them and the rice noodles.

Yesterday morning I invited several friends but only R and C were able to come in such sort notice. I think it turned out well. The food was good, my nephew was cute and fun to play with, and there wasn't so many people that I was overwhelmed. Though, I did get exhausted pretty early.

I met with my boss this morning for what ended up as a five hour meeting without a lunch break while he chain smoked. I left starving, thirsty, and with a headache. Talk about exhausting. Playing with children is but so is brainstorming with and talking notes for a crazy artist.

It trips me out that such a health-freak smokes. I can no longer believe that I was a smoker for about nine years. That was a different lifetime.

He's been paying me with personal checks. It's not quite the same thing as a pocket full of cash, but still better than getting a real job.

Posted by Ari at 16:43:09