September 21
I just noticed that I never did a journal entry for my birthday last year. Which is just as well, because nothing I ever say is worth saying, anyway. With that in mind, welcome to this year's birthday journal!

So, um... my laptop, which I bought in early 2011, had been suffering for awhile, before it finally died, a couple weeks ago. It needed a new battery for several months, but I ignored it because it was still working and I couldn't afford one. I figured I'd replace it eventually. But then the fan stopped working, and I figured I'd need to replace that when I could afford to (maybe after my birthday). But I just did the best I could to keep it cool for however long that problem was going on. Probably a couple months. But then a couple weeks ago, I received an external fan from Amazon, something I'd put on my wish list, which my sister got me as an early birthday present. So that was nice... until my laptop slid off my lapdesk and finally stopped working altogether. But, like the day after that my Dad and I went to Walmart, since his computer had coincidentally stopped working the same day as mine, and we both needed to get new ones. Of course Mom paid for mine, which I think of as another early birthday present. So that's what I've been using for the last couple weeks. Yay.

What else? Earlier this week I got a card in the mail from a family friend. Oh, and I guess it was in August that my Ohio relatives gave me one of their old Nintended DS's and a few Gameboy Advance games. I think of that as an early birthday present, too. And it is entirely possible that I'm forgetting other things I've been meaning to say. Not that any of it would have been important. But anyway, later today there is a party for me and Janice and Jessica (whose birthday was the 11th). And tonight I plan to watch the series premiere of "Madam Secretary." And oh yeah, also a few days ago Mom gave me a Harvest Collection mixpack of Sam Adams, which I'll open tonight.

Oh, right, and we had barbecued hamburgers and hotdogs for lunch, as well as corn on the cob. The weather is unseasonably warm today, around 70 degrees (which is very rare for this time of year, around here), with a strong wind. This is warmer than it's been for probably at least a couple of weeks, and I doubt it's going to get this warm again after today. So it's like the element themselves are wishing me a happy birthday, yes?

Okay, 4:40pm, back from party. Gots me a bunch of cards with moneys, and also a few presents. My sister got me a "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock" dice game. And from Mom I got some new jeans, plus a book (Swamplandia!) and three CDs (the American Tail soundtrack and a couple of Christmas albums) from my Amazon wishlist. And apparently something else was ordered from Amazon which hasn't been released yet.

Next update, nearly 1am, so my birthday is over. After watching TV (my show started half an hour late), I watched the first disc of The Return of the King. I should watch the second disc sometime tomorrow (er, today), and write my review. For now, I have enjoyed the first half of the movie and enjoyed my beer, and now it's time, I hope, for sleep....

September 22
Finished Return of the King. That was fun. And in the mail I got a cute card from my Ohio relatives, along with an Amazon gift card. And once again Disney Movie Rewards has given me 100 bonus points for my birthday.

September 28
It is now one week since my birthday, and I wanted to say I was wrong about the weather. Yeah, there were a couple of days after my birthday that were cool, but most of the past week, including today, has been even more summery than my birthday was. Weird. Anyway, today I have ordered five DVDs from Disney Movie Club, using birthday money.

November 18
The last of my gifts arrived today. A hardcover compilation of the comic book miniseries Serenity: Leaves on the Wind. I look forward to reading it.

November 30
Uncle Alan came to Sunday dinner and brought a late birthday gift for my mom, as well as birthday cards for my dad and me. So... dad's birthday was in July, mine and mom's in September. I didn't even remember us not getting things from Alan and Brenda for our birthdays, so that was a total surprise. And my card had a check in it for $15. Which is nice. And now I expect my birthday is definitely over for the year. Probably.