the best gift ever

today was not my birthday. still, it felt like it. not only that, it felt more like my birthday than last week. people in school wished me a happy birthday and reminded me that they'd be at caffe' adulis tonight for our birthday celebration. i got birthday hugs and kisses. it was weird. i had never had two birthdays so close to each other. it was great.

the weather was great too. fall being my favorite season and loving me so much had to offer me a great weather on my birthdays. last week, on the 1st, we had an unusally warm and sunny day... it was perfect. today, it wasn't sunny or warm, but it felt very much like autumn. the air was crisp and cool. i forgot my bike at the department and walked on the fallen leaves--my favorite activity of the season. i felt like taking pictures on hillhouse in front of the department, then on wall street outside of the law school, then on cross campus in front of sterling, and then on high street by the gate to the residential colleges. i was too lazy, though, and thought that it would be more memorable to observe things and keep the memories for myself. a leaf slapped me in the face and i laughed.

and as if the multiple congratulations, the double birthdays, and the great weather were not enough, i got three amazing birthday gifts.

after class, i went downstairs to see if people had left me checks in my mailbox for the wilma hurricane relief effort i'm coordinating -- but, as expected, there was none. instead, there was a huge box waiting to be opened. i don't remember ever receiving a birthday gift wrapped in such a big box, so it was very exciting. have you seen what i've got? i asked james, and he prompted me to open it. the gift came wrapped in a very pretty bag and another big box. it had attached a super cute note from my sister:

Felicidades mi hermosura
preciosa... espero que disfrutes
esta madre que no se que es! te
amooooooooooo,
tu hermana bonita.

and it was a cordless keyboard and mouse that i've been wanting for the past year or so. this thing is amazing. i can go to my e-mail, my itunes, my pictures, the calculator, my documents, browse the internet, and order a pizza just with my keyboard! it has volume control and now i basically leave my speakers on the highest volume and control it from the keyboard... and i can even mute it! i love it! dana, you are the best!

then at caffe' adulis, i got the cutest birthday card from julita. i won't transcribe the text because it's sexy and i don't want to make joel jealous. but i loved it!

but kenya and perro gave me the best birthday gift ever. when they handed me the bag, i decided not to look and try to guess just by feeling it. and i felt it. and i guessed. and people urged me to take it out and i said no. i said it was private and i just wanted to keep it that way. i'm sure someone thought it was lingerie. i wish. still, it was private, very private. i wanted to keep it only for myself. do you know what it is? kenya asked, and i chuckled and said yes, even though i did not believe it was what it was. a tennis ball, it's just a tennis ball, i thought. still, i kept it private and put it away. i did not succumb to the pressure, open it, open it! i wanted it to be private.

and it was private, and still is. only mine. my best gift ever.