"You look damn good for your age,"

said the man whose birthday present to me was a gun. All I have to say is you know it's a good party when you wake up the next day to find your door is wide open.

Actually, both weapon and words came from Ethan, a 19-year-old guy from my language class who is a complete pacifist. The gun is a BB gun, complete with the brand-name Colt and pellets. He said it's for when I go to Iraq.

Later in the night, he said (again, I might add), "You look damn good for your age." I told him the next time he says that to a woman, he should stop at good and he agreed. In a few minutes I tapped him on the shoulder. "I'm almost twice as old as you." "I know," he said, at which point he followed my orders to open another bottle of wine.

So my birthday was great fun, at least as fun as it can be with a group of strangers in a new place. Everyone was kind, bringing presents (and wine), and compliments on my apartment. "Who came in and queer-eyed up the place?" was my favorite line, and I'm little impressed with myself that all my crappy stuff looks quite sophisticated in this airy place.

My actual bithday I spent feeling pretty sick. I had expected to be hungover for most of the day, and in retrospect wish that were true. But it seems I slept with one of my balcony doors open. After everyone left the party a little after midnight, I got on the phone and called people in Syracuse (sorry, again, Michelle and Nancy). Apparantly while I was cleaning up and talking, I wanted a little fresh air so I cracked the door. I woke up the next day with the worst sore throat I've had since I was a little kid. I actually completely lost my voice on Monday.

But I'm fine now, and realize this blog entry is awfully boring so I'll put us all out of our misery. I feel damn good for my age, in spite of my cold, but wish more of you were here to help me celebrate. While unpacking, I found a picture frame ready-made for four 4x6 snapshots. I have three pictures of a few of us from Syracuse dancing (or pretending to dance) on a bar. I put three of the series in, but need a fourth to complete the masterpiece. So here's to bars in Italy, Germany, Seoul, Toyko, Thailand, Vietnam, New York City, New Orleans, or wherever else we happen to be the next time we scramble up for attention. I wish we could do it tonight.