Soooooo, yeah.  I just had a birthday. Getting older for a woman sucks! It was a quiet day.  I had to work since my bosses are out of the country.  It was dead at the office, but hey, I DID get a hug from the UPS guy. It was unexpected to say the least. He's a nice guy.  I'm not sure why I even mentioned to him it was my birthday, that's not something I usually tell people!  I think he felt bad that I had to work and the office was empty. I got a pity hug!

I got a few nice texts and emails, which was nice.  My parents each sent me a text.  That's the second year they have done that.  I used to get a phone call!  Weird that my parents are embracing technology like that.

Since my bosses are away, I'm looking in on their house every day.  I forgot how much of a pain it is to get to / from their home with the different schools enroute.  The "checking the house" part is fairly easy, it's getting stuck in traffic in Brentwood (near Sunset by the office and again on Sunset nearer to their home) that's a pain. There is only one way to get to their house, so if you time it wrong, you're stuck. Today, I timed it right (mostly). Only got stuck in moderate traffic by one of the schools.

We've had some drama at my apartment building the past few days.  The gas to the entire building was shut off last Thursday morning due to a small non-dangerous leak. That meant no hot water or use of the stoves.  I took it pretty much in stride. Yes, cold showers suck (but my hair is really shiny!) and having to cook with my George Foreman / microwave/ pressure cooker has been a pain (and boring), but it's not like there wasn't a reason for them shutting it off.  I once lived in an apartment during a really cold and very wet winter where we didn't have electricity for a week due to a car crashing into and destroying the power pole thingy.  That was WAY worse.  No heat, no hot water, no lights, no fridge, no freezer, NOTHING.  Except the stove, THAT worked (too bad all the food in the fridge / freezer went bad!).  These past few days were a cake walk. 

I came home yesterday the hot water was on! Hooray!  No stove yet, but I'm hopeful it will be back on today or tomorrow.

I also came home to a petition up on the bulletin board by the mailboxes. One person in particular seems really angry about the gas being shut-off. A couple of people signed it, but not many.  It was really intense, lots of "we must band together" stuff.

I had no intention if signing the petition until my apt manager called me (on a different matter) and mentioned it in passing and then said I should sign it.  I figured I would do it in the morning. When I got to it this morning, I saw another sign from the lady who posted it, complaining that hardly anyone has signed it.

I didn't want her showing-up at my door (we're friendly with each other) and asking me to do it face-to-face, so I signed it as I left.

I just don't see what the big deal is.  Apparently, most of the other tenants don't either.  Maybe we're just too laid back and easy going?  Ha!  Who ever would have thought that I'd be described as either of those two things?  I tell you, the last year and a half has seen me develop the ability to let a lot of things that used to make me angry slide right off my back.  I was told recently that I am a "really patient person". Wow, was I was flattered when I heard that!

I know I get dramatic with  my complaints / rants on here, but that's usually for effect so that my friends will laugh and shake their heads when they read it.  Normally, I just go about my business and keep it calm / serene.  Pretty much, with few exceptions, the only places I get pissed off are in the car and sometimes at work and those are totally justified.  :-) 

Back to the apartment thing.  Fingers-crossed the stove will be hooked-up again when I get home.  If not, I'm sure I'll be fine until it is.

Not much else is going on.  A friend got me a ticket for Eddie Izzard at the Bowl Saturday as a birthday gift, so that should be fun.  I'm supposed to pick a place to go eat, but I don't know where to choose.  Maybe I'll keep it casual and request Juicy Burger, if they're still in business.