birthday

[helenic]

My new shoes from ebay, which arrived with perfect timing this morning so I could open them with the rest of my presents. They are black patent leather with an elastic strap and purple cut-out stars radiating towards the toe. It's like I got a present from the internet. Well, sort of.

Today has been beautiful, it really has. The kind of birthday I haven't had since I was small, with all my family together and no messed-up parties or drunken pulls or friends fighting with each other or my girlfriend cheating on me with my best friend in my own bed or my dad finding out I smoke weed or any of the other disasters of previous years. I'm not a success with birthday parties, in general. But today we gathered on my parents' bed in our pyjamas as per tradition, and I opened my presents and my brother brought me orange juice. And because it was that sort of birthday, I don't feel unjustified in telling you what I got:

some really good speakers with an amp for my computer, since I've pretty much replaced my CD collection with mp3s now and my old ones were terrible. Big fat basslines, here we come.
many Body Shop goodies & makeup
a self-massage thing, - wooden and roll-y with balls, it looks extremely rude
chocolate (hrmm)
some sandalwood incense and incense holder (to add to my ever-expanding collection)
a pack of absolutely beautiful notelets and cards, which you will shortly see featured in the new layout at my domain
Elizabeth on DVD
about eight art postcards (I collect postcards) including some Klee and art nouveau posters; my mum knows me too well
random stationery items
two books; For Better, For Worse by Carole Matthews and Cross Dressing by Bill Fitzhugh. I haven't heard of either of them but they look the sort of simple, amusing nonsense that would suit train journeys perfectly
a purple plastic picnic set
about ten pairs of retro stripy and patterned ankle socks, because I'm trying to start a trend with ankle socks and maryjanes
(from my brother) something called "Bop-it EXTREME" - don't ask
(from Iain) cuddly leopard toy, earrings, and the most stunning photographs of him I ever saw

The rest of the day has mostly been spent in moving furniture around (my mum bought a new desk, so I've now got hers and my brother has mine) which confused the dog tremendously; I think she thought we were moving house again. She's very insecure these days. This evening we went out and had Thai and the restaurant owner bought me a drink because they heard it was my birthday, and then we came home and watched The Importance of Bring Earnest with Rupert Everett and Colin Firth. Too many beautiful men! We drank white wine and champagne and ended up playing Bop-it EXTREME!! - which turns out to be a ridiculous stoner noise-reaction game - until I couldn't speak for laughing, tears streaming down my face. My mother was terrible at it; I am the undisputed champion.

In other news I think I have a job from the beginning of August until the end of the summer, working in the police station in Hamilton - one of the many places we used to live - as a legal secretary. It sounds better than I could have hoped for; I only hope I get it. The agency have put me forward for it, but since they asked for someone who could stay until the end of October, it's not entirely certain. (My results arrived on Thursday but didn't seem worth comment - I got a disappointing but understandable 2.2, the individual papers varying from a fail to a high first. I could have done better but I didn't exactly have an easy term, and if nothing else at least it gives me something to prove. I'm not used to not being the best; it's an odd feeling.)

I am nineteen years old.