Party Like It's Your Birthday

Yesterday at 9:30 am EDT, I celebrated exactly thirty years on this planet. I believe the auspicious occasion was marked by walking down to the R train and discovering there were no R trains running to Manhattan, thus forcing me to walk seven blocks in the opposite direction to catch the N train. Oh well, it was a quintessential New York moment. You won't find it in a Woody Allen movie, but trust me, non-New Yorkers: Arriving at your subway stop on a weekend to discover your train isn't running is far more common than gazing out a window of a twentieth-floor loft at a panoramic view of the city lights. Sorry to disappoint.

My acting class gave me a nice surprise--a card, a bunch of sweets, and a rendition of "Happy Birthday." (FYI, the song "Happy Birthday" has a copyright on it! That's why, when you go to The Olive Garden or Chilis on the big day, they sing their own version.) From my dad, I received a check, a CD, and a copy of Amy Sedaris's new book I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence. A hilarious read, and surprisingly useful. Lots of good recipes, including her famous Tattletail's Cupcakes, which were named second best in NYC by New York Magazine. For those of you unfamiliar with the wacky world of Amy Sedaris, Tattletail is her late rabbit, after whom she named her cupcake venture. She's since changed the name to Dusty's, after the new rabbit who shares her digs.

Every birthday card I've received so far has a cat on it. Wonder why?

So let's talk about those plans for this new decade. An anonymous poster recommended I not get bogged down in the American self-help oeuvre, because writing that novel or acting in that play might afford me what therapy can't. Sound advice, but the problem is, I'm so bogged down in it already it's like I've forgotten how to write. Oh, I can write on this blog without too much trouble, but when I settle down to write fiction, it's like my brain hardens and then spins away, into outer space. I can't wrap my mind around it. I used to be able to rely on random intense spurts of grandiose energy to write reams, but it appears I've outgrown those. If I'm going to write, I have to learn a new way to do it, but I'm not sure how or where or when that's gonna happen. Any advice?

By the way, I'm having a party on the 28th, but since I'm such a huge web celeb (hee) it wouldn't be prudent to reveal the location at this juncture.