03.05.05 - 10:48 p.m.

I was right, sort of. As I mentioned in the last entry, no birthday evening can probably be worse than than that evening in Chicago. Last night made a valiant effort, but I think I persevered and won this battle. Casey vs. Birthday started out innocently enough with a good dinner at 'ino, two bottles of wine and a very nice waitstaff. They accommodated us even though Abby was rawther late and wanted to pull a seat up to our three-top, blocking the way to the bathroom, but didn't want to eat food at all. We tipped them handsomely for moving us to a nicer table in time for the panini portion of the meal.

Then I was out of cash but somehow made it through many rounds of scotches at the White Horse, a place that doesn't take credit cards, without paying. Yay birthday drunkenness. No one expects you to actually front for your top-label drinks. It was all going so well until it was time to leave, and I realized the cell phone that was formerly in my back pocket was no longer there, nor in the booth, nor on the floor of the bathroom. Chaos ensued. Stupid stretchy Earls. I am now in possession of a new phone, exactly the same as the old phone, and out $140, which has cured of my back-pocket habit for good.

And now 03-04-05 is over, and will not return for another hundred years. I don't plan on being alive to see it the next time around, and if I am, I plan on keeping my birthday low-key like I always WANT to do. At least when I am plastered on the couch, I can't lose my cell phone.

However, I did get a sloppy birthday card with Paul Scheer's face on it from Irene, and a paean to Coco Wheats/me (we are both textured and delicious!) from my sistor. And Dan took really good care of me during my uncontrollable sobbing fit.

It could have been much worse, though. I could have lost my wallet, or (god forbid) PIERRE, which would have been a real tragedy. The phone was easily and relatively cheaply replaced, and I get to keep my number. As far as we know, no random calls to Bolivia were made in the seven hours before I suspended service, and I don't really think the numbers in the phone will be of any value or threat to my welfare if anyone DOES find it.

But why did no one make THIS for my birthday?