Biding

My most memorable birthday party was my fourth. I have two in my memory. I suspect one of them was number five, or maybe number three. They all got rolled into, "When I was four..." That was a family joke, as it was my frame of reference for so many things. I wonder if that is when I became well aware of the world outside of me. The extra awareness without the filters we apply as we get socialized and mature made that a memorable year. All this is to say as a result 4th birthday's are special to me.

I missed my niece's birthday party on Saturday. Her theme was "Princess Race Car" which befuddled all the grown-ups. I picked up a pink bicycle helmet for her with wrap-around sunglasses with some pink in the frames. Sort of a princess race car driver picture in my mind. I think they'll make funny/cute pictures so I'll have to drive up for an uncle make-up pretty soon. I wanted to go up regardless, then I thought of the wooziness and the other drivers and the possibility of spreading a bug. A kid's birthday party? Okay, so there's not much in the way of new colds or flus I'd be likely to introduce. Still, I realized it was a selfish desire and stayed home, though it still would have been a pleasant drive. Amazing how much difference driving a newer car makes.

Aaron was visiting too. Sort of. He'd flown out of SeaTac to visit family and go to a niece's Bat Mitzvah. I guess we both enjoy our uncle duties. He likes taking care of people when they don't feel up to snuff, or at least is very gracious and proactive. I certainly appreciated it, though it's not what I have in mind when hosting a visitor. Now I'm hoping he didn't catch it. They say once you really feel a bug like that you are at or near the end of the infectious stage. Those wracking raspy coughs feel catching though.

I thought I had an audition tonight, but it turns out I had my Monday wrong. The good news is it is next Monday. That leaves me free to go see the Intiman's "Conversations With Artists" program tonight with the artistic and managing directors. Problem is I still feel too icky to want to go. Well it has that feeling, that the bug is going away. Maybe it's only hopeful thinking, but it can't help but be right some time.