happy birthday to me

So yesterday I turned 29 . . .

Rather nice day. None of my fellow teachers knew about it, and I didn't really feel comfortable saying so, but I did mention to one of my students (whose birthday was also yesterday) that it was my special day, too.

And word got around . . .

So by the end of the day, every student in my class knew it was my birthday, and they ERUPTED into song over it. Very sweet. (I told them that I'm 53.)

After work, Corey took me out for dinner and to a play. The play was called The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci, and was really interesting. Just the text of some of his notebooks put with dance and movement on a really interesting set. The actors demonstrated many of the principles in his notebooks, either through gymnastics or bodily contortions, or with the help of simple machines. The walls of the set were just huge banks of file drawers, some of them revealing staircases, benches, birdcages, bouncing balls, or other stage props. An ingenuity that belied the subject of the play himself.

My only complaint is that it was rather "thick", which means that I would enjoy it more if I could watch it like five times, preferably with the text in front of me. Leonardo was a brilliant guy, so his text is filled to bursting with intelligence, wit, and . . . well . . . big words. Not the easiest theatre-going experience. Maybe if I had a remote control, and could freeze the action and back it up if necessary. But then what would be the point of live theatre?

If you're interested, the website for the play can be found here. And they mention something quite fascinating. The British Library has digitized all of Leonardo's notebooks! If you have "Shockwave Player" installed on your computer (most people do -- it's free) then you can view his notebooks right from the comfort of your easy chair. Or kitchen table. Or bathtub. No, not bathtub. You shouldn't ever surf the internet (or read my website) from your bathtub. You might get water in your computer. Then where would you be?

Corey got me a reading lamp and bed pillow, which was the perfect thing and I can't wait to use them.

All in all, a really nice birthday. Very low-key, just the way I wanted it. Sure makes me reflect over the last year, though. What an amazing amount of change has occurred. Last year at this time I was living in Berkeley, not having really even thought seriously yet of becoming a teacher. For those of you that know us, the relationship was in a different place than it is now. I was often finding myself miserable at work. I was still doing yoga (okay, I really miss that one). Really, my life was kind of falling apart.

And things are much much different now. What a difference a year can make! No, not out of the woods yet, on many fronts, but I think the boat is at least pointed in the right direction now.

Posted: Thu - September 18, 2003 at 02:17 PM

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happy birthday to me

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