Lunch with Anthony and Scott before we went in search of the car (we sorta knew where it was) and scrambled out of the city.

So, the birthday surprise trip was whirlwind, and great fun. Kate Spencer, you are wonderful for organizing it with us. Scott Brown, nice call on doing something special for the big three-oh. Charlie Todd, Chris Kula, and other roommate Christian, many many thanks for letting me crash out on (and probably sweat all over) your couch, gents.

New York remains overload for me (Ladybug would complain that I’m super-lame for going only to UCBT and McManus, but it’s as much coping mechanism as social peculiarity or ingrained sloth), and I thank god that I don’t have to live there, but it sure is nice to drop in every so often and realize that friendships, old and new, are stronger than distance. (Which explains why I still love you, Dan Winckler, even though you were a big enough jerk to go to Houston and miss a surprise visit.)

It’s been up to 101 degrees today as we cruised down the Jersey Turnpike. Ick. New Jersey is an ugly state with a law that mandates full service only at gas stations, which is a f–ing stupid law.