The 25th birthday stream of conscious Thank you

In the early afternoon we played Whirlyball, an ingenious combination of lacrosse, basketball, and bumper cars, a combination so frigging ingenious that for the life of me I could not stop smiling. I didn't score any goals, but I racked up three assists.

For dinner, Phil, Krissy, and I ordered buffalo wings and cheesy breadsticks to go with a bottle of wine we had no corkscrew opener for.

I just want to thank everyone who helped make my 25th birthday festivities this weekend so fun. I'm aware that I have a penchant for hyperbole, but this truly was the best birthday that I or anyone else in the history of the universe has ever had.

When I was walking Frank back to his car this morning and venting to him about how someone stole the hubcaps off of my car and let the air out of one of my tires, and how I really didn't want to change my tire, mostly because I had no idea how to do it, Frank asked me if I ever wished I was more handy, and I told him, "Hell no, I like not being a man." And Frank laughed and said, "You are completely satisfied about who you are as an individual, aren't you?"

Frank's right. I really love being who I am right now, but it's not because I enjoy being a loosey-goosey hedonist who avoids doing work around the house. Rather, I love being me because I am somehow incredibly blessed with many meaningful, close friendships. Anyone who has more best friends than fingers on one hand is most likely a pretty happy person. And that's me.

My friends and the people around me are where I get my energy from. It amazes me even now how I'll just be having an average day, and then I'll have dinner with a friend and end up feeling like a million bucks. So you can only imagine how happy I was yesterday when I spent the entire day hanging out with friends, constantly bombarded with faces of people I care about.

When we were all at Sound-bar last night, even for being there for six hours, I felt like it wasn't long enough. No one ever quite knew exactly where I was, because for six hours I was running around the club, talking to everyone, giving people hugs, trying my best to provide my attention. It was great. I mean, everyone was there. I just couldn't get enough.

Well, at the expense of this turning out to sound like an Academy Award acceptance speech, I'll just end this post by thanking a few people in particular...

Thanks Larrballs, for coming out to play Whirlyball with us. I know you weren't feeling your best because you came directly from your doctor's office, so I'm giving you major props for sucking it up to hang out with us.

Thank you Phil and Krissy, for coming. Phil, I know clubs aren't your thing, but you made it out anyway. I even saw you dancing last night, dude. I'm not sure what exactly was bringing out the best in you last night -- my birthday party, or Krissy.

DC, what can I say man? We've been inseparable since 2000, and I really couldn't imagine partying it up in style without you.

May and Lyle, I really, really appreciate that you guys drove down for two hours to hang out with me for three hours, and then drive back home for another two hours, and be okay with it. Thank you so much for sacrificing your entire day to do that.

Thanks Roy, for always knowing how to have the most fun. As I said earlier, I draw energy from my friends, but it's you that energizes me the most.

Thanks Julie, for letting me lick every inch of your arm. It tasted like beef jerky. I couldn't stop.

Thanks Kevin and Scott, for the revolving door of whisky shots.

Thanks Jenny, for being such a reliable friend. You know that sentence earlier in my post where I mention feeling like a million bucks after having dinner with a friend? I was talking about you and the weekly dinners that we have!

Thanks Tina, for taking my hand and forcing me, against my will, to cup Laura's breast.

Thanks Laura, for not slapping me harder than you did.

And thank you Lynn, for organizing everything, for buying my outfit and demanding that I wear it to the club, for constantly pestering me to make sure I made it to the club on time, for being such a good sister, for everything. All of the friends I have are good, but you, you're the best.