You and me baby ain't nothing but mammals (Part I)

I had a birthday last week, so I'm officially 32 now.

I had planned a "10th 21st birthday" shindig last year, but was still early in recovery from hip pain and I halted plans.

This year I'm feeling better in a number of ways. Winters, and especially Januarys, have been absolute hell since about 2013. I'm not sure exactly what's different this year except a vitamin D supplement, but I WAS low when I asked to have it checked, and that was in the summer. Possible correlation.

I'm still not in great shape physically, but I'm in the least pain I've been in since the lifting injury at the end of February last year, and because I have full time hours again, I can afford physical therapy. I feel like I can see the light at the end of the pain tunnel. I keep planning to swim, but haven't gotten there quite yet. My last attempt was scrapped when I realized I hadn't deforested in about two weeks. So I went home and deforested, but didn't swim. I've joined a spring walking/running group that meets Mondays starting tomorrow.

Back to birthdays, though. I had an 11th 21st birthday or 1121st birthday, pronounced "eleventy-first."

I planned karaoke with theater friends, but two canceled last minute, which meant the bar I had planned was about 20 miles from anyone who was still involved.

Charlie was DDing for me so I could get smashed, and was kind enough to DD for Red and CB. We all got in the car and tried to figure out what to do. It was my call, of course, but I decided not to fuss with the long drive. We went to an Applebees for drinks and munchies while we mulled things over.

After a few drinks and the most delicious soft pretzels I've ever had, we decided to go buy some Proper Alcohol and go back to CB's place so that CB's partner (old blood theater - she and CB were involved before I joined, and he came back on the scene with the show I was in last fall) could join the fun, too. They have small children so often can't go out together.

We stopped at a liquor store for peppermint schnapps and chocolate syrup, cranberry vodka and cranberry juice, then headed back to CB's.

It was a magnificent night. I have never been so drunk. I totaled something like 7 drinks, when I'm not sure I've ever had more than 3 in a single night before. After a shot of cherry whiskey, a peppermint patty (chocolate syrup in peppermint schnapps), and a mixed vodka all in quick succession, there WAS a time when I wondered if I'd be throwing up, but it passed.

Jordan - DD, mind you - accidentally got wasted. He can drink a beer or two without feeling a thing, but he doesn't have much experience with other beverages. He apparently poured himself a glass of vodka, thinking it would be slightly more alcoholic than beer.

CB's partner is apparently a severe lightweight - she was puking in the toilet in no time. We spent QUITE a lot of the night just sitting on their tiny kitchen floor, alternating between making dirty jokes and spilling our guts out. Charlie had a good bawl about his mom being on round 2 of cancer treatment (breast cancer, metastasized) and I had a good bawl about my mom being on round 1, and told him he didn't need to be The Strong One for his family, that he was allowed to be human, too. CB said his mom has been doing chemo most of the last year.

I learned some fascinating things about Drama Club before I came on the scene. I'm not the only one that had a justifiable battle against Hummingbird.

*Am about to venture into weird possibilities and adult content. Not for the faint of heart. Part II to come.*