please advise:

have i ever told you how much i love my job ... i mean, birthday?

not sure if you've picked up on that at all... but i do.

and i talk about it

a lot.

all year long.

even last year... which turned out to be an epic fail when we went to the 11 p.m. showing of "the box" on a school night.

but. when it gets down to it. as in... when november 16 arrives... i want to run and hide under the covers. the attention kills me. the attention i s'pose i seek by talking about it all year long. i flounder in the spotlight i've created for myself.

twisty, right?

it gets better {or worse}.

i have a completely irrational fear of opening presents.

and it escalates with age.

used to be that i just got anxious opening presents in front of people

{that's normal, right?}

but now... i can't even do it in the comfort of my own, solitary home.

this present from andi has been in my possession for a full 24 hours...

and it sits.

just like that.

i'm going to open it.

someday.

i'm really grateful for it.

and i'm sure i'll find it very useful.

but for now...

the unknown has me paralyzed in fear.

help.

that being said: 8 more days!