Saw Ben for a first lunch, who is helping me develop a strategy for a consulting project that I'm developing, hard to explain, plus I don't want to give my idea away. Very cool, I never see him anymore, he's as busy as fuck.

Saw Ari after that, at Simone after that, and we sat around like old friends for the better part of many hours, discussing her current projects, how I can professionally help her with them, and then spent part of the time talking like old friends, which is strange, since we met only 8 months ago. Somehow she's managed to slip by without posing for a sign photo. That will be rectified, oh yes, it will be rectified.

Afterwards, it was off to Tribe for my weekly DJ Training session. This week we moved from bad 70s and 80s stuff that I don't recognize to hip hop that I don't recognize. I also found out that they've got CD players that I can mix in. This opens up whole new vistas, oh yes it does. Dakota was the only one of my friends to show up to that, which is just fine with me, since I'm still so new at it, I kinda stink at it. Although Dak'll tell you sometime today whether I've gotten any better or not.

The two Michael's both think that I did better, and I'm on again next Monday, same time (6-9/10) which, for me, is a good time. It's a time that my friends can show up after work, but it's not so crowded that I get stagefright. I did have my first "girl comes to talk to the DJ about her records" experience, and suddenly Michael's wedding ring was put into perspective. In High Fidelity, John Cusack points out that the real reason one starts DJing is "to meet promising women." I, on the other hand, am learning to DJ because it's something I said I wanted to do six months ago and now I've got the opportunity to learn. Really. Stop looking at me like that.

Dakota and I had a long talk, the content of which was mediocre because we've both got stuff we're dealing with, but unlike my perspective on life, things go up, and things go down, and true friends stick around through the downs. We're both swinging up and down like pendulae, but, and here's the key, we're also both around for each other. It's very cool. Dakota rocks. Much of the fan mail I get reads "who is that beautiful girl with the blue hair" or thereabouts about her. She's much more than that, kids. She's also a splendid friend, and a bright patch in my life.

And so's her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend and Dola (yes, THAT DOLA) were at Luna, watching one of their friends perform. We walked down there, saw the performance, talked to a few people that I can't remember, and then left. I went to the grocery store and bought myself staples that I'd been missing (milk, carrots, you know) and came home to make dinner and go the hell to bed.

I came home to email from a potential client that I haven't heard from in two months, who said that she currently couldn't afford me, but remembers me and when she can, she'll be coming to me. Work is the best birthday present ever.

I have no idea why I've been on a Pearl Jam kick lately. Anyone got MP3s they can burn and give me?

Remember: My birthday is tomorrow(!!) the 8th, so don't forget my class="sidebar">Wish List is still mostly unfulfilled (eternal gratitude to anyone who buys me a juicer, and Catherine who bought me Crouching Tiger on DVD...) I'm going to postpone having a party until September, I think, when more people are around. Everyone is going away next weekend, and that's when I'd wanted to have it, so I'm going to have an "it's a month after my birthday and you should feel guilty for missing it by being away so buy me nice presents" party.

Birthday wishes or haiku go here, since I won't update before my birthday. It was a sad turnout yesterday on the "say hi" thing, with only eleven responses, and three of those were from Meghan. Is that all that's out there? If so, I'll consider cessation of writing here, since as much as I love the nine of you, I've got better ways to spend my time, I think.