Happy Birthday to Me

As most of you know, today is my 22nd birthday. Last week my mom sent me photos to put up here today, so here they are.

First, we go way way back to 1987; my first birthday.
Then, we jump ahead 10 (?) years to my mad-scientist Halloween costume.
It may have been a long time since these photos were taken, but some things never change. I'm still a huge nerd who likes to open presents, but gets easily distracted by small things, like delicious wrapping paper.

As today is Sunday, we went out for my birthday last night instead. Cora, José, Szilvia, Nikola, the 4 Colombians, and I went to a Japanese restaurant for supper. The place was very hectic, and even though we had a reservation we were shuffled all around the restaurant waiting for our table to become free, but it was ok because the Colombians were late anyways, shocking... The food was really good, except for José's Japanese beer which was apparently sour and numbed his mouth, and Szilvia fell in love with a little Japanese baby eating lychee fruits. As fairly inexperienced Japanese food connoisseurs we all got Bento boxes, my favourite.

When we finally arrived at our favourite Irish pub, Charlie P's we were over and hour and a half late for our reservations, but the bartender cleared out or corner for us. Over the next few hours a bunch of people showed up. Every time someone new would arrive they would be very 'discretely' pulled aside to sign my card. Everyone had pooled their money (and stray hairs) to buy me some chocolate and give me the "Joe Steele Hairy Italian Fun Fund". The money is to pay for me to do something fun in Venice next weekend (I'm thinking gondola ride), and the hair is for me to glue onto my chest so I can blend in and look more Italian.

This morning I was woken by the sun with only a mild hangover (thank you McDonalds). The first thing I did was open Megan's gift which has been sitting beside my bed for the past week since it arrived. It contained chocolate, candy, sparklers, and a bottle of craft glue, which really confused me, until I opened the last part, a kit to make a cardboard dancing robot. I have to say Megan knows me pretty well.

At 11 I went out for a birthday brunch with Cora, Raphael, Arianna, and Johnny at a cool restaurant around the corner that we walk by every day on our way to the U-bahn. The food was very Austrian, with potato salad, schnitzel, and cold cuts instead of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon, but it was really good and filling.

My mom just phoned to fill me in on the details of the huge birthday feast she's preparing for me back home. After hearing what they're eating I might pass up the instant rice and canned soup that I was planning to make and go across the street and splurge on a €1.80 kebab.

Tonight I'm going to the opera with Cora and Arianna. Arianna is an opera singer so it will be cool to get her perspective on everything. The opera tonight is actually two 1 act operas, Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci. Should be fun.

The next week will be pretty crazy as I get ready for my trip to Venice and Barcelona, which we have been talking about so long that it feels like it's never actually going to happen. I will be sure to take loads of photos, and if I find any decent photos from last night I'll throw them up here later.