Embarking on My Second Quarter Century

I was in Houston this weekend, and oh boy, did I have a great time.


Oh yes, this cake tells the truth. (Chocolate chocolate, with strawberries, baked and frosted by my wonderful Rebecca. They were, indeed, the best strawberries EVER, Rebecca!)

Some obligatory face pictures:
Heeere's Rebecca.


And Erin.


And Erin with her cat (or her boyfriend's cat, depending on who you ask...).


The best thing about Erin's cat?

She plays fetch. Oh yes, Riley is a fetching machine (as long as it's that particular ball--a cat must have her particulars, after all). This was endlessly entertaining, watching the cat fetch.

And then there was Margot. Also Erin's (or her boyfriend's? the possession thing can be a bit difficult).

Isn't Margot beautiful? She's a whippet/beagle mix, and she was enchanting. Positively enchanting.

I went to the coolest thing on my birthday night, "Change You Can Dance To," a collection of little bitty Obama celebrations from youtube. There were some I'd seen, and some I hadn't. My favorites? Well, you probably saw Obama Girl, but did you see Obama Girl's Mama? You really should.

And my other favorite? This deserves more than a mere link. This every woman must watch:



We saw all this at the Station Museum, hosting an exhibit on "Iraqi Artists in Exile." Click on that link for installation photos. Very, very cool.

And after that edifying experience, we spent the rest of the weekend in frivolous pursuits: shopping in hip shops, eating massive amounts of good food (I swear we got a piece of cake that was the size of my head), and crafting cupcake pincushions (not finished yet, so photo-less).

There were some other wonderful moments. The UU Minister's sermon was remarkable, totally appropriate for Martin Luther King Day. I saw a lesbian couple sitting in front of me, and one of them crying after the sermon about working together to create a new society of acceptance. It is a powerful thing to find a place where you belong, where you do not fear about being hurt. I sang loudly about justice and freedom, and it was the perfect preparation for Tuesday.

And that is the cap of my joy--coming home last night to a new year of amazing possibilities, and change, and hope. So I begin my 25th year with the words of Obama's speech ringing in my ears:

The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.