Today in Faustus’s web log, he discusses a childhood birthday party he threw, at which only three people showed up.

This got me reminiscing.

My birthday is right before Christmas, so party attendance has always been catch as catch can anyway, but I remember one year when I was in elementary school that I decided to throw a surprise party for myself.

By this, I mean that I came up with the idea that I would invite some friends over but not tell anyone else they were coming. I know this is bizarre, but I had a fantasy that I can vividly remember to this day: my mother would be at the stove cooking and look up in shock when all of these kids started showing up with presents. My mother had a different hairstyle back then, and her stove was the color of avocados.

So I found some party invitations in a drawer and filled them out with details I invented on the spot. These details did not include the fact that there would not be a cake, or activities, or little goodie bags at the end because I didn’t think that far ahead. I think my plan began and ended with the number of presents I would receive and the idea that, after my friends dropped them off, I could send them home early.

Anyway, I was saved from utter humiliation and an even bigger psychotherapist bill than I already have when my mother found the stack of envelopes in my school bag and demanded to know what was going on. The gods only know what she thought when she found out, but she was cool about it. She modified the information somewhat, added an RSVP number, and marked the day on the calendar, and it turned into a regular birthday party after all.

Surprise!

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Okay, kiddies, politics again. As usual, the Republicans are up to no good, and it’s up to us to stop them. I won’t go through a big description here, but it’s about politicizing the court system and judicial nominations. Click here to read about it for yourself and sign the petition.