Click images for desktop size: "Untitled" by JW McGinnis Yesterday was my birthday.
It was alright. Very alright.
We went to a Chinese Buffet. Twenty five bucks during the week but only ten bucks for lunch. And it seems that for lunch they serve bacon. I line my pockets with plastic bags so the puppies were all pretty stoked with that. I also got them a sausage each.
With that I got to be king of the dogs for the day. I suddenly became infallible. Dog king and dog pope all in one. I think it was the first time any of them had ever had bacon.
The rest of the day was quiet. I liked that. My friend, the dogs and the gentle bloated feeling from a buffet lunch.
The only damper is I seem to have picked up an infection. These are going to happen. They hurt but they hurt a lot less than living in a plastic bubble. Those are the alternatives. I'm still hardy enough that these little infections aren't going to kill me. They just make me uncomfortable.
I thought some about all the stuff in my life. It doesn't mean much. I've made my share of mistakes. I don't regret them. If I'd turned right instead of left I wouldn't be where I am now.
Even when I've been suffering it wasn't so bad to wish the suffering onto anyone else. The suffering passed or I got used to it. That's all there is to do.
I'm glad to be what I am and where I am. I want some things changed but that's just my nature. It isn't perfection I want its to constantly be striving for perfection.
Ended the evening watching a Japanese piece of fluff, "Train Man". I liked it plenty. Its the story of a nerd (Takayuki Yamada, from Crows Zero!!) who in the only brave moment of his life meets a girl. "Train Man" is his handle on a chat site. He rushes to the site and tells his "buddies" about his meeting and about the girl.
They call the girl "Hermes" because she sends him a simple gift: a pair of Hermes tea cups, in gratitude for his little act of bravery.
Click images for desktop size: "Cina Eye" by Luis Royo
Showing greater courage than he knew he had "Train Man" telephones Hermes. (Her number was on the delivery slip.) He manages to make a date.
The people in the chat room hold his hand and get him to get a haircut, buy decent clothes etc. The helpless nerd spends his days putting questions and conversation tips into his palm pilot as he rigorously rehearses their date.
Of course he falls helplessly in love with "Hermes". This is a gentle film. The only conflict or dramatic moments come because "Train Man" doesn't have enough self esteem to see that he can affect and impact others nearly as much as they affect him.
All the drama is only within him. I liked that because its pretty accurate for most of us.
I liked the movie fine. It had nothing but happy moments. The people in the chat room become inspired by "Train Man's" success, no, they become inspired by his attempts at love. His story opens up their own worlds to the romance and beauty it already contains or can contain if we only open the door.
There are way too many cute bits in the film. They all add up to a warmly recommended from me. It was the prefect film for a birthday or any day when happiness is already in the air and you want that happiness to be remembered and treasured.
Its been raining. There are still puppies to play with.
I think today will also be a memorable day.

USC is already in Virginia. They had to fly in two planes because the Charlotte Airport couldn't handle their Jumbo Jet.
Football season starts tomorrow at 3. My friend thinks USC is going to lose. On this front she is clearly absolutely nutz.