I got a card in the mail from my father today. Thought it was strange Dad sending me a Valentines Day card and all. Nope.

Hey O_A, Thought we forgot about you for Christmas, eh? Well, better late than never. Love Pops

With a shiny American Express gift card.

connie, I can't remember if I wished you a happy birthday earlier, so, just to be on the safe side....

Happy Birthday, Connie!!!

One of my friends invited me to her son's birth. It's going to be at a birth center with midwives, and she says she wants a lot of people there, and we should bring food and wine and make it a party. Never been to a birth before, or seen a baby younger than about two days.

I was at my cousin's, Hil. Even in a crowded hospital room, with a nurse and father vying for asshat of the year, it was totally awesome. What you describe sounds like a fun and wonderful experience.

I would worry if that was my plan that I would change my mind at the last minute, and have to get someone to shoo everyone away.

Tonight, the answer to "What does one wear to go swing dancing* at the sex club?" ranged from "flip flops and a pair of boxer shorts" to "a utilikilt and hiking boots" to (my choice) "a miniskirt and a harry potter tshirt".

t edit: *please note, this was traditional east coast swing dancing, and did not involve trapezes or wife swapping. Nor was there sex. At least, not for me. Plenty of other people got some, I'm sure.

I would worry if that was my plan that I would change my mind at the last minute, and have to get someone to shoo everyone away.

She had her last baby at the same place with the same plan, and seems disappointed that none of her friends got there until about ten minutes after the baby was born. So, only her husband and older daughter (and the midwife, of course) were there. (Her older daughter was four then, and apparently was fine with being in the room.)

Oh, well, in that case, she's a pro! :) That sounds pretty interesting, are you going to go? Did Sarameg's recent stories of birth-attendance scare you or intrigue you?

I don't recall sarameg's recent stories. I think I'm going to go, as long as it isn't in the middle of the night. (Birth center is in Virginia -- it's right by a Metro stop, but the metro doesn't run at night. It's not at a planned time, it's that she's just got her list of friends to call when she feels like she's about to go into labor.)

In cool news -- Israel just approved allowing same-sex couples to adopt kids. Same-sex marriage is a long way off (marriage in Israel is determined by religious authorities, while adoption is controlled by a secular government agency), but still very cool.

Nyargh. Why do my co-workers insist on telling me things that I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW? I'm like the resident agony aunt. Oh, sleeping with another co-workers boyfriend are you? I know your husband! Stop telling me things!