Steph, lighting yourself on fire goes against everything you stand for. You light other things on fire, not yourself.

I have no good choices here.

Maybe try to remember that this is the true, and sucky, fact? I know for me sometimes I make myself more frustrated because even when it's pretty clear that this is the case, I'm still trying for there to be some way for it not to be.

Fuck everything is an appropriate response.

If I haven't said before, I'm really so sorry this on top of everything. Especially since I know how important your birthday is to you, and the actual day.

Dear people, please stop telling me the humidity isn't that bad today, the sweat on my water glass and my asthma say different. No love, sj.

sj, I hear you've got some pretty bad humidity. That sucks.

please stop telling me the humidity isn't that bad today

"Oh, it doesn't feel like Satan's asscrack today, stop complaining!"

"No, it just feels like Satan's underboob."

It's been awful. I need an ocean breeze or an awful awful. Neither of which is going to happen today. So, I will settle for a cool shower if ltc would just go to sleep.

Steph, I wish there was something I could do besides validate that the universe is being a right arsehole to you and that of course you can feel upset about being able to celebrate on your birthday. Wishing you get-through-it~ma.

I send you cool breezes, sj.

If I ever move out of Virginia, I'm going someplace that isn't humid. It's absolute misery. I don't leave the house in summertime if I can avoid it.

Steph, it sucks that you've got to do unpleasant things instead of having your celebration on your birthday day. It's totally normal to feel resentful that these unpleasant things have crowded out your birthday! But please remember (god, I hope this comes out the way I mean it) remember this isn't happening because someone put you last. It's happening because you chose to put someone else first. Because you love them. That's a whole different thing. Nobody is stepping on you this time. You're stepping up. And you're pretty awesome for doing that; a lot of people would just refuse to show up for their family and their partner and go do what they wanted instead.

Teppy - I think you should have a month: starting with your actual birthday and continuing until the same date next month. (If that makes sense.)

You are having such a mammoth month of crazy obligation - take what time you can have for yourself even if it's five minutes of quiet alone time here and there.

Meanwhile, I'm watching the first day of Royal Ascot. It's gorgeous. Apparently, the UK is having a heat wave - as in temps that are actually in the 80s F or 30s C. The Royal procession was lovely - 4 landaus (now I know how to pronounce that!) - they are pulled by horses with postillions rather than a driver. Interesting. The Queen wore a light spring green outfit. She rode the first carriage with the Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke of York and her Master of the Horse (who is also a duke). Prince Charles and Camilla were in the second carriage with Princesses Beatrix and Eugenie, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (she was all in white) rode with the Duke and Duchess of Wessex and Peter Phillips (Anne's son) rode with his wife and Jane Fellows (Prince William's maternal aunt) and her husband.

So far American runners haven't done too well. But my this is a beautiful setting.

I should point out that I celebrated my last birthday for three straight weeks.