On any BIRTHDAY, I take stock. Of all I have, for which I am grateful....Family, Friends(my "extended family"), Great LOVE in my life....speaking of great love, my DOGGIES--I do not have children, and I NEVER thought I'd be a bone-a-fide(pun intended)dog-person, but I am!
Doggies differ from children in a significant way(besides the obvious fact that they are not human!), and that is this:
Children grow UP--they become mature as they grow older. And they have a longer life-span...
Doggies grow older, but stay at about the level of a two or three year-old, forever...which means when they pass away-- as all beings eventually do-- it is like losing a toddler. (sigh).
But I won't dwell on any future loss. Instead, I'll take delight in the wagging and wiggling that "Frisco", our lovely Australian Shepherd does; I'll find peace when "Louie" lays his head on my shoulder, or my knee, and looks up at me as only a Golden Retreiver can...

I saw a wonderfully fun play today, at Jewish Theatre of the South.I attended with my Mom, and we found the character of "the Don/Dean Panucci", played by Barry Stoltze, delightful--he managed to be sweetly scary-and in his scenes with Sylvia, the nice Jewish mother(shiny, sassy, Vicki Ellis Gray),he was vulnerable, yet letcherous.
(Please note:Barry Stoltze, along with Mark Gray(who played the very-literary, and very funny, Leon--)happen to be both directors and performers in the upcoming "Lend Me An Ear" Show(Monday, Nov. 12th, 7:30 P.M., at Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern).

We also found Jeff Portell's Dominic hilarious.He definitely had the best lines, and it felt like he was "channeling" Alec Baldwin(in a good way--let's call it "Alec Baldwin with an edge").
This was a lively show with touching moments of truth(like when the young student, Brad(in a spot-on interpretation by Eric Mendenhall) confides to his seemingly dimwitted, but ultimately intuitive sister(the quietly sexy Sharon Zoe Litzky) that he feels pressure to live up to his parents expectations, or when Dominic tenderly asks Brad, "Are you the hero in your own life?"
I'm sure we'll see more of playwright Marc Goldsmith's irreverent brand of comedy...
and given the state of this world, we could all use a dose more of this kind of even, gentle, and smart humor.


Stuff I did tonight:
Hansoo and I went out for Italian food(probably had it on my mind, given all the Italian references in the aforementioned play!).

I spoke with my gorgeous baby sister early in the day(in fact, sis Tina, niece Breaz, and her beau, Steven, serenaded me with "Happy Birthday" on the phone!)...And had a nice chat with my always-warm Daddy, too...

What else am I thankful for?
Artistic expression, and the means to be able to fully pursue it(this was not always the case!)
My honey, Hansoo. Faithful, loving, usually kind, if too impatient at times...
What am I thankful for, on my birthday? That I'm HERE. Living, Breathing, Performing.
And oh yes--Writing!