Another result of my self-imposed austerity is that I am starting to pull away from my attachment to the Japanese restaurant.  I feel like this is the point at which our paths diverge.  Surprisingly, for myself, since I tend to cling onto the past, I am ready to move on.

One of my high school friends moved in with me at the beginning of the month.  He's going through a rough patch right now.  Hopefully, this will give him a chance to get back on his feet.  I haven't had a roommate in years.

A few weeks ago, I met my friend, Frank, up for lunch on a Friday at La Madeline's.  That was itself the completion of the goal we had set in our college days - to one day work our way up to ordering the most expensive item on the menu.  Marking this off the bucket list proved to be surprisingly easy - the salmon lunch platter was only $13.  

In other news, I met a friend I hadn't kept in touch with randomly as the sushi chef of a Japanese restaurant (same chain, different location).  It was nice catching up.  He's married now, with two kids.  Life is full of surprises.

Finally, lots of intrigue have surrounded my birthday.  I, personally, don't mind spending it quietly reminiscing and chilling.  However, I am blessed to have a group of compassionate friends.  One friend, and her mom, invited me out to dinner.  They gave me a box of birthday cupcakes.  Another lady, who I have known for only about a month, bought me a cake and a nice little puzzle to assemble.  Later, I ate dinner with a group of long-time friends, and my brother.  It was a fantastic evening.  I learned that one of them was about to be a father.  Our lives are subtly but definitely changing.

Now that I'm 32, my life is starting to change again.