Happy Birthday to me!

Although I'm probably too old for this, I still like making a big fuss over my birthday. Hence the birthday post.

This is also to say a big thank you to those who will be helping keep my in books for the year to come. Michael took care of two books on my list:

• Dog Days, by Ana Marie Cox. Wonkette isn't the same without her. And despite mixed reviews (good and less so), I love her.
• The Dream Life of Sukhanov, by Olga Grushin. I have had this on my list since Michael mentioned it to me. All I know is that it's the tale of a Soviet apparatchik who falls out of favor. More coming as I read it.
  

And.... thank you Ben & Katie and Jen & Dan for gift certificates! I haven't shopped for books for myself in ages and am thrilled to have an excuse to do so. So hurrah and thank you!

(Thanks also to everyone else who pampered me in non-literary ways. I am lucky to have friends and family with such good taste.)