Good Birthday

You know you're having a good birthday when:

1. The sun appears out of the gloom, rescuing the day from the grey, casting warm, soft, beautiful light your way

2. You get 50 greetings on facebook, two of which are from your newly discovered Japanese cousins you've been searching for for over 10 years

3. Robert Olen Butler personally wishes you a happy birthday

4. Maxine Hong Kingston sends you a private FB message + tells you she hopes to see you at the LA Times Festival of Books

Life is good.