Birthday Candles, Cake and Celebrities

Having no control over anything, I turned 44 today with the usual facebook fanfare from friends I haven't seen in awhile or never met in the first place, Magnolia cupcakes from coworkers determined to fatten me up for the winter despite my daily calorie protestations, and slightly less dread and weariness than I anticipated at this age, although I reserve the right to have a nervous breakdown at a moment's notice.  A few celebrities even stopped by (or rather, I found them, if we're being honest) to wish me a Happy Birthday, including Neil Diamond, who actually sang a bar of the birthday song to me in what is probably the coolest thing to happen today

and Melissa Etheridge, who asserted her alpha-male dominance by saying Happy Birthday without looking up, smiling, or taking a photo with me.  Lesbians!