i got a call from beth, my friend since preschool, this morning at 12.05 am. she was the first to say it---"happy birthday."

my 22nd birthday...i have turned the page on my calender 12 times since that 40 oz heineken that i bought at midnight on my 21st birthday.

i reflect a lot on my birthday. what all have i done with the past year of my life? am i proud? do i have regrets? what do i want to do until my next birthday?

my birthday feels like an old-school race car game on nes. i've hit the next checkpoint, did i take the turns as efficiently as i could? what could i have changed to reach a better standing at this checkpoint? or am at a good rank? could i have avoided pit stops by driving my life better?

i am happy with the following things from my life's 21st year:
taking my psychologist seriously
supporting my brother through his addiction and rehab
coming out to my sister, mother, and brother
maintaining awesome grades through depression
coming out of my depression
reestablishing contact with old friends
being a good friend
living independly again in boston
allowing the advantages of 'being out' to seep into my life at sewanee
allowing myself to hookup

things i might have done better and would like to improve:
allowing myself to have meaningless hookups
stay in better touch with my father because i'm not being fair to him
coming out to my father so that i can be fair to him
taken initiative and gotten my bike off my car
better money management
keeping ferrets pleasant to the nose
not letting things get awkward after a dtr
taking each and every second of the day seriously
tell my friends that i love them
spend more time pleasure reading before bed