my birthday rewind

I had a very nice birthday yesterday. We stopped at the drive-thru at the bank to cash a birthday check (thanks Dad). Now here's something that bothers me. If I were a teller at a bank, I would notice when special occasions are written on the memo lines of checks and then acknowledge that occasion with the person cashing the check. Teller's have done that to me in the past, and it makes me all warm inside. Not only, did this teller not acknowledge my very special day, upon sending the canister back to us, she said, "Thanks Michelle." Um no, it's Michael. There's two dudes in this car! So after the bank we headed to the dreaded Wal-Mart. Their day-after-christmas circular featured Sony ear buds for my new iPod Nano that I thought would stay in my ears better than the crappily redesigned ear buds from Apple that keep falling out of my left ear at the slightest movement. Evidently, $38.62 was not the sale price. It was, in fact, the everyday low Wal-Mart price. I couldn't believe that I was spending that much on headphones. As it turns out, they were not comfortable in my ears either. They have since been returned. I'm pretty sure that I have normal ears, but perhaps I do not. I assume that when I get my iPhone (in less than a month!) I will have trouble with those ear buds too. God forbid that I will have to get a bluetooth headset.
So after the bank, Wal-Mart and the post office, we headed up to Valley View for lunch and to see the new flick Juno. Lunch at Hoggy's was good, the service sucked. Big floaty in my diet coke (and no, Mr. Waiter, that was not errant paper from my straw wrapper, it was chunky!)and long wait for two pretty simple lunch items. The movie was excellent. Go see it. Now.
Michele joined us for dinner at Macaroni Grille. I had the Layers and Layers of Lasagna. And as a special treat, our waitress serenaded my with an italian birthday song. I'm sure that I was about 10 shades of red by the time she was done. After dinner it was off to the mall to take advantage of the sales at Eddie Bauer with my birthday cash and gift card. How did I make out with all the markdowns? Not well, I got two dress shirts at full price (evidently, the only two items in the store not on sale). Oh well. I needed them anyways. On the way home Greg and I swung by Macy's and I got a new tie to go with one of the shirts.
Full bellies and empty wallets, it was time for bed. Friday night we are having a few friends over for dinner and drinks. Saturday night we're heading to a U of Akron basketball game with Tom and Brett. Sporty Mike strikes again... Fear the Roo!