post birthday

Yesterday, during my birthday lunch - a random assortment of folks from JC's class, we were having a good rant/chat about JCs class. One student was so nice - he not only bought my lunch - but he also gave me some great feedback about my class participation. I tend to give some background to a politically challenging question but never quite state my opinion - I tend to just frame it as a question. He was very kind, but I need/want to be more forthright with my argument and less, well demur. My goal in my 40s - speak my mind more!

I had a really nice exchange with JC - he was sitting outside at a picnic table eating lunch. I barged myself on down (I should have asked, I guess) - we talked about Gary Webb, among other interesting topics. He also asked me for my advice about the class. I of course gave a qualifying buildup, but then told him the truth about needing more back and forth discussion. It felt great. I also told him (probably shouldn't have) that I am still struggling with how to write in an argument/academic style rather than the so-called objective - he said/she said - and I had that challenge with my paper.

I'm a little frustrated that it wasn't until the last minute that I saw that connection between how I pose questions in class and how I wrote the paper - I had a strong opinion, but did it come out enough in my paper? Did I really question any type of corporate ownership?

Last night, I came home from working on my paper to a wonderful family time for my birthday. I was just having fun with the kids, and bouncing Kalian around when Chris said dinner was ready. Yahoo. I am sooo lucky. Yummy fahitas. We hung out together as a family, which was actually quite rare - usually we're tag teaming it. Then, we gathered in the kitchen, and Chris lit all 40 candles - Kalian was mesmerized and Liam couldn't wait to blow them out - he did it before I made a wish, but that's ok because he's part of that wish - to spend more connected time with them. And then we fed our kids cake and ice cream! Yikes. Chris had offered to do it after we put Kalian down to bed, but I really wanted her to be a part of the celebration. She actually wasn't that hot on the cake but couldn't get enough of the frozen yogurt. You go girl. I let K stay up a little later than usual to let her wind down from her sugar high. I was able to put Liam to bed earlier than usual 'cuz he hadn't napped.

Ah, did I have the rest of the night to relax and celebrate and honor my 40th birthday? Not exactly. I had two big assignments due today - quant and the JC paper on corporate journalism. I started in on both. Meanwhile, I got a bunch of calls from the friends that I've been missing terribly, and the kids decided both to wake up screaming in the evening, so it wasn't until 2.30 til I finished my paper (those darned endnotes) and crawled into bed, getting 3 hours of sleep before Kalian woke me up in the morning - when it becomes an ama fest and struggle between L and K. Welcome to my 40s.