Birthdays All Around the Globe

Ok, I know I'm always going on and on about how beautiful the sunset is on my drive home from work, and how I'm coming down a narrow mountain pass and I can see the whole city, just beginning to really light up, and beyond that the sea, and beyond that the sun glowing red and looming large on the horizon with shadowy mountain silhouettes here and there in front of the purplish haze of dusk.  Here's another photo I took during my drive home, in case you missed the previous one.

Isn't it just beautiful?  Aren't you jealous?

Today was my coworker/friend's daughter's 3rd birthday.  I got her a teeny tiny gift, hoping that I could get away with giving the gift and not making the father feel indebted or obligated to me in any way, as can be customary in Japan.

I got the daughter a velour purse emblazoned with Hello Kitty.  I thought that would be an easy gift for a three-year-old, because they love to put things into things and hide them around the house never to be seen again, especially important things.  Also, it's pink and she's a girl, so that's important.  And it says all kinds of stuff on it in Japanese, which she'll think is cute because she's Japanese.  Unfortunately, I've only ever met her once in a grocery store when I barely even knew her father, so she'll probably open it and be like "Who is this from?  I don't know any "Nic from America.  Oh well, I'm three.  I barely know anyone!"

But the thing I really wanted to brag about was my gift-wrapping job.  I didn't know where in Japan to go for wrapping paper, because I think after The War [Gulf War] the government reclaimed it all in order to rebuild various war-torn regions.  But luckily, I do know where to find origami paper--EVERYWHERE!  So I wrapped it in purple paper, made a rainbow "ribbon" to go around the middle, and three origami cranes to perch atop.  Three is a significant age in Japan because of the whole 7-5-3 thing.  You're welcome for the link. This particular child was born under auspicious signs because the year 2010 in Japan is also the year Heisei 22, so her birthday was 2-22-22.  Actually I don't know if that's auspicious, but it's a heck of a lot of 2's!  You might say she had a lot of number 2's on the day she was born.  But then again, who didn't?!

Lastly, I would like to post a congratulations to my friend who I won't name by name but it starts with an M and ends with an elissa Gonnerman.  This friend of mine also had a child on this very day, this very year.  Very.

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