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Above, concept art for Cinderella by Mary Blair. YAY DISNEY GOODNESS! Also, yay frozen blueberries, Amplifico, Bill Bergson and the White Rose Rescue, and soy chocolate milk! It's funny, I'm not crazy about soy products but soy chocolate milk is definitely highly superior to the usual variety. I think it's something about the bean-ness of the soy and cocoa.

(You know what would be pretty awesome? If someday, some random stranger walked up to me on the street and inquired, "Who are you?" To which I could reply, "I am an Erstwhile Lotus Eater," because how awesome would that be? V. awesome, is what.)

So I am 17 years old now. My birthday was a few days ago. I feel irrevocably old. However, when I really think about it, being a Mature Teenager is not so different from being a 6-year-old, with two key differences.

1. Boys (not necessarily romance, but one notices them more)
2. Worries about Life, the Universe, and Everything

Probably in that order.

I had a lovely birthday. Traditional Birthday Meal, being Puerto Rican Stew. Traditional Birthday Movie, being Back to the Future (very funny, bonus points for being partly set in the 50s) and Total Recall (very exciting, but way too bloody so I had to hide a few times). Traditional Birthday Cake, being rum cake with vanilla ice cream. How sophisticated. Presents, being

-Pink pajama bottoms from Aeropostale, from my little sister, interestingly enough they're decorated with angelic bunnies. With wings.
-Jewelry from my little brother, also a card saying Davy Jones wishes me happy birthday, which made me absurdly happy because I luff Davy Jones muchly (you know, Davy Jones from POTC, with the cute little tentacles and the sad broken heart and the goddess girlfriend)
-Alice in Wonderland Dream Notebook from my sister, which I am going to start using tonight, actually
-Jaymay cd from my parents (my sister once told me that if I were a music artist, I'd be Jaymay, which was a lovely compliment. She'd be St. Vincent. Which is an even better compliment)
-Assorted books from my parents, being: The Willoughbys, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, Bill Bergson and the White Rose Rescue, and The Code of the Woosters. All very good books, obviously.

Then I went into Manhattan with my dad (spending a day out with dad is a another birthday tradition in our family). Got Forever Rose from Barnes and Noble, because Hilary McKay is a genius and I NEEDED IT BADLY because I've been waiting for this book since LAST YEAR and it's been out in the UK for AGES and thank goodness it's finally AMERICA'S TURN for her BRILLIANCE!

Stopped at Books of Wonder, which is easily the Very Best Place in the city. It's a children's bookstore which specializes in rare and classic books, which means they have all the goodies (E. Nesbit, Edward Eager, Eleanor Estes, the works) plus a whole section in the back of vintage Tom Swift novels and first editions of The Wizard of Oz and the like. I am generally an expert at talking myself out of spending money (well, except on food, somehow much of my money ends up towards gratuitous nonsense like cinnamon buns and McDonald's Snack Wraps whenever I go to the mall with friends), but this place hypnotized me into purchasing The Magic City, The House at Pooh Corner, and Rhymes for Annie Rose (which is the ideal book for any little girl, and if I never have children myself I'm planning to hijack my friends' kids to read it to them). Really, if you like children's literature this place is A VERITABLE TREASURE TROVE. I can't wait to go back. And spend more money, obviously.

Stopped at Urban Outfitters to buy the Alice notebook (cause my sister hadn't had time to buy it for me herself, she gave me the money towards it) and my dad ended buying these adorable Star Wars nesting eggs which cost 18 dollars but were still adorable.

Went to Central Park, walked the Mall cause it's pretty, and sat by the boat pond for about an hour and read all of Forever Rose. Which was bliss. Then visited the Shakespeare Garden, which is creepy and excellent in April because many mysterious ferns grow there. And checkered, square, purple flowers. I do not exaggerate. Ate lunch near the lake...chicken soup and a lemon poppy seed muffin, which is a strange combination but I happen to especially like both those foods. Went home and had cake.

Altogether the best birthday in a while. I'd originally planned to go to the Guggenheim, but this was much more relaxing. Even with a cold. If you've made it this far in this post I congratulate you heartily.

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