35 is alive.

Today is my thirty-fifth birthday, or so they tell me. I don't remember my birthday, after all; I was just a little baby at the time.

Speaking of birthdays, or more to the point, cakes, this was yesterday's Laugh-Out-Loud Cats, #1133.

There won't be much in the way of celebrating today. I'll be hanging with Sam, as usual, and I'll probably get some pizza for lunch. Then this evening is my first class of the summer semester. I'm pleased about that. The meals (which is how I celebrate birthdays) begin tomorrow night. We're going to try Luci Ancora. I'm pleased about that, as well. And on Saturday, I plan to take part in Write Your Ass Off Day, even though I can't physically join the gang gathering in New York City.

Today seems like as good a day as any to review my New Year's Resolutions. I think I'm not doing so well. Here's the list:

1. Finish both my YA manuscripts! -- Well, I finished the first one, and hell, even sold it. So not too bad. The second is still a WIP, but I have quite a ways to go in 2009 so far.

2. Finish at least one of the titles in my middle-grade trilogy. -- This seems less likely to happen this calendar year. I was a bit naive about just how much time being a dad would take up every day.

3. Blog five times per week. -- Epic fail. But the spirit of this resolution (to not let the Exile fester, unused) I think has been fulfilled.

4. Cover the windows over the couch in plastic. Soon. -- Another fail, but now that it's spring, I don't suppose it matters.

5. Teach Sam to talk, walk, and eat solid foods. -- Solid foods are done. The other two, we continue our efforts.

6. Eliminate caffeine entirely. That is, from my diet, not the world in general. -- DONE! In fact, I often go days with no caffeine at all. Granted, I occasionally have a Mountain Dew. I'm only human. But I no longer suffer headaches if I skip my coffee, which I usually skip.

7. Get an agent! -- DONE!!

8. Stop buying coffees everywhere. Even decafs. -- Well . . . I do buy quite a few decafs still. I'll work on this.

9. Get that pesky old cholesterol down where it belongs. -- Hm. Another epic fail. 2009 thus far has been the year of the hamburger, I'm afraid.

And, if I can do all that stuff, one final resolution:

10. Get my druid to level 80. What?! Not, like, next week, but eventually. Jeez. -- Ha! Done. I think I had this one finished second, after finishing YA MS the First.