I so wish I had the energy to blog about my birthday week thus far. But I don't. I so wish I suspended every moment in time like a snapshot. But I can't.

My evening started with an emotional river of tears in Best Buy. Now before you walk over to your calendar and start counting in 28 day increment let me explain. Yesterday I discovered that my beloved Canon digital camera would not turn on. I did what any normal person would do. I took the battery out and recharged it. And waited and waited until the little light turned green. Since green means go, I went straight to the camera. And the little sucka still wouldn't start. I was livid. Until I remembered my 4 year extended warranty plan I purchased. So my lividity (is this a word??) simmered to quiet annoyance since I wouldn't have a camera for the Alumni mixer (which by the way was a very nice event....annnnd no one asked about my phantom husband and children; the Birthday Gods and Goddesses love me!!! hahahaha).

So I went today to Best Buy armed with my warranty. The last time I had a camera problem they just told me to pick out a new camera worth the same price since I had the extended warranty. I was psyched thinking I would have a camera tonight for my Girl's Night Out event at the Puck Building with DeeDee, Mo & Jo. Now you know something is wrong when the person helping you starts scratching their head. And you really know something quite ain't right when the person they called over for help starts scratching their beard. Apparently last year when I got my new camera, some genious sold me a warranty for the camera that I had a problem with and returned instead of for the new camera. And the freaking warranty was for the then current selling price of the old camera (which was $150 cheaper than the original price). Do you understand??? Yeah, neither did I. All I know is that I did what I was supposed to do: I purchased the warranty and saved my receipts. How the hell was I supposed to know they sold me the wrong warranty with the wrong product number. Do I look like I give a rat's ass about SKU numbers and product numbers??? So my annoyance started to boil over into lividity until they rectified the warranty problem. Now I was given the green light to head over to the Geek Squad. All I needed was a Geek to declare my camera unfixable (which happened the last time) and I would have my pass to the cool newer model of my beloved camera.

Oh camera. We've had some good times and you given me good memories. Remember my birthday last year? Remember my sister's wedding? Oh and we can't forget Miami! But now its time to go to Geek Heaven and make room for another camera in my life. I will always think fondly of you. But this time, it's you, not me. Take care in Geek Heaven. Smooches.

"Okay, so your camera will be back in about 2 to 3 weeks. Please sign this work order."
Whaaaat??? You're gonna attempt to fix this. I don't get a new one TODAY???!!!

And that is when the waterfalls behind my eyes were given the green light to commence. I stood in Best Buy in front of the entire squad of geeks and cried.

"But you don't understand.......(sob, sniffle)....it's my birthday.....and (sniffle) I have events all weekend....(sniffle)...I need...(sniffle)....my cameraaaaaa (sob)."

"Miss, please don't cry. We have to send the camera for service. Hopefully it can be fixed."

"So you want me wait on hope? I can't take pictures with hope." (yeah even through tears I can be sarcastic....hahahahaha)

"Sorry, miss. I really wish there was something I could do. Please stop crying. It's your birthday. Happy...ummm birthday".

I scribbled my signature on the paper, refused his offer of a tissue and a hug (damn, geeks are getting bold these days! hahahaha), and sulked off. I wandered the store for a minute, trying to get myself together before meeting up with my friends, steering clear of the camera section for another breakdown. After buying 2 CDs to cheer me up, I descended into the train station to catch my train. I was in such a foul mood I didn't know how I was going to get through the night. I felt the frown etched in my eyes, and didn't want to be a sour puss all night at such a fun event.

I arrive and the first person I bump into is Jo. In the short time I've known her she is always smiling. In her Texas twang, I got a big "Hey, girl!" with a matching smile and chuckle. A few minutes later, Mo arrives. I tell them about my camera situation and then we laugh it off saying the free cocktails will cheer me up. We stategize how we're going to navigate this shopping and cocktail-palooza. Jo whips out her camera to take a picture. I had a fleeting moment of sourpussism. Oh my camera. I miss it so! But thoughts of my camera faded when we got our deluxe goody bag and Chambord cocktails. Nothing like a bag of freebies and a cocktail to make all your troubles go away. About an hour later, DeeDee arrived. We wandered from vendor to vendor, telling everyone it's my birthday. I got a few extra freebies and snagged some great deals. I even went to a beer tasting. And it confirmed what I already knew: I HATE BEER!!! YUCK!! Oh you should have seen my face with each sip. Thankfully or tragically, Jo captured the yuck-face with a quick click of a butoon on her camera.

It was a FANTABULOUS NIGHT. I was with friends. And cocktails. And shopping bags of goodies. What more could I want?? Yeah, my camera. With or without it though, the parties will continue. And at the end of it all, that's all that matters. I'd rather be surrounded by friends than photographs.