You got me garlic toast? I can't accept this

so....

my birthday has passed..... but apparently that doesn't matter to some. haha.

Lesley visited briefly last week.  She brought a gift from her and Aine - I was able to give Lesley her gift too!!!  Anyway - because I've been trying to go to the gym more often than the past (which was hardly ever....) they thought it would provide me with some entertainment - the musical kind - so that I could possibly be more entertained and inspired/motivated to continue on - they were so generous that they got me an ipod shuffle - I just have such a hard time imagining that they would get me such a pricey gift!  Unknown to them - I actually already had an ipod nano - I got it free with my macbook!!!  I had considered getting an ipod shuffle though because I like that it can easily clip on to your clothes - and thus you don't have to carry it!!!  However, there are straps and stuff that you can buy for the pod nano - so they gave me the gift receipt and I may just trade it in for accessories or something.

Last night, Sharon, Rafa, Talon, Wyatt, John and Ashley came over to my apartment.  They brought pumpkins - it was fun cleaning them out and carving them.  Well - Talon wasn't exactly pleased that you have to clean out a pumpkin before carving it - he thought it was pretty gross - worthy of passing out or throwing up - I had no worries with that because I absolutely love cleaning out pumpkins!  Talon carved in a scary face.  Rafa... his carvings changed through out, it was an interesting process - but he ended up with a yankee doodle dandy pumpkin of sorts, John did a lovely Lion, and I - well - mine was also a process - I was going to do the moosehead moose - but realized the pumpkin wasn't the right shape - but I had started drawing with permanent marker - so I cut out what I had to decide hat I could transform it into from that point... well let me tell you - I think I have the most scary of scary pumpkin carvings one has ever seen!  Thats right folks - I carved a peacock into my pumpkin! hahaha

Before the pumpkin carving we filled out tummies with pizza - but we weren't allowed to eat the pizza until I opened a very unnecessary present.  I first read the card signed by everyone at the apartment - and from Jen - who - throughout the last few months in med school has remarkable learned how to make her hand writing look a lot like Sharons!  very strange! - anyway -.  A plot had been started to make me think that they had purchased for me yet another ipod.  My friends are so tricky!  It wasn't an ipod - it was something so much more than I deserve - and like garlic toast I'm having a hard time accepting it - well - I suppose now I have to because moments after it was out of its wrappings the present was taken, assembled, and used! hahaha.  I received my first digital camera!!!  The funny thing about the digital camera however is that tomorrow morning is my convocation - and for the successful completion of my masters degree my mother was purchasing for me a digital camera - however since the one already received had clearly been used - this meant that I had to tell my mother that although her present was greatly appreciated - it would now be well... a repeat.

The summary of this post - my friends are far too generous and definitely did not need to get me anything! haha - As I told Sharon and John last night - I was just going to ask Sharon to re-tune my guitar (which she did) and ask John if he'd look at my computer (which he's doing)... other than getting the chance to hang out with them... well thats the best present of all - I didn't need anything materialistic let alone something bloody expensive - same goes to Aine and Lesley too!!!