I had a fantastic birthday.  I made red velvet cupcakes and someone brought a chocolate-pomegranate cheesecake that was unbelievably good (I ate the leftovers for every meal until it was gone).  Someone made me a blue coffee mug that is so pretty it makes my coffee taste better.  Then, everyone at least pretended to enjoy playing Balderdash, which is one of my very favorite games.

Christmas was pretty good, too.  I wore a lovely dress, so that put me in a great mood straight away.  I spent most of Christmas at my grandmother’s – via Skype.  While I wish I could have spent more time with my brother and sister, Christmas-on-Skype is way more pleasant than Christmas-in-person with my family.

I got all kinds of fantastic gifts: lemon and lime curd (time to bake scones!), lots of adorable (and warm) socks (who doesn’t like green argyle?), The Settlers of Catan (which might be more fun than Balderdash), garlic stuffed olives (I eat them by the jar), and fancy whole wheat flour that makes delicious eggnog pancakes and perfect bread.

I know you’re feeling terrifically guilty for forgetting to get me both a Christmas and a birthday present.  Luckily, you can assuage that guilt and save the world AT THE SAME TIME: Just head over to Population Connection and donate!  Population Connection is all about curbing population growth. Their work makes it clear that they understand the connection between women’s rights and reduced fertility rates.

If saving the world isn’t your thing, but you think I’m awesome, the Migraine Research Foundation is another good place to send your hard earned money.  I’d like for there to be new drugs for me to try once I get health insurance again. Or a better explanation for the root cause than “something happens and the brain stem doesn’t like it.”

If you don’t have cash to spare, but do any of your shopping online, you can still support the Migraine Research Foundation through Giving Pal.