I can't say that I am particularly excited to turn 29. Nor am I particularly dreading it. There were other birthdays when I felt like I hadn't accomplished what I should have. I feel pretty good about where I am now.

I am particularly excited to leave Detroit and my flat. Both Leo and I have had our cars broken into in the past two months. My street has never been plowed or salted, no matter how much it snows. My kitchen light has come unwired and it can't be repaired, making it a very dark room. My stove has tried to kill the both of us by shooting gigantic flame balls at the head of whomever tries to open the oven. I am sick to death of washing every dish by hand (in a dark kitchen no less). I hate having to spend an entire evening doing laundry at my mother's house. I also resent having to pay 1.5% of my income for the worst city services outside of Calcutta. Good riddance crime, graffiti, children playing in abandoned houses, and immigrant houses with 20 people shoved into three bedrooms! If you are a starry-eyed, "I can single handedly save this city", suburban-raised do gooder who is offended by this, let me just assure you that you can have the whole damned city for all I care. I for one plan on lighting a match, throwing it over my shoulder and walking north.

Someday this year, we are likely to get married assuming the Catholic Church deems me worthy. The answer just can't come fast enough. To be honest, it makes me axious just thinking about it so I'll leave that as that. Speaking of anxious, my sister and her husband are supposed to be in Cairo but they haven't called my mother to let her know that they are ok.