Happy Birthday, Dan!

If you've read this blog more than a few times, you've probably gathered that Dan is one of my five favorite non-relatives. And today is the boy's birthday. I'm 3,000 miles away and can't celebrate with him this weekend, but we'll make up for it later in the week.


Dan is the best ex-beau you could ask for. We were together for eight years, and now we're not. But there's still a lot of love and respect there, so we continue to enjoy a great friendship few understand.

He's still my favorite bookstore-and-a-movie date. My favorite bitch-about-the-day listening post. One of the first I call when something fabulous or f*cked happens. The one with whom I can be my silliest or my bitchiest, my most manic or quiet. He's the one I can talk to about art and baubles, cry about boy stuff and girl stuff, yammer about music categories, just be myself. He's rescued me so many times, his ringtone is the "Batman" TV theme. Dan knows more of my secrets than anyone else ... and yet he still calls me "sweetie."

My dad's funeral was held on Dan's birthday last year. Typical of Dan, he thought of me first, and went as my date to the service and gathering at my parents' house. I couldn't have made it through that year (or the year since) without him to lean on, and for that I'll always love him.


We've had some great adventures — Paris and San Francisco, Kansas City and New York, New Orleans and Memphis, Athens and Savannah, the beach and the mountains. I hope we have another excursion soon; dan is a great and adventurous travel companion.

Dan will alway be one of the great loves of my life, and the best friend a woman could have. Happy birthday, sweetie.

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