Carnegie Hall

I thought my birthday plans were going to be, well, a fancy dinner. D had said "Not that you don't dress nicely, but you might want to dress a little more, well, nicely than you usually do on your birthday."

I was excited about but flustered by having to dress up for something mysterious. I didn't make it through my entire class on Tuesday night for many reasons, including three old ladies wearing fur coats who yelled at me for eating a bagel during the movie, my subsequent starvation, my desire to blog, and my nervousness about finding the perfect outfit for my mystery date the following night.

On the train en route to mystery destination I started getting nervous. I was sensing an elaborateness surrounding the plan, as D said "We might want to grab a snack - this could be a while," which suggested something with a finite duration, and therefore tickets. Tickets? Does he know me well enough to buy tickets to something?

We got off the train and started walking and it soon became apparent that we were going to, gasp, Carnegie Hall!!!!!!

I have romantic and nostalgic feelings surrounding Carnegie Hall that are due solely to the Chipmunks Christmas Special from 1981, in which Dave books Alvin to play a harmonica solo at Carnegie Hall.

http://www.chipmunks.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=39&osCsid=7052b986225e9ada0e39c40439095967

Carnegie Hall!

I was flipping out. First of all, I was at the Carnegie Hall!

Second of all, how is it conceivable that someone took the time to devise this plan for me? How did I get this lucky? How is this even possible? I kept saying "I can't believe this is my life!"

Third of all, we walked up three flights of stairs to our box!!! You sit in boxes at Carnegie Hall on red velvet covered red chairs.

The performance was of Contemporary American Composers, including the debut of a symphony by Danny Elfman. The piece was exquisite. I was holding my breath throughout all six movements. I actually felt relieved when it ended, because I was emotionally on edge the entire time.

The best news of all, however, is that Danny Elfman is busily composing an Edward Scissorhands ballet!

Following the performance, D took me for dinner at Grilled Cheese NYC, where we ate grilled cheeses and sweet potato fries and where I kicked his ass not once but twice at Connect Four.

Is it possible for him to be any more perfect?

This birthday date completely made up for all of the emo birthdays past.

Maybe 29 is going to be ok.