many congratulations ensued, which gladdened my increasingly aged heart. however, yet more gladdening was the fact that many congratulations were given independently of, and indeed prior to, said flowers. this year like every year, i [heart] my friends.
the evening included a working group which reminded me that i would probably need to define the terms in my dissertation prospectus, a slice of cheesecake and a glass of wine with a wide selection of excellent people, and later, amusing (ok, depressing) sidewalk run-ins with various drunkards, harlots and cads.