30 is weird.

The actual day I turned thirty was one of the weirdest birthdays I have ever had, and I've had some interesting ones. I guess I thought it was going to be epic, but it ended up being a series of small yet strange activities culminating in a bi-coastal phone conversation and Taco Bell devouring.

I woke at 8,9, and 10 respectively as I was being called on my cell by multiple people who wanted to wish me well. As the night before I had taken a Mucinex, Unisom, and Dayquil to rid myself of a massive head cold that had settled in the previous day, I was a bit lethargic and slightly cranky. I stumbled downstairs and ate one of my red velvet cupcakes from my birthday party that had occurred on Sunday. A half hour later, my sister came downstairs and said she wanted pancakes...did I want any? As she rarely offers to do nice things, I took her up on the deal. 10 minutes later, there were two golden brown pancakes on our plates, and we dug in with gusto. Two bites later we looked at each other and simultaneously headed for the sink and the garbage disposal. The mix was a whole wheat Hungry Jack, and the pancakes were dense and flavorless. We laughed about it, and I went to get ready for my day on the set of Burn Notice.

Showered, curled and made up, I grabbed my down home style clothes and headed down to Miami Springs. I was cocky, as the production company had sent a map, and I thought that I was so smart that I could read a map, no problem. I even planned a side trip for all the extra time I would have on my hands. I drove distractedly, with a hubris that was repaid in full when I looked up and saw a sign that said "Miami International Airport." I had missed a turn somewhere and got caught in a massive detour leading me through the depths of the airport. Panicking, I programmed my Google Maps app with the address, and re-routed. I got to the crew lot with moments to spare, grabbed my clothing, and headed to the craft services tent. As I walked up to the group of extras standing around, I noticed a 19 year old girl wearing the same dress I had chosen for my outfit for the day. I made a joke about not getting the memo, and she sarcastically told me that it was ok cause SHE had other outfits. Pretentious.

I sit down and watch all the extras attack our wrangler for the day, Cornell, each asking a silly question about one thing or another, confident in the fact that I had been there, done that. I grab my hardcover book out of my purse, and before I can even open to the first page, an older gentleman across from me asks me my name. He then proceeds to ask me if I'm married, what I do, where I'm from. I answer politely and try to read some more, but finally gave up at the half hour mark. After 2 and a half hours, we walked to the location, and half of us were used in one scene, then 20 of the extras (not including me)had to sit in a cafe while the rest of us shot a scene behind the principals, Bruce Campbell and Jeffrey Donavan. BC showed up in a white van in a white wifebeater. Meow.

After this we were sent home. I headed back up North and tried to get a hold of a friend who said she wanted to meet up with me for my birthday. No answer. I realized she had another social engagement, so I met up with some other friends to get some frozen yogurt at Froyotopia. Emily, Jess and Steve were waiting for me, and I got a delightful group hug just before Jess dropped her iPhone on the ground and smashed it. We went inside and got our frozen yogurt, and they sneakily put candles in the yogurt. I blew them out at the counter before we decided to wander. A half hour later, they had to go back to work, and I had no idea what I was going to do. I called my friend again, and she was tired from a long day at work, so I decided to go and finally meet Michael, a guy that my best friend's mom had been trying to set me up with. I got to his workplace, sidled up to the bar, and he came up to me smiling and gave me a big hug. We'd talked a few times on the phone, but this was the first face to face meeting. He had about 7 patrons still in the restaurant, so he pulled up a chair and we chatted over my complimentary merlot. About 15 minutes in, I saw the manager run from the kitchen into his office, followed by a chef who quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher off of the wall.

The kitchen was on fire. They put it out, but not before the fire department had been called in. Six firemen in full gear came tromping into the restaurant. The patrons who had just ordered were unable to eat anything, as the kitchen had to be closed down after the fire extinguisher was used, and muttering, they left. I decided to leave as well, as they were all stressed and it was about 10:30 at this point.

I was feeling a little woozy from the wine, as my last meal had been at 2:30 on set, and fro yo doesn't make a good alcohol cushion. My best friend from college called me from LA, and as I chatted with him I stopped at Taco Bell. He heard my order and says, "That sounds good. I'm gonna get the same thing and we can eat together." He did, we did, and I ended the night with a Grilled Stuft Burrito, a phone call, and the last red velvet cupcake.

Like I said. Weird.