Amanda's Favorite Day

For 16 years I've celebrated my friend's birthday more than I've celebrated my own... This is for many reasons...
She doesn't just have a birthDay, she has a birthMonth
She loves her birthday more than anyone I know could love a day on a calendar
You can't help but celebrate with her because she's so excited
And she's had some pretty fantastic birthday parties.

I remember the one at the skating rink and I think there was one a Perfect North Slopes, there were always sleep overs at her house, and as we've gotten older we've always gone to dinner and out for drinks. She always loves her birthday cakes and I remember one night when we were pretty drunk she named every cake theme of every birthday party since she was about 3 years old.

But in these sixteen years, one thing has been a constant. She always plays her "Zoom" birthday tape. Yes, it's a cassette tape, and she owns a cassette player specifically to play this tape and every time I think of her birthday I automatically think of the song. I can hear it right now, "My name is zoom and I live on the moon, and I've come down to Earth just to sing you this tune, because Amanda, it's your birthday, today!"

So as Sunday approaches I get more and more upset because this is the first birthday I have not spent with her since we were six years old. I was there for every single other one. The time she turned "double digits," the time she turned 16 and passed her driver's test on the first try (I was so jealous of her because it took me 3 trys), the time she turned 18 and was a legal lady, the time she celebrated her golden birthday, 20 on the 20th, and the time she turned 21... and partied like a crazy lady.

I know for a fact that February 20th is Amanda's favorite day, so for that reason, it's one of my favorites too!

So, ManFace, as you turn 23, I'm sorry I can't be there to celebrate with you. But just so know, I'll be singing the song on Sunday that I've heard so many times and have come to love. Happy Birthday, Amanda. I love you to pieces.