First and foremost, I wanna give a birthday shoutout to one of my oldest and faithful homeboys, Jaakko Alajoki. Happy 22nd, dawg.

Next: Memory Test. Can you remember what you have done for the last 7 4th of Julys? IM me.

2003: Los Angeles, CA. Tonight we celebrated in the traditional fashion, with twenty dollar Hite, NRB Karaoke, and Marlboro Lights at K-Town. Thanks Norling for the BBQ. Alex/Grace/Norling/Peter/Flora.

2002: Santa Barbara, CA. Celebrated by watching fireworks on the Santa Barbara beaches, with a King Cobra 40 and the incredible view of amazingly hot almost-naked white chicks. Moni/Sean/Jia/etc.

2001: Banff, Canada. The solitary trio - Alex/Jim/me, on the docks of a romantic lake in Canada.

2000: Berkeley, CA. The Berkeley Marina, watching fireworks with Stan/JM/Alex/etc.

1999: Palo Alto, CA. Evening with Katie, watching fireworks and renting a movie.

1998: Aspen, CO: Spent the evening with Grace, expensive dinner at the base of Mount Aspen finishing with a concert of Mahler's Fifth Symphony.

1997: Lenox, MA: Tanglewood all-Tchaikovsky concert, spent on the grass of Koussevitzky Hall, beers, cigars, and the works.

What about you?