And from our guest blogger Natalie . . .

I'm a little bit shy and giggly right now because I've never written a blog entry before. You see, blogs were invented when I lived in the Marshall Islands on a tiny rock in the Pacific. Same with iPods. By extension, I don't have either of these items and am quite intimidated by this high-flying technology. I do, however, have a scar from a skin boil. Yep, just like folks in the Old Testament. In addition, I took 4 years' worth of showers by bucket. Please don't interpret these two bits of trivia as connected.

Anyway, so I'm writing this blog because Amy is visiting me for our birthdays. It has been 8 years since we've seen each other in October. Hard to believe since we pretty much spent all birthdays together from 1988 until 1999. Let's hope we get back on this streak again!

Amy and I lead very different lives these days. She has a blog. I have a facebook account. She lives in an apartment by herself. I live in a building with 120 18-year-olds. Amy is wearing her Yoda shirt that she wore for School Picture Day in 11th grade. I haven't even seen the "new" Star Wars movies. Amy said "that's a pretty good cast" when she saw Aaron's arm bandaged up in a sweaty sock, a magazine and electrical tape. I said, "Aaron, you should go to a doctor." Amy contra-danced with a hot guy. Only old men ask me to dance. You get the picture...

Okay, so I think my first blog entry is coming to an end. Though, I hope it is not truly an end, but merely the beginning of many more blog entries and comments on Amy's site.

Good day and good cheer. (That's from my favorite Robert Redford movie, Upclose and Personal, for you who aren't obsessed with this AARP heart throb.)