Giant Cookies: Not Just for 'Round Midnight

I LOVE these for my birthday "cake."
This is obviously not this year, since my hair is short.
I love my long hair, but sometimes I still miss the perky, short style!

The first time I ever had a Great American Cookie was at a moving "goodbye" party for two of my friends when I was ten.  I think the cookie was the length of the table, or at least to a ten-year-old it seemed that big.  I must have drowned my sorrows in eating cookie because I don't remember much else besides saying goodbye and crying.

Yet, the love of the Great American Cookie has lived on!

Unfortunately, I don't currently live near a Great American Cookiem much to my dismay.  I causes some sadness in my life.

My most vivid memory of Great American Cookie is from my 18th birthday.

I had finished high school through American School a little over a year earlier.  Instead of going to college right away, I chose to devote my time doing correspondence college courses, harp, and voice--learning recording and going to master classes.  Yet I still didn't have my driver's license.

After I opened my presents, Erik excitedly declared--as only he can say it, "Now you can order things on TV!"

There on the shelf was a beautiful, rectangular Great American Cookie that said "Happy Birthday, Jillaine!"

But the day was to get more exciting.  That day Erik and I went to our first driver's ed class but ended up switching classes and starting with a different teacher a week later.

So I remember two things about my 18th birthday: False start of Driver's Ed and Great American Cookie.

Somehow not living near a Great American Cookie makes me want to introduce one of my favorite jazz songs: "'Round Midnight" (sung by Ella Fitzgerald).  I love it for all of its harmonic complexity and the fact it was written by Thelonious Monk, my favorite jazz pianist!  I absolutely love to not only hear him play, but watch him play in recordings!  No sadness here as I approach my birthday without a Great American Cookie!  Only great memories and great music!