Tuesday, June 12, 2007

happy birthday to me.

Well today is the day. I officially turn(ed) 23. I have no idea what time of the day I was born, so I'm not sure what time I enter my 23rd year, but I digress.

Birthdays are not nearly as fun when you're old. I mean, I've been at work all day, no one even knows its my birthday. I got a card and some chocolate from some co-workers, but it's not quite the pomp and circumstance when you're turning the big 1-0. Typical with everything in my family, birthdays were a big deal, celebrated over the course of entire weekends or weeks. I was queen for several days, got to eat whatever I wanted, had my hair curled, stayed up late, and got plenty of extra hugs and kisses. Come to think of it, it really wasn't all that different from today, it's just now I do these things for myself rather than having someone do them for me. I guess it's all part of this whole painful growing up process. Lame. It was a lot more fun when all of my bff's were in a 10 mile radius and we could get together for sleepovers and pool parties. It's not the same when my mom isn't at the bottom of the stairs when I wake up, belting out "Happy Birthday" as I rub my bleary eyes. I guess birthdays don't get fun again until we have kids, and we can live vicariously through them. I look forward to it and I think I'll definitely treat birthdays as specially as my parents did.

So, what does 23 mean? Am I where I wanted to be by 23? The truth is, I have no idea. I'm relatively satisfied with my life. Sure, I don't love my job, I have no money and no real plans for the future, but I'm happy. I'm completely independent, living in a fabulous city, and experiencing new things almost every day. Isn't that what your early 20's is supposed to be about? I hope so.

Lelaina: I was really going to be somebody by the time I was 23.
Troy: Honey, all you have to be by the time you're 23 is yourself.
Lelaina: I don't know who that is anymore.
Troy: I do. And we all love her.

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