60 to 30

In exactly 60 days I will be 30.

And I'm not really freaked out by it. In fact, and I know this sounds silly, but I'm kinda done with my 20's. I feel with each passing year I have grown in ways I didn't know were possible - professionally, personally, width.

But over the next 60 days I am going to enjoy the last hints of youth. I've been delaying the inevitable for a while, but 30 is definitely beyond the point of being considered youthful - just ask Barney Stinson.

I'm not going to do a things to do list, because, well, 60 days ain't that much, and I can honestly say, I've done a pretty good job of doing the stuff I really want. My 20's have been filled with adventure, some (though not a lot of) romance, amazing family and friends. And despite most of my worst moments happening in the past decade, this decade has made me, well, me.

So for my 30th birthday, I'm breaking with tradition and spending time with my parents. We are taking off for two weeks for a wee trip to Italy. It should be interesting - no friends, no connections, just me, ma & pa. We haven't done this in a while.

And maybe I will return with something fabulous from Prada, Gucci or Valentino.

I doubt it though.

Birthday Treats!

I've mentioned a few times how much I love my birthday. I know it's lame, but I really do. It's the only day dedicated to you - even when it's not.

This year, I was a lucky duck and received a plethora of birthday treats.

First, Andi and Ron flew up from Edmo to help ease my aging-related sorrows. We wandered around the city on Saturday, went to an Edmonton bar for lunch and the game and basically walked our asses off. Oh, we saw the Main Press Centre and heard many a foreign accent ... the Games are gonna be good.

I digress.

The evening was supposed to be ... normal. Sarin had offered up her place for a gathering - I was thinking a pizza party, with booze and treats, and that would be that.

That wasn't that at all!


My Vancouver bitches blew me away.

Priscilla, Sarin and Mariel had put together one hell of a party actually. Complete with Justin Timberlake cake (I think I yelped when it came out), grown-up Twister (no nudity), theme, jello shooters, background images, ambient lighting, music, chicken & waffles, fondue ...

The list goes on and on.

And the best part: I had no fucking clue.

I LOVE surprises.

They are just oodles of fun - unless they're bad surprises, then, well, they aren't fun at all.

Anyways. Team Vancouver really caught me off guard.

So my 29th year started off really great - I felt very special.

Also, a chick in the bathroom at work was shocked when I told her my age. So, I'm totally ok with 29.

I'm totally ok with 29. I'm totally ok with 29. I'm totally ok with 29.

You've got to be kidding me

I have said it before, and I will say it again, I have the best friends in the world. For so many reasons.

They put up with me, they are there when I need them, they get why I am dysfunctional and never judge, but this year, my friends blew me away.

Well, they actually flew me away.

As you all know, I am a big fan of birthdays - the only day dedicated to you, yada yada yada. Last year, my birthday was depressing. I had just broken up with P3, I hated Vancouver, I had just gotten some bad news. Life sucked. Hard.

This year, I was kinda looking forward to it, but I was wondering - what the fuck am I going to do and who the fuck am I going to invite?

Then I got a call - it seems Chunk and Ally decided to gather a group of my closet friends and pool together to buy me a ticket to come home. EEEK! Who the fuck does that?!

And not only that, they had arranged to have parties on Friday and Saturday night.

Who the fuck does that?!

Well, my friends do, that's who.

It's ok, be jealous of me. I would be if I were you. These people constantly amaze me. I at no time feel as though I have done anything to warrant this kind of friendship. Believe me, I recognize everday how lucky I am to have people in my life like this.

Being in Vancouver has made me realize this all the more. The one thing this city will never have, no matter how hard it tries, are my nearest and dearest. It will never have the heart that Edmonton does.

Never.

So, thanks guys. I just hope that one day, you will get how much you mean to me. Because seriously, you do.

No, seriously, I wasn't being sarcastic.

Heh.

Ok, so birthdays, a HUGE deal for me. I love them, they are the only day devoted solely to you. I don't really care who else shares the day with, it is still yours.

This is the first year since my 19th that I haven't had a big party (invitations and all). Why am I not having a big party you ask? Well, who the hell would I invite?

It is a little sad to me that for the past two years, my birthdays have been a little tainted. Last year, because of NY and this year for a mountain of reasons. I don't have my friends, I don't have Paul, I don't have a permanent home. AWESOME.

The only thing I do have is my job, which I have mentioned several times I LOVE. I swear, if it wasn't for my job, I would be in Edmonton. So, at least I have my job, the one shining light in my life ... ok, I want a new life.

So there it is. My sad little birthday post. It is 8:30PM and I am going to bed. Can we just skip to Friday?

BRILLIANT!

Ok, I am going to say this. I think my idea to have my party at Teddy's was freaking brilliant! It was done site-unseen. I just had a feeling that it would be hella cool.

And it was. We got the whole upstairs, to ourselves, drink specials all night long and basically carte blanche.

It was a solid turnout, so a huge shout out to everyone who came. Thanks for making the big trip across the river ... there is life downtown. For those of y'all who couldn't make it, you guys missed a good time.

So that is all. There was nothing particularly scandalous that happened, unfortunately. That is the only this that would have made it the best party ever! Hahahaha, I love gossip.

That is all. Hopefully Jarod will send me some of the pics so I can upload them, b/c I totally forgot to take ANY pics at all. No one ever accused me of being smart.

i

It's My Party

Ok, I mentioned before that I love birthdays. While my actual birthday started off a little depressing, I am not letting this get me down. Tonight is my birthday party.

Birthday parties are one of my favorite things in the whole world. They are fun, an excuse (not that I need one) to get trashy drunk and generally ensures people you don't get to see all the time will come out.

Usually, we go out for dinner, or pre-game at my place and hit some club. This year, however, we are taking a different route. I had the BRILLIANT idea of having my party at this old man bar down the street from my house. It is usually pretty quiet on a Friday night and I figured this would be a great opportunity to check it out, and see what kind of deals they are willing to hook us up with.

Well, they have been SOOOO accommodating. We get the whole upstairs, drink specialsa and they are going to play the Ultimate Mix Tape (a product of several audiophiles suggestions). This mix tape has become something of an obsession of mine. For the past couple weeks, the only thing I have been listening to has been this thing. A) To ensure it flows B) to ensure it isn't too long and C) to ensure it freaking awesome.

While it isn't perfect (I think this may be an annual event), it is pretty freaking good. A really cool range of music and all really good music.

So yes, I am excited about something. My party! YAY!! Getting really inebriated is always a good time. I went out with a non-drinker the other day and he asked me "Why do you drink?"
My response: "So I have a good story the next morning"

Hopefully there will be some good stories from tonight.

Teddy's - be there or I will kill you! Ok, I won't, but if you are in Edmonton and not there, I will be a little less happy.


i

I am 26 now. AWESOME! (Sarcasm included)

I wasn't particularly excited for my birthday this year. For those of you who know me, you know that this is odd. I am a HUGE fan of birthdays. They are the only day in the world that is devoted entirely to you. You will be sharing every other day, but your birthday is yours alone. Even if you share it with someone else you know, it is still your day.

This year was incredibly sad for me though. I didn't realize how much leaving NYC on my birthday was going to affect me. But let me tell ya, it really did. I was in tears off and on throughout the day. Talk about depressing, and very out of character, I am not a public crier. In fact, I would like to believe I have no human emotions or tear ducts.

So the flight was depressing, yada yada yada. I did get to watch the unedited version of the Departed, and I thought it kicked ass. I totally wanted to make out with Leo after it, and I am not a Leo fan.

Get back into Edm and Ally picks me up. Both literally and figuratively. It was great to see her again. She took me for lunch, and then Paul and Jarod came over.

I have come to realize something. It doesn't matter what city you live in. The city isn't your home. The people are. Just hanging out with everyone yesterday brightened up a crappy day, and made me see what I have in my life is something everyone should be jelly about. I have the most amazing friends in the whole fucking world. No seriously. We can fight about this all you want, but no one tops my crew. NO ONE!

i

PS. Finally got to see The Devil Wears Prada. I totally want to work at a fashion mag! Although their shit would never fit me, I would just take it home to look at and drool. Ahhh .... clothes.