I'm 23! (Warning: This entry is horribly long and sentimental)
Where did the time go? It feels like it was just yesterday that I turned 16... but that was 7 years ago! I don't know why 23 feels like such a shock to me. I think it just sounds mature... (and is a therefore a reminder that I should start acting mature).
Birthdays are generally seen as a day to celebrate the individual who was born that day... but I think they should also be a time to recognize all the other people (and animals, and sometimes even objects) who have helped to shape that individual. Since I would not be the person I am today without support from many other individuals, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the people who have made a difference in my life... (although, there is no way I can possibly acknowledge everybody... as this entry is bound to be really long, people who are in a hurry might want to skip down to the part about them!).
I'll start with my parents who brought me into the world, and raised me.... especially my mother (who informed me last night of exactly how long she was in labor with me! I can't believe she went through that for me!)
Thanks also to my sister for more things than I could possibly list. I am really lucky to have her to talk to and play cards with! Oh... and thanks also to her for listening to my stories, and for choosing not to stab me with that knife when we were little. That would have sucked!
I'd like to acknowledge my elementary and middle school teachers (especially my second grade teacher who actually liked me despite the fact that I was a brat, my elementary school learning specialist who was an amazing mentor and friend, and all the awesome teachers I adopted as mentors in middle school).
I'd like to acknowledge all the people at my childhood church for religious guidance. They got me through some hard times in high school, and most of the values I hold today (even though I no longer consider myself Christian) came from somebody at that church.
Thank you to my high school theater teacher who also acted as a mentor to me, taught me to be more aware of others' body language and taught me how to breathe deeply (among many many other things).
Thank you to my high school friends... ryalth, I'll never forget our trips to Goodwill, and thank you also for pretty music, yummy food, and for supporting me through many hard times.
ryuutchi, thank you for showing me lots of pretty Japanese stuff, for introducing me to role-playing, for taking me to see "Wicked" on broadway, and for teaching me to read Hebrew. Please get in touch with me sometime soon so we can do something (I have become horribly ungeekified, and am counting on you to save my soul)
polyopia and frothi, thank you for LOTR readings and other fun LOTR events, thank you for much singing, for long walks, for hot chocolate, for trips to the fabric store, for trips to the tree, and many many interesting conversations. frothi, thank you for sending me fun music... I am planning to make my sister listen to "Max", as that is the name of her Ex. ;-) polyopia, thank you for all those trips to "Stop n' Shop", early morning breakfasts, and for letting me stay with you that night in the city.
halflingmerry, thank you for introducing me to lots of music, for interesting conversations, and for many many games of Boggle. I miss you!
ridiculous_e, thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of Television, thank you for fun music (especially for breaking your Billy Joel CD so I could have the other one), for getting me tickets to "Spamalot", and for many trips to the sushi restaurant. Oh, and thanks for coming to my graduation. It meant a lot to me.
mithrigil thank you for pretty music, pretty video games, many hours of baking (and teaching me how to keep kosher), and for getting me into i-con for free.
I'd like to acknowledge all the residents of the TH of doom for many good times, and interesting conversations last year. fieonljfiefie, thank you for talking to me about random stuff, and for playing many games with me. shield toad111, thank you for lots and lots of delicious cooking, for giving advice about my rats, and for exposing me to lots of interesting and hilarious items. Sorry for breaking so many of your dishes!
deverlite, thank you for being such an awesome GM. My college years would not have been nearly so fun or interesting without GURPS.
To the resident whose LJ name I do not know, thank you for interesting conversations, many hugs, and many hours of fun in the lighting booth for Rocky. I miss you!
And of course, I'd like to acknowledge my other friends from college who do not have lj accounts... to those people, I got lost in the woods with last year after seder (and have not yet mentioned)... you guys are wonderful! Thank you for lots of walks, and many games of cards. Oh, and thanks for helping me with my plot to take over the world!
I would like to say thank you to my actress friend in Massachusetts for going apple picking with me, having chinese food/ studying, going to ren faire with me and for supporting me through many hard times. I intend to call you sometime this week, as I really miss you!
And tovaks, thank you for many hugs, for supporting me through the grad school process, and for teaching me the names of many shiny rocks!
This list obviously does not include everyone who has helped to make me who I am today, but it is certainly a start. (and does include everyone who is likely to read my lj)I am very grateful to all the people who have been a positive influence in my life!
Birthdays are generally seen as a day to celebrate the individual who was born that day... but I think they should also be a time to recognize all the other people (and animals, and sometimes even objects) who have helped to shape that individual. Since I would not be the person I am today without support from many other individuals, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of the people who have made a difference in my life... (although, there is no way I can possibly acknowledge everybody... as this entry is bound to be really long, people who are in a hurry might want to skip down to the part about them!).
I'll start with my parents who brought me into the world, and raised me.... especially my mother (who informed me last night of exactly how long she was in labor with me! I can't believe she went through that for me!)
Thanks also to my sister for more things than I could possibly list. I am really lucky to have her to talk to and play cards with! Oh... and thanks also to her for listening to my stories, and for choosing not to stab me with that knife when we were little. That would have sucked!
I'd like to acknowledge my elementary and middle school teachers (especially my second grade teacher who actually liked me despite the fact that I was a brat, my elementary school learning specialist who was an amazing mentor and friend, and all the awesome teachers I adopted as mentors in middle school).
I'd like to acknowledge all the people at my childhood church for religious guidance. They got me through some hard times in high school, and most of the values I hold today (even though I no longer consider myself Christian) came from somebody at that church.
Thank you to my high school theater teacher who also acted as a mentor to me, taught me to be more aware of others' body language and taught me how to breathe deeply (among many many other things).
Thank you to my high school friends... ryalth, I'll never forget our trips to Goodwill, and thank you also for pretty music, yummy food, and for supporting me through many hard times.
ryuutchi, thank you for showing me lots of pretty Japanese stuff, for introducing me to role-playing, for taking me to see "Wicked" on broadway, and for teaching me to read Hebrew. Please get in touch with me sometime soon so we can do something (I have become horribly ungeekified, and am counting on you to save my soul)
polyopia and frothi, thank you for LOTR readings and other fun LOTR events, thank you for much singing, for long walks, for hot chocolate, for trips to the fabric store, for trips to the tree, and many many interesting conversations. frothi, thank you for sending me fun music... I am planning to make my sister listen to "Max", as that is the name of her Ex. ;-) polyopia, thank you for all those trips to "Stop n' Shop", early morning breakfasts, and for letting me stay with you that night in the city.
halflingmerry, thank you for introducing me to lots of music, for interesting conversations, and for many many games of Boggle. I miss you!
ridiculous_e, thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of Television, thank you for fun music (especially for breaking your Billy Joel CD so I could have the other one), for getting me tickets to "Spamalot", and for many trips to the sushi restaurant. Oh, and thanks for coming to my graduation. It meant a lot to me.
mithrigil thank you for pretty music, pretty video games, many hours of baking (and teaching me how to keep kosher), and for getting me into i-con for free.
I'd like to acknowledge all the residents of the TH of doom for many good times, and interesting conversations last year. fieonljfiefie, thank you for talking to me about random stuff, and for playing many games with me. shield toad111, thank you for lots and lots of delicious cooking, for giving advice about my rats, and for exposing me to lots of interesting and hilarious items. Sorry for breaking so many of your dishes!
deverlite, thank you for being such an awesome GM. My college years would not have been nearly so fun or interesting without GURPS.
To the resident whose LJ name I do not know, thank you for interesting conversations, many hugs, and many hours of fun in the lighting booth for Rocky. I miss you!
And of course, I'd like to acknowledge my other friends from college who do not have lj accounts... to those people, I got lost in the woods with last year after seder (and have not yet mentioned)... you guys are wonderful! Thank you for lots of walks, and many games of cards. Oh, and thanks for helping me with my plot to take over the world!
I would like to say thank you to my actress friend in Massachusetts for going apple picking with me, having chinese food/ studying, going to ren faire with me and for supporting me through many hard times. I intend to call you sometime this week, as I really miss you!
And tovaks, thank you for many hugs, for supporting me through the grad school process, and for teaching me the names of many shiny rocks!
This list obviously does not include everyone who has helped to make me who I am today, but it is certainly a start. (and does include everyone who is likely to read my lj)I am very grateful to all the people who have been a positive influence in my life!