QUARTER LIFE
*
I can't say that I was expecting much from my birthday this year.
For one, 25 is a relatively frightening age loaded with significance - a milestone, if you will, at which point you'd like to say you accomplished something. For another, several close friends have moved away, making it more difficult to gather a good group to celebrate. It seemed like a few too many people had a few too many excuses why they couldn't ring in the next quarter-century. (And from certain people, a couple of those excuses were awfully lame, indeed.) Also, being employed freelance has given me plenty of time to myself to do whatever I want; when I'm very busy, sometimes just taking some time out for myself would pass for a pleasant birthday, but this year, it wouldn't have distinguished it much from any other day of the last couple months.
But I had a truly fantastic birthday! I really could ask for nothing more. Saturday, Becky and I had a Day o' Fun that was, well, fun. Rather than try to do anything outlandish or extreme to celebrate, I really just wanted to have a busy day where I did nothing but entertain myself, and that is exactly what I got. In fact, we were so busy having fun that there were other fun things I wanted to do that we didn't have time for.
Yesterday, after some (fruitless yet enjoyable) shopping, I had a small dinner and then a larger gathering of folks at Cat & Fiddle. It turned out to be a good, casual venue as I anticipated, where people could come and go fairly easily. It was a good turnout and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. The final four of us stopped by Beige for a nightcap and when I got home I promptly passed out. I woke up quite hungover today, which is a sign of a good birthday.
I think it helps that I didn't try to "make" it special or try to outdo myself. I let myself enjoy it without piling on a lot of pressure or trying to wring any significance out of it. I expected to feel a little disappointed in myself for turning 25, but it actually feels a little like an accomplishment. It's not a bad number...it's a solid one. Twenty-three and twenty-four are such in-between years, but 25 is something else. I don't know what yet, I've only been 25 for a handful of hours. I'm not expecting it to rock my world or anything, but I'm not dreading it or mourning it. Which surprises me, actually.
It really means a lot to me that the people who helped me celebrate were there. In a lot of ways, I got more than I expected and it was really nice. For every person that should have been there that didn't, there was someone who didn't have to be and did. And besides those whose excuse is hundreds or thousands of miles (which I guess will suffice), or work, everyone who was really meant to be there was.
I can't say that I was expecting much from my birthday this year.
For one, 25 is a relatively frightening age loaded with significance - a milestone, if you will, at which point you'd like to say you accomplished something. For another, several close friends have moved away, making it more difficult to gather a good group to celebrate. It seemed like a few too many people had a few too many excuses why they couldn't ring in the next quarter-century. (And from certain people, a couple of those excuses were awfully lame, indeed.) Also, being employed freelance has given me plenty of time to myself to do whatever I want; when I'm very busy, sometimes just taking some time out for myself would pass for a pleasant birthday, but this year, it wouldn't have distinguished it much from any other day of the last couple months.
But I had a truly fantastic birthday! I really could ask for nothing more. Saturday, Becky and I had a Day o' Fun that was, well, fun. Rather than try to do anything outlandish or extreme to celebrate, I really just wanted to have a busy day where I did nothing but entertain myself, and that is exactly what I got. In fact, we were so busy having fun that there were other fun things I wanted to do that we didn't have time for.
Yesterday, after some (fruitless yet enjoyable) shopping, I had a small dinner and then a larger gathering of folks at Cat & Fiddle. It turned out to be a good, casual venue as I anticipated, where people could come and go fairly easily. It was a good turnout and people seemed to be enjoying themselves. The final four of us stopped by Beige for a nightcap and when I got home I promptly passed out. I woke up quite hungover today, which is a sign of a good birthday.
I think it helps that I didn't try to "make" it special or try to outdo myself. I let myself enjoy it without piling on a lot of pressure or trying to wring any significance out of it. I expected to feel a little disappointed in myself for turning 25, but it actually feels a little like an accomplishment. It's not a bad number...it's a solid one. Twenty-three and twenty-four are such in-between years, but 25 is something else. I don't know what yet, I've only been 25 for a handful of hours. I'm not expecting it to rock my world or anything, but I'm not dreading it or mourning it. Which surprises me, actually.
It really means a lot to me that the people who helped me celebrate were there. In a lot of ways, I got more than I expected and it was really nice. For every person that should have been there that didn't, there was someone who didn't have to be and did. And besides those whose excuse is hundreds or thousands of miles (which I guess will suffice), or work, everyone who was really meant to be there was.