26 years later...
As of last Thursday, February 4th, I'm officially 26 years of age.
Reactions varied. Two middle-aged colleagues at work said, "My, how young!" and a 21-year-old colleague said, "What, that old?" Well, it's not as if I feel like a toddler or anything, but I don't really feel ancient either. Considering my alleged juvenile appearance (that still results in me having to show my ID when I buy booze - yes, even eight years after I was legally allowed to buy it), my Peter Pan syndrome, and the fact that my brain is obviously 12, I don't think I have to worry about maybe growing up eventually. ;)
I baked a cake with Mum on Wednesday so I could take it to work the next day and present it to my colleagues when they stopped by at my office to wish me a happy birthday. It wasn't a fancy cake or anything, very easy to make (it has to be because I suck at baking and have a special talent for misunderstanding recipes), but every colleague complimented me on it and nearly every second asked me if I could send them the recipe. I was very proud. XD
I didn't have a free minute all day. When there wasn't anyone in my office chatting and eating cake, I was on the phone or reading a text message or an e-mail. In fact, I was so busy the whole day that I didn't even have time to reply to the texts and e-mails I got. Maybe it's a good thing that one has only one birthday a year. XD
G., the colleague I've been sharing an office with since last November took me out to lunch, and I had the best roast pork I've ever tasted. It was so good that I readily agreed to spend the entire afternoon adding photos to a concept for the public toilets in my home town. The concept is one of G.'s most important assignments and I agreed to help her with it because she's not all that computer-savvy and needs someone to make the facts and figures presentable.
After work, I drove to my parents again where we played Mensch ärgere dich nicht all evening. When I was a kid I didn't like the game much because I like big, complicated board games with lots of accessories, but ever since I discovered and bought the three additional action card decks that allow you to do all kinds of evil things to your fellow players and their tokens, Mensch ärgere dich nicht has been one of my favourites ever.
My birthday party was on Saturday. In the morning, Dad and I drove to an optician to get my new glasses (I can finally see again, yay! XD), then we picked up Mum and had lunch in town. My plan for the afternoon, watching Bayern at my uncle's, was ruined by the enormous headache I had after lunch. 1.5 hours of sleep and a pill of paracetamol later, I did the newsletter for primer_equipo for which I'd had no time on Friday, having been too busy cleaning the house for my party. Then I picked up teh_farmer and we did some more cleaning until finally, at about 8pm, the guests arrived. We ordered pizza, which was incredibly yummy, had beer and shots (and tea when it got late), and played games. The funniest one was a game in which one had to pick a folded piece of paper out of a bowl, mime the movie that was written on it and have the others guess which movie it is. Hilariously enough, the film Brokeback Mountain was not guessed by the four people at the table who had seen the film but by the only person who hadn't seen it (and, pitifully enough, had no intention of ever watching it). After the game, the collective somehow decided to have a discussion about straight men making no sense because they love lesbian porn but find gay porn disgusting. LOL. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, one person made the memorable declaration that only the man getting fucked is gay, not the one doing the fucking. The declaration was met with major laughter - at that point, I'm sure everyone in the room remembered that the guy who had made the statement had been in the army for years now. Evidently, when lots of straight guys have to live together in a rather small space, they somehow start doubting their own masculinity and therefore feel the constant need to prove to each other that they're still men, which, in turn, causes their IQs to reach alarming lows. To be understood by even the most blockheaded member of society, one has to lower oneself to his level and dumb down a bit, after all.
I finally got to bed at 3.30am but needed another 1.5 hours to fall asleep. When I woke up at 11am, I was still knackered, which was a pity because I'm sure I would have enjoyed the gaming afternoon at my parents' more if I hadn't been that tired. Fortunately it wasn't that obvious because my brother was there too and he was equally tired. XD
In the evening, Mum and Dad treated us to dinner at the best steakhouse in the whole of Augsburg. I had empanadas for starters, haunch steak with garlic bread and a salad, and crema catalana for dessert. And the best mendoza wine I've ever tasted. OMG, even thinking about this delicious dinner makes my mouth water. It was so so so good.
And that isn't even all. When we went to the car after dinner, we walked past a tapas bar! I never knew Augsburg had one! I totally must go there soon. They're having Paella Night the first Sunday every month, and apparently the paella is prepared right in front of your eyes and you only have to dig into it once it's ready. :D
To summarise all this babbling, I had an amazing birthday, and I consider myself very very lucky to have such awesome people around me who made me feel special that day.
Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday in a comment!
Thanks to viewfromnowhen for the e-card!
Thanks to rocknrollapsara, sophiamoon, beautifuljinx, ladyrocketdale and crazy_girl_86 for sending me greetings via PM!
Thanks to bismarcksotto and inesdelsol for the birthday e-mails!
Thanks to sebastiona, blue_eyed_miss, burningliz, lhuneldaiel, kurdt105 and manuanya for the birthday texts!
Thanks to mer5, metalnurse, sebastiona, porridgebird and secondratestar for the adorable birthday posts!
And, last but definitely not least, thanks to those who sent me gifts! Honestly, I can't thank you enough, you've spoiled me so much!
My brother and his girlfriend gave me Animal Farm DVD plus a thick volume of Agatha Christie's short stories!
teh_farmer, the master of practical presents, gave me a cutting board, an ice cream spoon, a multifunctional grater and Bayern candy!
Thanks to my squishy, sebastiona, for the card and the awesome book about Liverpool! You bet I'm going to make a list of things we have to visit together! :D (Including the Nelson memorial, obviously. XD)
jennis_footie, thank you so much for the adorable address book! How did you know I needed one? :D And the card made me smile like an idiot! It's so kind of you to send this! I'm particularly excited to read the book after all the awesome things you've told me about it! I'll send it back as soon as I'm done, I promise! :)
bismarcksotto, thanks a ton for this book! :D And it wasn't even that late! The mailman almost rang me out of bed on Saturday to deliver it. XDD
My ex-bf got me an Agatha Christie book (is anyone seeing a pattern here? XD) and the complete Lord of the Rings soundtrack. So so awesome. :D
Wine from friends, juice and peanuts from my grandparents, and sweets from my work colleagues!
Also, I can't NOT post these pics of my delicious birthday dinner:
Cesc, Álvaro and a buddy! Empanadas! XD One was filled with cheese, one with beef, and one with vegetables, and they were all utterly delicious.
Salad!
The main course! OMG, that meat was brilliant. The best meat I've ever tasted. And it was a lot bigger than it looks in the picture - it's just that the garlic bread was HUGE and therefore makes the meat seem very small. ;)
Crema catalana with candied orange skin and pieces of pomegranate. I had to share it with the entire table because I was so full after my main course and couldn't eat it all, but it was really yummy.
Pics of the party will follow! :)
Reactions varied. Two middle-aged colleagues at work said, "My, how young!" and a 21-year-old colleague said, "What, that old?" Well, it's not as if I feel like a toddler or anything, but I don't really feel ancient either. Considering my alleged juvenile appearance (that still results in me having to show my ID when I buy booze - yes, even eight years after I was legally allowed to buy it), my Peter Pan syndrome, and the fact that my brain is obviously 12, I don't think I have to worry about maybe growing up eventually. ;)
I baked a cake with Mum on Wednesday so I could take it to work the next day and present it to my colleagues when they stopped by at my office to wish me a happy birthday. It wasn't a fancy cake or anything, very easy to make (it has to be because I suck at baking and have a special talent for misunderstanding recipes), but every colleague complimented me on it and nearly every second asked me if I could send them the recipe. I was very proud. XD
I didn't have a free minute all day. When there wasn't anyone in my office chatting and eating cake, I was on the phone or reading a text message or an e-mail. In fact, I was so busy the whole day that I didn't even have time to reply to the texts and e-mails I got. Maybe it's a good thing that one has only one birthday a year. XD
G., the colleague I've been sharing an office with since last November took me out to lunch, and I had the best roast pork I've ever tasted. It was so good that I readily agreed to spend the entire afternoon adding photos to a concept for the public toilets in my home town. The concept is one of G.'s most important assignments and I agreed to help her with it because she's not all that computer-savvy and needs someone to make the facts and figures presentable.
After work, I drove to my parents again where we played Mensch ärgere dich nicht all evening. When I was a kid I didn't like the game much because I like big, complicated board games with lots of accessories, but ever since I discovered and bought the three additional action card decks that allow you to do all kinds of evil things to your fellow players and their tokens, Mensch ärgere dich nicht has been one of my favourites ever.
My birthday party was on Saturday. In the morning, Dad and I drove to an optician to get my new glasses (I can finally see again, yay! XD), then we picked up Mum and had lunch in town. My plan for the afternoon, watching Bayern at my uncle's, was ruined by the enormous headache I had after lunch. 1.5 hours of sleep and a pill of paracetamol later, I did the newsletter for primer_equipo for which I'd had no time on Friday, having been too busy cleaning the house for my party. Then I picked up teh_farmer and we did some more cleaning until finally, at about 8pm, the guests arrived. We ordered pizza, which was incredibly yummy, had beer and shots (and tea when it got late), and played games. The funniest one was a game in which one had to pick a folded piece of paper out of a bowl, mime the movie that was written on it and have the others guess which movie it is. Hilariously enough, the film Brokeback Mountain was not guessed by the four people at the table who had seen the film but by the only person who hadn't seen it (and, pitifully enough, had no intention of ever watching it). After the game, the collective somehow decided to have a discussion about straight men making no sense because they love lesbian porn but find gay porn disgusting. LOL. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, one person made the memorable declaration that only the man getting fucked is gay, not the one doing the fucking. The declaration was met with major laughter - at that point, I'm sure everyone in the room remembered that the guy who had made the statement had been in the army for years now. Evidently, when lots of straight guys have to live together in a rather small space, they somehow start doubting their own masculinity and therefore feel the constant need to prove to each other that they're still men, which, in turn, causes their IQs to reach alarming lows. To be understood by even the most blockheaded member of society, one has to lower oneself to his level and dumb down a bit, after all.
I finally got to bed at 3.30am but needed another 1.5 hours to fall asleep. When I woke up at 11am, I was still knackered, which was a pity because I'm sure I would have enjoyed the gaming afternoon at my parents' more if I hadn't been that tired. Fortunately it wasn't that obvious because my brother was there too and he was equally tired. XD
In the evening, Mum and Dad treated us to dinner at the best steakhouse in the whole of Augsburg. I had empanadas for starters, haunch steak with garlic bread and a salad, and crema catalana for dessert. And the best mendoza wine I've ever tasted. OMG, even thinking about this delicious dinner makes my mouth water. It was so so so good.
And that isn't even all. When we went to the car after dinner, we walked past a tapas bar! I never knew Augsburg had one! I totally must go there soon. They're having Paella Night the first Sunday every month, and apparently the paella is prepared right in front of your eyes and you only have to dig into it once it's ready. :D
To summarise all this babbling, I had an amazing birthday, and I consider myself very very lucky to have such awesome people around me who made me feel special that day.
Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday in a comment!
Thanks to viewfromnowhen for the e-card!
Thanks to rocknrollapsara, sophiamoon, beautifuljinx, ladyrocketdale and crazy_girl_86 for sending me greetings via PM!
Thanks to bismarcksotto and inesdelsol for the birthday e-mails!
Thanks to sebastiona, blue_eyed_miss, burningliz, lhuneldaiel, kurdt105 and manuanya for the birthday texts!
Thanks to mer5, metalnurse, sebastiona, porridgebird and secondratestar for the adorable birthday posts!
And, last but definitely not least, thanks to those who sent me gifts! Honestly, I can't thank you enough, you've spoiled me so much!
My brother and his girlfriend gave me Animal Farm DVD plus a thick volume of Agatha Christie's short stories!
teh_farmer, the master of practical presents, gave me a cutting board, an ice cream spoon, a multifunctional grater and Bayern candy!
Thanks to my squishy, sebastiona, for the card and the awesome book about Liverpool! You bet I'm going to make a list of things we have to visit together! :D (Including the Nelson memorial, obviously. XD)
jennis_footie, thank you so much for the adorable address book! How did you know I needed one? :D And the card made me smile like an idiot! It's so kind of you to send this! I'm particularly excited to read the book after all the awesome things you've told me about it! I'll send it back as soon as I'm done, I promise! :)
bismarcksotto, thanks a ton for this book! :D And it wasn't even that late! The mailman almost rang me out of bed on Saturday to deliver it. XDD
My ex-bf got me an Agatha Christie book (is anyone seeing a pattern here? XD) and the complete Lord of the Rings soundtrack. So so awesome. :D
Wine from friends, juice and peanuts from my grandparents, and sweets from my work colleagues!
Also, I can't NOT post these pics of my delicious birthday dinner:
Cesc, Álvaro and a buddy! Empanadas! XD One was filled with cheese, one with beef, and one with vegetables, and they were all utterly delicious.
Salad!
The main course! OMG, that meat was brilliant. The best meat I've ever tasted. And it was a lot bigger than it looks in the picture - it's just that the garlic bread was HUGE and therefore makes the meat seem very small. ;)
Crema catalana with candied orange skin and pieces of pomegranate. I had to share it with the entire table because I was so full after my main course and couldn't eat it all, but it was really yummy.
Pics of the party will follow! :)