Reflections on Birthday Week

Celebrating for ten days in a row is exhausting even if there is a scheduled Birthday Week Day of Rest somewhere in there. And even if you have lots of cleaning, cooking, set up, moving and other assorted help from your awesome friends. It still leaves you tired beyond reason.

I have too many good friends that I frankly do not deserve. Friends who will humor me and buy me drinks and help me out with cleaning and moving heavy objects and all of it. And they'll do it even while I'm whining that they're too good to me. And they'll smile while doing it. I mean, Muffy, she came to seven different Birthday Week activities, helped me moved the 'futon' (thanks to you too, Vader), helped me clean my apartment, set up the swing and the hammock with me, arranged my backyard in a pleasing social manner. The woman was out of control. Muppet and her husband dragged themselves to four big events and sang Karaoke and made potato salad. Steph and Muffy loaned me their grill - actually bringing it over, manning it, cleaning it and taking it home. They also bought me a swing. And way too many drinks. And a watering can. And stuff. Other people sang to me at karaoke. They humored my giant ego by telling me I rocked and bought me 'It's All About Me' earrings (thanks Fran!) and came to events and made it all about me. Seriously. It's amazing. And for those who care; Steph came in second with six events. Then the Muppets with four (three for Mr. Muppet). And then Vader, Fran and Charlotte with three. I have to hand out prizes I think. Or owe them all my first born or something. Amazing people, my friends.

Being 30 does not mean that people won't want to sleep with me. Hee. Not that I would ever sleep with someone, Daddy. It's just nice to be wanted. You understand, right?

I'm actually a little freaked out about being 30. I thought that by celebrating it for 10 days and not hiding from it I was all mature and cooler than all the other 30 year olds and whatever and then it was June 19th and I have a little bit of "OH MY GOD I'M THIRTY" going on in the back of my head. It's not overpowering. But it's there. To all my other 30 year old friends, I apologize for any little superior thoughts I had. I am a smug asshole.

Turning 30 is apparently better than having a child turn 30. Thanks for that little bit of perspective, Pops.

Having friends and family humor you and support you as you turn 30 does not mean that they won't mock your sorry ass as you turn 30 and even after you turn 30. And yes. I do mean ALL OF YOU! You mean, wonderful people you.

Backyard parties are excellent. Having a backyard is excellent.

Vodka is excellent.

Your guests DO notice if you go off to try and take a nap in the hammock during a party. But they're polite and don't say anything about it. Though they do keep looking over until you feel bad and join the party again after thirty seconds.

When two of your friends go off to get you birthday cupcakes because they are awesome, it's entirely too easy to convince the rest of the party that they ran back home for a quicky. But then you feel really bad about it when they bring out the cupcakes and sing to you. Have I mentioned how cool my friends are?

Coney Island is a wonderful place.

Ed's Shirt can sometimes try and take over your Birthday Week. But it is only a shirt and so very little effort is required to regain Birthday Week control.

Hangovers are just as annoying at 30 as they are at 22 (when I had my first!!!!).

Mary-Kate and Ashley are just now 18. And I'm 30. I'm very, very old. But no one ever thought I looked kind of monkey-like as a child. I don't think. Mom?

The weather will cooperate when it has to. For Birthday Week. The Yankees will not. But I still love the Yankees.

Turning 30 has not kick-started my biological clock and I still don't want to settle down and do all that stuff. Woo.

I need to listen to more George Michael songs more often.

Jake Ryan is still hot and I don't care what Muffy and Charlotte say.

My coworkers are very strange and they think I'm a bit off as well.

I don't go out enough when it's not Birthday Week and I need to start hanging with my fabulous friends more often.

Socializing causes weight loss as well as being fun.

Okay, I think I've reflected enough. Now I have to get back to writing up the various days of Birthday Week. If I can even remember at this point what happened over the past ten days. Have I mentioned how exhausting Birthday Week is? Have I?