It's my fuckin' birthday too. What a sucky way to spend a birthday. In pain, in bed and a crazy 8 year to boot.
What's a crazy 8 year you ask?
There is a little bit if a story there, if you really must know.
You really must know now?
It's not that exciting of a story...really it's not.
You still want to know?
Well, you asked for it.
See, when I was about 7, I became intrigued with the idea that I would be alive at the turn of the century. I'm sure some teacher brought up the whole concept, maybe my dad now that I think about it. Whoever it was set in motion a train of thought that still chugs through my mental station every 10 years without fail.
At the tender age of 7 I calculated how old I would be when the calendar changed from 1999 to 2000. The ripe old age of 28-which every 7 year old knows beyonf a shadow of a doubt is ancient indeed. So with thoughts now focused on my inevitable extreme elderliness just 20 short years away I began the process of breaking that up into more managable chunks of time-tens of years rather than twenties-after all every almost 8 year old longs for the day she turns 18 right?
The following 10 years did not exactly fly by but without my planning any great thing away they did fly. At 18-not when I graduated highschool nearly 6 months earlier-I finally felt emancipated and well, officially "grown up" and did what any self respecting teenage girl does...I got in a fight with my mom(just a day or two after "the big day" if I recall) and vehemently moved out.
The following 10 years did not fly by but once again without my planning any great thing away they did fly. I had somehow accumulated a child, a mortgage, two dogs, two parakeets and a lover leaving for China so I did what any self respecting almost 28 year old does and vehemently moved to China.
Fortunately my mom and I had made up by then and though she wouldn't take the greyhounds or(at first)the mortgage she did agree to keep the child for me.
There I was, in China, in 1999 partying like well, like it was 1999 when it hit me...I was about to become old, ancient even. Yup. I was about to be *gasp* 28. Just ask Big Daddy D-I was very traumatised by my 20 year obsession with the number 28 in combination with the number 2000.
The following 10 years did not fly by and still with no great planning I find they have once again flown away. I have some how managed to accumulate a husband, two more children, a couple more dogs, several cats, innumerable fish, three parakeets, a couple of hamsters and another mortgage. I've lost plenty along the way-a child and most of the pets but not(unfortunately) the mortgage and like any respectable now 38 year old, I wonder...
What am I going to vehemently do now?
11 comments:
Well Happy Birthday whether you want it or not. Funny, 28 was dreadful for me because it meant I was almost 29, the end of the twenties.
don't get me wrong...I love my birthdays! Really really love them, it's just the 8's that get me thinking about "AGE". I am a Libra through and through it seems. =)
it's not so bad. Heck, I've been 38 all year!
I too turned 28 in 2000! I've always felt pretty young until my last bday... 37 hit me like a truck, for some reason. I don't even think 40 will feel so bad. But that last bday somehow felt old, I suddenly felt like it was wrong of me to hang out in places where people are on average 22. And what did I do about it? Nothing. I will still go. Maybe not as often but I will.
What you can vehemently do right now...? How about something that you have never taken the time to do? Like painting... taking a poetry class... register to a MeetUp group that likes to cook or have cookout.... go bungee jumping...
HD-nah, 38 ain't so bad...though I have to tell ya I'm already wondering about 48(I think I'm a little OCD ;)
DCN-28 was a very strange year for me, full of huge changes in every aspect. I'm hoping 38 will be a tad calmer. Oh...I will vehemently NOT bungee jump, but I might just go to France. Who knows?
Live.
Happy birthday! :)
I left a comment and for some reason my computer completely shut down afterwards (there is a ghost in this machine!).
Happy birthday, Brook! I hope you feel better so that you can properly celebrate.
I LOVE what you wrote about how you saw yourself at the turn of the century (which is one of the really interesting things about kids born late in the last century. Almost akin to a "where were you when" type thing. I was aware that I would be 32 and imagined myself as being this old woman with my hair in a bun like a grandmother!).
I'm fairly certain you would agree(despite how much life may change) that the difference between 28 and 38 is, at least physically, fairly unremarkable (and if it matters, you look like you are in your twenties)!
I don't seem to get the birthday dreads, I am usually just amazed that my preconceived ideas of how "old" one is at a certain age end up being completely unfounded. For me 20 was the worst- already married with 2 kids, in the process of a divorce and half-way living with the guy who would be husband #2. I thought Life had passed me by - I did not realize that Life was exactly what I was experiencing; good, bad, or indifferent. After that, they have all been pretty good. Shiloh went to a friends 40th birthday Saturday night - and they literally partied all night. She was reminescing about my 40th birthday party. That would have been 1994 - were you at the dude ranch? Anyway- don't fret my darling daughter, you will be young for many years to come.
Love you! mom
Victoria-Ghost in a Shell is a great anime series! As for the rest...Being so very old at the turn of the century strikes me as rather amusing now-though it was a very serious thought I carried around for quite awhile. The past decade has in fact taken a toll on me physically-but mostly on the insides-not my face so much. This birthday has in fact not been traumatic as far as age/perception of age goes, but rather thought provoking in the vehement living category. (that said-it matters...Thanks!!!!!)
Mom-I talked to you this morning. I was in Mississippi with an 18 month old when you turned 40. I can't wait to hear about Shiloh's party fun... Now you have me wondering where I'll be when I turn 40. Thanks! *not* ;) Love Ya!
See...I get behind in my blog reading and I miss your birthday! Argh!!! Happy Fucking Belated Birthday!!!!!! :-) :-) :-)
Birthdays by the 8's. Never thought much about it...but 28 IS the year I decided to get bummed about age, and thought about not being in my 20's anymore.
SEEEEEE!!!!! That crazy stuff just happens in your head you know? Well, mine anyway! Belated thanks!
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