Twenty-four
Despite my better judgment, I’ve done it.
I’ve moved from my early 20s to my mid 20s. My friend Beth (see No. 1 below) was kind enough to remind me that this age bracket jump is much better than moving from the late 20s to the early 30s. Yet, I know that I’ll blink; I’ll turn 30; I’ll think, “It seems like I just wrote that dang blog post about turning 24!”
Yesterday I wasn’t actually too shaken up about becoming another year older. I had a non-traditional birthday, but that’s what keeps life interesting.
Here’s my “By the Numbers: Birthday Edition.”
Highlights:
1. I ate a delicious brunch with my favorites at J. Christopher’s.
2. I opened the presents I’ve been eyeing (and shaking every once in a while) for the past few days. I also learned that my mom and David’s mom have the exact same gift wrapping style. I had already torn apart the packaging around Donna’s gifts before Lena took out the camera, but you can basically envision this photo with bold tissue paper and know exactly what it looked like.
3. Thanks Mom, Donna and David for the goodies. I’m one lucky girl (who obviously still opens presents like a toddler on Christmas morning).
4. I loved the messages in my birthday cards from friends and family who are both near and far.
5. I racked up more than 100 birthday greetings on Facebook and Twitter.
6. I came down with one heck of a cold. Thanks for the birthday phone calls, friends. I apologize for sounding like a 90-year-old chain smoker on the other end of the line.
7. I drank four cups of tea, three cups of coffee, one cup of hot chocolate, and dozens of glasses of water because my throat was super scratchy. I then became the most hydrated, dehydrated and rehydrated person in the world.
8. I was sought after by the retailers of shoes, clothing, food, coffee, sunglasses, books, cosmetics and DVD rentals. I liked getting a free DVD coupon for RedBox, but I will be broke if I go on a shopping spree big enough to claim all of my birthday “rewards.”
9. I enjoyed a Reeses birthday pie at breakfast with my coworkers today because they know that peanut butter cups are the way to my heart. Any day. Any time.
10. I received a Coldstone ice cream birthday cake from Lena. We will enjoy eating the cake—as opposed to looking at it sit in the freezer—once my throat decides to tolerate foods cooler than room temperature.
Goals inspired by my birthday:
11. I hope to eat healthier and more diverse food every year. I waited until I was 20 to eat vegetables. I imagine I still have some room left for improvement.
12. I want to see all 50 states before I turn 50. This goal is borrowed from my friend and coworker, Kristine, who flew out to Minneapolis this weekend to go on a road trip with her cousin to North and South Dakota. Somehow she lived in Rochester, MN, for a couple years and didn’t make the infamous trek out I-90 to South Dakota during that time.
The only states I have remaining are: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Hawaii, Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky and Rhode Island. It seems manageable to complete 15 states in the next 26 years.
13. I strive to run a half marathon. But not today. Or tomorrow. Or until I find a scary-looking person to chase me 13 miles.
14. I plan to practice the piano again and become fluent enough to pound out a couple songs from the Christmas carol songbook that’s hanging out in the closet of my childhood bedroom. I stopped taking piano lessons because they conflicted with volleyball practice in my schedule. That wasn’t my finest life choice.
15. I’m going to watch more movies. I always watch the same films over and over again, but there are so many great flicks I’ve yet to see.
16. I hope to travel to Asia and Africa.
17. I want to spend more time outdoors.
18. I will adopt a puppy. (Breathe, Cora. I’m not going to get one soon.) This dog might be impractical. It might shed. It might drool. It might snore. But it will most certainly be the cutest little bulldog you’ve ever seen…and I already know her name.
19. I will never tell you the name for my future baby bulldog until it is sleeping in a basket in my kitchen.
20. I plan to buy a nice camera and learn how to take some really great photos.
21. I will volunteer frequently.
22. I will think positively.
23. I will act ambitiously.
24. And, I will finish this blog redesign. The timeline has gotten a little out of control!
