A Decade of Birthdays

My 30th birthday is finally here. Today I've racked up another year of life and have changed the first digit in my age. That's only happened three times now!

So to honor this I thought I'd take a look back at what I did on the past decade of birthdays. Year by year. Get excited.

5/15/99 - Age: 20
My twenties started off great. My friend John had secretly recorded a video with all my friends giving a rough story of my life and testimonials about me. Then in the evening when my friends started arriving at my apartment, one by one, friends who I hadn't seen in weeks, I figured something was up. We had a viewing and it's still one of my favorite birthday presents ever.

5/15/00 - Age: 21
Ah the big 2-1. As was customary among my friends, we were at TGIFridays at midnight for me to buy my first legal alcoholic beverage. It was that Electric Lemonade that always looked so good. Turned out it was not so good, but I followed that up with my first Long Island, and that was tasty.

5/15/01 - Age: 22
This day was celebrated with an early dinner at Island's where K gave me a gift she made, something that was inclusive of all our friends. I remember something incredibly hilarious happening, and I have a picture of everybody at the table laughing. I think we almost caught a shirt on fire from the birthday candle or something. It was quite funny, honestly. Then I had a meeting to be at which was followed by a surprisingly poignant moment for me, given that my college career was coming to an end. A great day.

5/15/02 - Age: 23
Remember how Blink 182 proclaimed that nobody likes you when you're Tweeeeenty Threee? This is what I call "the dark birthday." I was unemployed for months, in horrific temp job that made me want to jab my eyes out with a spoon, it was a Wednesday so there wasn't really anything to do, and my friends were all busy. I didn't go to work that day and instead bought Winnie the Pooh on DVD. A favorite of mine, what sold it was that "A Day for Eeyore" was on it. That's the day I started a new tradition of watching that short on my birthday. It reminds me that even on the gloomiest of days, you can still find joy. And three days later I got an awesome job.

5/15/03 - Age: 24
I had moved to Los Angeles by this point, but still didn't know anyone. I was living with my sister and had a quiet day, elebrating with her and her husband.

5/15/04 - Age: 25
I for some reason have no mental recollection and no iPhoto recollection for this birthday? WHAT DID I DO?!?!

5/15/05 - Age: 26
I was now secure with my new roommates and my new job, both a year old, so maybe "new" isn't the right word. Things were great. I had my friends to Lola's on Fairfax. I bought my "Don't hate me because I'm Awesome" shirt (another tradition I started - wearing that on my birthday every year), and had a great time with a bunch of new friends and a few old ones. I proceeded to have four martinis of various flavors. A few of them ended up on the side of La Brea on the drive home.

5/15/06 - Age: 27
The actual birthday was nice. A few good friends and I went to have dinner in Culver City, and it was actually kind of gross food, but we took some great pictures and then followed it up with karaoke at Boardwalk 11. A few nights later my friends and i went to O-Bar for my big b-day celebration. good times.

5/15/07 - Age: 28
TACO TUESDAY! Dollar tacos, good margaritas, and good friends. What more could I have asked for?

5/15/08 - Age: 29
The actual birthday, KS and I went to Crustacean in Beverly Hills for dinner. It was nice, quiet, and the food was great. The following night I had a party at Eleven in West Hollywood. It was a grand time with great friends, people I hadn't seen in a while, and one awesome friend introduced me to Lance Bass. And then my other friend made me take a picture with him (a meeting ten years in the making!). I'm pretty sure I embarrased myself since I was a wee intoxicated. And I've spent the following year trying to find him again. You know, to...uh...apologize...

Birthdays always remind me how much people like me. And I know that sounds conceited, but I forget sometimes. It's nice to see that people care and offer me their well wishes. So thank you to everyone who have made my birthdays special. I really do appreciate it. And I look forward to the big 3-0 bash tomorrow night!