Blow Out The Candles, And Make A Wish...

Birthdays & All Their Glory

Another year, another day older. The old days where birthdays were momentous occasions with themes, invitations, guest lists, goodie bags, and sometimes pinatas, are, as the raven would say, nevermore. Now, if one is lucky, one's birthday is filled with possible facebook well-wishes, possible hangouts if people are not busy with other things (and usually those are in bars, or in apartments, with so many liquor bottles it will seem like you are a party of pirates just after a raid), or like me, spending your day trying to find things to do to make the day seem even a little special.

Today's Agenda:

1. Laundry
2. Cleaning:

   (Room, Kitchen, & Car)
3. Skyping with British Boyfriend

4. Pick Up Indian Take-Away (or take-out) From New Favorite Restaurant
5. [And Lastly, if at all possible] Watch a movie, either at the cinema or in my bed, alone. 

I am sorry world, but does that not sound like a pathetic birthday? First world problem, I know, but come on! Everyone deserves an amazing birthday. It is the one day a year we all get to be a bit greedy, and no one judges us on it! The day we can eat anything we want, do anything we want, drink anything we want, dress like escaped mental patients and sing in the streets! . . .or is that just theatre birthdays?...Whatever! This is one of the key philosophies of my life, and I try to keep to the code every chance I can! 

{In fact, last year for my boyfriend's 23rd birthday I had a huge weekend planned: First, I let him have introverted time (Another personal philosophy: Everyone should spend at least one hour per day alone, to detox from the stress of life and stupid people, to do something relaxing and/or fun), while I created 30 cupcakes from scratch! I made 14 Piglets (strawberry frosting and sponge cake), 14 Owls (chocolate frosting, and sponge cake), and 2 Abominations (half piglet + half owl = POWEL). Then we went down to Brighton, UK, for the whole weekend, and met up with his friends in a bar (originally this bar had been filled with old school video games, and pin ball machines, but they were moved without a website update!), and spent the whole night traipsing about, looking for funny drinks and fun times (a.k.a. bar hopping). The next night, when we got back to his place, I cooked dinner (Sweet Potato Mash, Red Wine Sauteed Mushrooms, and Grilled White Truffle Fillet Minon, wrapped in bacon). Best girlfriend of the year award, check! Great birthday memory, check! }

I love planning parties, but I never seem to have anything fun planned for my own. My family goes in five different directions, and ever since my 16th birthday, not even a family dinner has come together. For my 21st birthday, all I wanted was a family dinner where I could drink as much wine as I wanted and not worry about having to drive home. But my father took everyone out to dinner, thinking my birthday was the next night, and I ended up having my mom yell at me in a hotel bar (which was text-book sad movie bar: blue lighting, windy boardwalk backdrop, sad jazz music floating in the stale air, and only 4 people in the whole joint) claiming I was ungrateful and negative. This year, I fear, will be no different. 

How can it be, when everyone who cares about me is busy or in another country unable to celebrate with me? If I could have my secret heart's birthday wish, and it could only be for the 24 hours of my birthday, what would it be? I would want to have a lovely picnic in a meadow, relaxing and quiet, with nothing to worry about...or at least a full night of drinking, singing, and dancing at my three favorite bars/dance clubs, back in London.

CATCH 22 - Shoreditch, London

But with any {birthday} luck, this year will be different.

Birthday Luck

There is something to this, at least in my life. There may have never been a birthday where I got exactly what I wanted (parent planned parties, people invited who didn't like me/bullied me, or family dinners that were filled with in-fighting), but I always end up with what I need from the outside world. Birthday luck, according to Urban Dictionary, is "a nuclear explosion of luck that happens inside you. It causes you to have the ability to do anything". In my personal history, May 11th has given me some beautiful gifts: one year I found a book in the middle of a parking lot (it became one of my personal favorites), another year I found eighty dollars, and once I even went backstage to watch a Broadway show! Tonight, I walked the streets of my town, door to door, filling out job applications for every bar, bar &grill, and restaurant in there area, crossing my fingers and focusing all my positive energy to get me a job! With my charming smile, my pretty face, and my winning witty self, I shook every one's hands and hopefully got my foot in the door for something that pays and has consistent days! Birthday luck, work your magic!!

So, as of now, my birthday is in 10 minutes. Maybe I used up all the luck tomorrow has to offer? Maybe I wont even get one of the things on my to-do list done? Or worse! I could get called into school to do something utterly pointless, the equivalent of busy work for kinder gardener.

Now, for bed!

And may tomorrow be filled with luck, gifts, and happiness!