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| Photo by Manuel Bahamondez via Flickr |
It's like I've kept pushing back my own adulthood status with each major life event. But at 29... well, now I'm pushin' it period.
Working in higher ed for the last 6 years, this is the first time in my life I've ever really felt the distance between my life experience and the those of my undergraduate students and even graduate colleagues. Try explaining the burden of having a mortgage to someone who's biggest financial worry is about using all their meal plan points by the end of the semester; it's the first time in my life that this age disconnect has ever felt so distinct.
It doesn't sit well with me because I like to think "I'm with it, I'm hip... taka taka taka!" But the fact of the matter is, most of my students have no frame of reference for that previous sentence. College freshmen this year were born in 1992. Austin Powers didn't come out until 1997. I was a freshman in high school. They were five.
This is the first time in my life I genuinely feel old.
. . .
So I refuse to end my pre-birthday post on a such a downer. I thought it would be fun to do a little retrospective of all my birthdays in my twenties. Because once I turned 20, of course I was an adult, so I got to party hardy. So here goes:
2002: Jazz Hands
When I turned 20, Larry and I headed to Philly for a night of good eats and even more delicious music at Ortlieb's Jazzhaus. It was a narrow, tiny little place where we literally sat within two feet of the stage, the jazz jumpin' and the food divine. We felt so grown up.
2003: Under the Boardwalk
When I turned 21 I did what any self-respecting Southern New Jerseyan does: I headed to Atlantic City for the weekend to gamble and drink the night away. I didn't win big and the drinks were pretty watered down, but the buffet the next morning at the casino was the stuff of dreams.
2004: A Blah Birthday
I turned 22 just days after graduating from college yet had to take a couple of classes at my local community college to finalize some credits. I had spent all day in class and had a terrible summer cold on top of it. Larry took me out to dinner with a friend of ours. My nose was so stuffy I couldn't taste anything. I think I was in bed by 10pm.
2005: 23 Skiddoo
My first birthday in our first apartment together. Larry baked me a scrumptious (looking) hazelnut chocolate cake. When we ate it that evening, I made a comment about how it was really sweet that he made me a cake... but that the cake itself wasn't very sweet at all. Larry double-checked the recipe and saw that it had no sugar... it was a diabetic recipe!
2006: The Worst Way to Celebrate a 24th Birthday
We went to Friday's and rented Hostel. My birthday was a little overshadowed by getting engaged the previous month but I mean, Hostel? Really? Why did I think this was an okay way to celebrate?!
2007: Happy 25th: Here's an Air Conditioner
We moved to Massachusetts the day before my birthday in 2007. The drive was long and tedious. Moving in all of our stuff, with Larry's dad's help, was just as long and tedious. The next morning we headed to Home Depot and bought our first window AC unit. Oh, and Larry bought me a peace plant. That I never watered. And then it died. And then we moved out of that place six weeks later.
2008: A Ghostly 26th
I have always wanted to stay in a haunted hotel. Larry booked us a lovely room at a haunted inn in Concord. The most haunted room was already booked, so we had the room across the hall. We had a lovely stay except I didn't get any sleep. I was so excited about possibly having a ghostly experience that I stayed up all night looking and listening for things to happen... and nothing did. Still, it was a lovely weekend just the same.
2009: Guns. Massage. Meat on Swords. And Earrings.
I turned 27 with a literal bang. I went to the shooting range with Larry and another friend and fired my first gun. I had a nice spa day massage. We capped it all off by heading to a Brazilian BBQ with a huge group of friends. Dee-lish!
2010: I'm Melting, I'm Melting
We went to the Melting Pot last year. I was particularly excited because I love fondue. My birthday was unseasonably hot last year and the Melting Pot we went to didn't have their AC turned on yet. So there we were, sitting at essentially an open stove top in a restaurant with no AC on the hottest day of the year so far. That said, it was still delicious and worth the heat.
2011: The Fruits of the Sea
I disovered on our anniversary this year that I
So there you have it, my Ghosts of Birthdays past. What's been your favorite birthday? How did you celebrate? What did you get? Dish, people, dish!
12 comments:
I can totally relate to this post! I just turned 30 as well, in January. I can admit that I STILL don't feel like an "adult" and maybe I never will? Who knows? But that just means we're young at heart right?
Happy 30th! I am VERY impressed you can remember the last 10 birthdays! Good job!
My most memorable ones would have to be my 25th... my hubby (BF at the time) took my friends and I to a club and got bottle service! Such a blast!
my 29th... Hubby through me a surprise bday at a restaurant with a DJ. I was totally surprised! He was hoping I would be pregnant by my 30th so he through the big one at 29... he was right!
My 30th... I was newly pregnant and was exhausted. We didn't do a THING! Rented a movie and ordered takeout. It was perfect!
I have to say that I'm impressed you remember birthdays so well...I can't remember mine enough to comment. Happy 29th birthday with "adulthood" on the horizon ;)
Hello from ICLWland! Happy Birthday tomorrow! I hope you have a wonderful day!ar
Happy Early Birthday! I'm really feeling old too, I'll be 31 in a month and a half. I remember when I turned 30 and realized that my students probably didn't think I was young anymore and that was hard for me because being the "young" teacher was a huge part of my teacher identity. I didn't know if my whole "schtick" would work if I were 30. I've been feeling those growing pains a lot this year.
Not long ago the movie the Matrix was mentioned and I was mortified to learn that only 5 of my 7/8th grade students had seen it. Most didn't know what it was! I was like, "it only came out in 1998" and they were like, "Ms. D, we were born in 1998." I was floored. That is when I realized how old I was in relation to them.
Growing older is a strange process indeed. I suppose it gets easier but who knows. Good luck turning 29 tomorrow. At least it's not 30!
Think about 30 as the new 20...It's always worked for my grandma every time she goes through a new decade. lol. Sorry you feel old. Even though I'm in college still, I look around at some of my classmates and think about how life's gonna hit them in the face when they graduate. I guess I'm not the average college student. I had a mortgage and husband at 20...
On my 30th birthday I hosted a big "Refuse to Grow up" party.We had playdoh and legos and sandwiches with the crust off. Some of my friends who had kids were looking at us like we were nuts because we were playing with their toys.
On my 36th birthday We went to London and spent my birthday at the Tower of London and had dinner at The Rules--an amazing restaurant. It was the best birthday ever.
I agree with others - your birthday memories are admirably sharp! I think my fave has to be #40 - my husband and I spent nine days in Oregon - partly in wine country, partly driving up the coast. Beautiful and delicious! This year we're going to the Stanley Hotel in the CO mtns, which is the inspiration for The Shining (my all time fave horror movie). Cheers!
P.S. I personally enjoyed my 30s a hell of a lot more than my 20s. I hope you do too. It may be another decade before I get used to being called ma'am, but whatever... that's still a LONG way off for you.
Oh Keiko...29 isn't old. I graduated from college 1 year before the current crop of college freshmen were born...and, dammit, I'm not old. That means there is no possible way you are old. I simply refuse to believe that.
You know, my birthdays tend to be quite low-key, by choice. Usually dinner with family and friends, which is how I like to spend the passing of another year. I turned 27 this year and am now acutely aware that I have entered in to my late 20's. But I have also heard that the 30's are "better" than the 20's - personally, I hope the prediction is spot on. Cheers to you on your 29th and many, many more!
Happy birthday! I'm going to turn 38 this year, and I assure you that 30 is the new 20. Don't worry about it. ;)
My 25th was pretty memorable ... went to Maine for Christmas prelude and gave roses to my parents and my relatives who helped make me the person I am.
Other than that, unfortunately, they've been a blur ... I need to do something I will REMEMBER one of these birthdays!
Wishing you a very happy birthday. Love your blog and can't wait to follow.
All the best!
Happy Birthday! You can stay 29 forever now (if you want). Just lie! :)
My favorite birthday so far was 30. My husband threw me a surprise party and invited all sorts of people including my parents who lived 600 miles away at the time. I can't say that the rest of my 30s has been fantastic so far, but at least I brought them in with a bang!
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