I love birthdays... specifically, my birthday. I always have. I don't fear getting older, even with this year's birthday putting me into a whole new decade. In fact, each year seems to get better than the last, so I am not looking back. You couldn't pay me enough money to be 21 again! I mean, the energy and stamina was great, but all the years in between then and now have made me the person that I am. And I really like that person. She's kinda cool.

When I was a little girl, I regularly got birthday parties where my friends got to come over and play with me. I distinctly remember my fifth birthday party: going to Chuck E Cheese's and my mom bringing this homemade birthday cake that was "U" shaped, designed to look like a little girl holding out her arms, and in the middle of the "U" were chocolate chip cookies. And all my bestest friends were there, and we got to play all these games. As I got older, the parties tapered off, maybe because I wasn't so big on Chuck E Cheese anymore, or I thought I was too cool for them, or whatever. And then, after a while of no birthday parties, I really started to miss them. So now, as an adult too old to go to Chuck E Cheese without a toddler in tow, I try to make as big a deal as I can out of my birthdays and want to go play games with my bestest friends.

I never really understood why people don't like to have their birthdays celebrated. I think someone told me once that it was because it was a public reminder that they were getting older, and that they didn't want to be reminded themselves. The way I see it, I'm going to get older no matter what, and if I ignore it, I'll still get older. Plus, if you're going to get older - AND YOU WILL - why not tell the world, have everyone shower you with gifts and treat you like a queen, have the excuse to eat as much cake and ice cream as you want, and enjoy it? I'll take the cake, please. (Actually, I've taken too much cake, which is why I started this blog in the first place, right? Hee hee.)

So, World, I'm turning 30 years old in a couple of weeks. Love me. Give me lots of sweet things (or cheesy things, as I love cheese) and gifts wrapped with big bows and treat me like Princess Anne.

To assist with the love, I provide a list of lovely things:



Shameless? Probably. But we all should be. Everyone should have their lives honored and celebrated. I love getting gifts almost as much as I love giving them, and one of the joys of finally earning a decent salary once I graduate is to give my friends the cool kinds of gifts worthy of the friendship they have given me. Because I have some stinkin' AWESOME friends.

Peace out.