Day One: Parties and Friends and Friends of Friends

On Saturday, I turned the big 3-0. There were candles to prove it.

(these were not my candles. I've seen this kind before, though. They melt SUPER fast and scare the shit out of the birthday girl.)

The weekend was perfect. Friends. Mani-pedis. Cupcakes. Drinks. And Total Recall.
It was every girl's dream. (Right? Isn't that the dream?)

People asked how I felt on the day - to have entered this new and exciting decade. And honest answer is I did (and still do) feel great! Which I wasn't entirely expecting. Usually, on birthdays I have this weird feeling about having so much attention focused on me. I'm sure there are other things that we should be focusing on. When the day starts winding down, around 5pm or so I get kind of depressed. Like something very special has come to a close and it might never happen again and maybe I didn't fully appreciate it, or seize the day hard enough. I used to get this feeling on Christmas too, when I was little. I hear it's very similar to the comedown brides feel after a wedding....all the excitement and then done. But this year, I felt great all day. When midnight passed and it was suddenly August 5th, I didn't feel sad at all. I'm taking this as a really good sign - that this year, this coming decade is going to be full of lasting happiness.

August can be a funky time of year to have a birthday, since so many people are away on holiday. However, many friends came out to help celebrate, and even more sent love via Facebook. Which got me thinking on the weird and wonderful ways in which friendships evolve and grow, and how when people really do mean a lot to you, you make the effort to let them know it. Many dear and great friends in my life started out as friends of friends. One way or another, we were introduced, and due to reaching out, and being genuine and open to new experiences we've become friends of our own accord. It's really wonderful.

The Facebook thing is a bit funny. I received a plethora of kind messages, both private and posted on the wall. Great people I never get to see letting me know that they are glad I was born. It makes me blush. Sometimes, you don't hear from friends though, who have Facebook, and phones, and whatnot. You feel a bit slighted. Why don't they want to wish you happy birthday? Maybe they don't actually like you? I used to think that in past birthdays. I know it's a bit bratty. And while it's hard to banish the thought completely from your mind (like when friendly exes or current crushes don't message you) you can't let it upset, or change your thoughts about that person. Maybe they don't check Facebook every day. Maybe birthdays aren't their thing. What deserves your focus is the fact that great friends, old friends, new friends, and friends who were friends of friends before just being real friends care enough to say hi and celebrate your existence.