In 2010 I threw myself an impromptu birthday lunch -
The ProjectReverb prompt for today:
Blowing Out the Candles: You’re another year older! How did you celebrate the passage of another year? Did it turn out the way you had hoped?
I decided that starting in 2014 if I have a plan for my birthday, I need to have someone else execute it with me.
This year I had a great plan. On my actual birthday I thought it would be great fun to gather my women friends to sit together in a circle and braid rag rugs. I figured everyone can braid and I love little more than fun and sometimes deep conversation.
I cancelled it.
Then I decided I would have a long overdue DIY party to re-do Emma's room. I set a date, twice. It was a late birthday celebration. People didn't remember so I just gave up.
A funny thing happened, though. I drove to Fresno to buy ladders for a DIY project and to visit my cousin, Darcy, and there was actually a mini surprise party for me at my friend, Jennie's brother's restaurant. It totally took me off guard! The food was delectably yummy, the conversation good. Darcy found a great new restaurant almost in her neighborhood.
Emma and I were more than a bit surprised to see Michelle (from Bakersfield) in the parking lot. We felt bad because we were late getting there because I got caught up in taking photos in Tulare, a town halfway between Bakersfield and Fresno. I was entranced by this sweet farm town and kept saying to Emma, "No one told me it was this cute!"
The thing about GPS combined with Google is you find places you wouldn't have known existed. It told me where the ATM machine was and we found a restroom at a donut shop not having a clue that soon I would be the proud owner of a couple wooden ladders from some very pleasant insta-friends, but there was a party waiting for us!
My birthday is in January so I am thinking about 2014 even now. My brother is getting married three days later, so I am sort of in a quandary. Part of me is so used to being frugal I think I should
My misunderstood birthday celebration - slowly wandering the coast with notebook as my sole/soul companion
just combine my celebration with his, but the empowered part of me shakes her head and says, "Nahhh, do your own thing separately!"
I'm thinking a weekend getaway alone, which might seem odd to some. Ok, maybe a weekend getaway alone AFTER I have a smallish gathering with friends. Three years ago I had an incredible birthday - spent the day alone on a personal retreat in Morro Bay. Best gift I ever gave myself. I'm ready to spread that out over a couple days with a soft landing at the end instead of a blaring "welcome back to everyday life!"
Win, Win, Win.
And for those of you in your twenties and thirties, getting older is a glorious thing. Don't buy into what the media says. It truly is phenomenal.
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This post is a part of my response to prompts for ProjectReverb which I am trying to catch up on as quickly as I possible can!
Check the ProjectReverb folks out on Twitter @Project_reverb and with the hashtag #reverb13
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Julie Jordan Scott is a writer, performance poet, Mommy and mixed-media artist. Her word-love themed art will be for sale at First Friday each month in Downtown Bakersfield. Check out the links below to follow her on a bunch of different social media channels, especially if you find the idea of a Word-Love Party bus particularly enticing.
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