Wallowing in Maturity. (Also Known As “Rampant Self-Deception.”)
Posted by Moose on July 15th, 2008. Filed under: Photos, Uncategorized.I’m not terribly demure about birthdays. I send out reminders two months prior and badger people with demands. Demands like a bullhorn and a tall building, so I can climb to the top and bellow: “TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY. I REQUIRE A TIARA.” When the tiara arrives, I hand it back with a curt shake of my coiffed head if it doesn’t have enough peacock feathers.
Friday was my 30th birthday. This is what we did:
(Camels & Chocolate, yours truly, Holly – who organized the whole event, bless her kind soul – and Jemima)
Here we are a few hours later. Notice that pronounced list to the left? There’s a reason for that list and that reason is RYE’S BARTENDER.
I’ve been looking forward to my 30th birthday for, oh, six years now. Someone once told me that by the time you hit 30 you’re more comfortable in your own skin. I’m happy to report they’re right, and THANK THE DEAR LORD FOR THAT. My confidence wasn’t going to win me any awards when I was younger, and that can make life a lot harder than it needs to be. But I know myself better now, know what I want, and developed some solid coping skills. In short, I’m a lot more sure of footing and far less willing to beat myself up over stupidity, real or imagined. I also extol the virtues of sunscreen.
I think the very best thing I’ve figured out is to not waste my time. Worrying? Wastes my time. Fretting over something lame I said? Wastes my time. (Especially when those lame somethings fly so fast and thick that it requires an entire calendar month to parse out a single dinner party. Said month could be so much better spent watching back episodes of Lost, don’t you agree?) Angsting over the men folk and their peculiarities? Quite possibly the biggest waste of time ever, after those lines at the DMV. Turning 30 hasn’t morphed me into some zen master, I’m sorry to say, but the squirrels in my brain are a lot more relaxed than they were five years ago. Perhaps all the alcohol just stunned them into submission, but I like to think that I’ve gotten smarter. It seems a reasonable trade-off for slower metabolism.
I’m happy where I am, even though where I am is not where I wanted or expected to be. And if that doesn’t shriek maturity, don’t tell me. (I like my delusions, thank you.) (Turning 30! Means being better able to lie to oneself with reckless abandon!)
I think my 30s are going to kick my 20s ever-loving ass. Stay tuned for the cage fight.
(If you want to see the birthday photos in all their tipsy glory, go here. None of these pictures were taken by me, because I am apparently allergic to photographic documentation. Luckily, many of my favorite people were present and many of them brought cameras. So I shamelessly pillaged their flickr accounts.)
July 15th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Looking forward to the cage fight.
I concur, though. I am now an old fart of 33, and can attest that so far? My 30’s HAVE kicked my 20’s ass. Then mopped up the floor with them.
See you tomorrow!
July 15th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Happy birthday, Moose! You’re right about the 30s. In fact, I keep reading stories about studies that show that older Americans are happier than younger Americans, which means it only gets better from here. At least, that’s how I choose to interpret the results.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:05 am
I am so glad you had a good birthday weekend!!
July 15th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Happy Birthday!!
July 15th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Happy 30th!
July 15th, 2008 at 8:24 am
HBD! Thirty is huge! And yes, the thirties are so much better than the twenties. I’m hoping the forties are okay too, because I’ll be at THAT particular milestone in five months. (How the hell did that happen?)
Anyway, looks like fun. And you’re lovely and glowing and look every bit the birthday girl that you were (are).
July 15th, 2008 at 8:32 am
happy birthday! as someone who’s rapidly approaching the 30-year milestone (august 19 donchaknow) it’s encouraging to read your very positive thoughts on the age, and also encouraging to see such lovely photos! i’ll definitely be channeling this post to keep myself from wallowing in any “poor me i’m so old” depression
July 15th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Happy birthday a little bit late! As another ancient 33-year-old I will agree with Angella that my early 30s have been mellower and easier by far than my early 20s, mainly because years ago I gave up taking things personally.
May your 30s bring you joy and wisdom.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Happy 30th! Versus your 20’s, people will now take what you say and do seriously. I had a blast in my 30’s and would do them all over again. Yay, 30!
July 15th, 2008 at 9:27 am
a switch turned on for me when i turned 30! it’s been amazing!
July 15th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Happy birthday, Moose! You look FABULOUS.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Happy Landmark Birthday, Moose! It looks like it was a very memorable celebration, too (how come you’re the only angelic one in the midst of red-eyed minions? LOL).
Best Smile Ever!
You said it better than I ever could, but yes, it was liberating to wake up and realize that it is no longer mandatory for me to continue wasting time on my big ol’ self-pity party.
On heartache.
July 15th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
We look like we matched our outfits on purpose! Maybe we SHOULD get married, after all.
Happy birthday young Moose.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Welcome to your thirties. I’m 31.5 and loving every minute of it!
July 15th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Happy Birthday! Everyone here is right: the 30s are so much better than the 20s!
I love what you said about being smarter being a fair trade-off for a slower metabolism (although me thinks you haven’t really hit that door yet!). When I complain about not being able to eat the same and stay thin, I’ll remember this, because I’d never trade where I am now, extra padding and all, for being back there again!
July 15th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Yayayay! Congratulations and Happy Birfday. And may I also say? I hope I look so glowy and spry when I turn 30 in 3 years! (My older sis is 32, people routinely mistake me as being the older sib though. Methinks I probably have a little bit of baggage there, hee.)
July 15th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
whee, happy birthday!! so glad that 30 is already treating you so well–you deserve it!
July 15th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
And what a beautiful 30 year old you make, too! Saturday was rough, but Friday was totally worth it. Have fun BloggingHer!
July 16th, 2008 at 9:34 am
Happy birthday. You and your friends are all lovely, even with those glowing red eyes of Satan that some of you seem to have. Thirty is good, but forty is so much better.
July 18th, 2008 at 9:52 am
happy birthday! turning 30 seemed really awful, but in retrospect, it’s been sorta awesome. you still feel 23, but you have the wisdom of your 20s with you.
and i love how you remind people – i do the same thing. people ask me if my husband forgets my birthday or our wedding anniversary – ha ha ha! as if i would LET him do that!
July 23rd, 2008 at 9:46 am
Happy birthday a WHOLE LOT late.
July 25th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Seriously, 30 is magical. A switch really does flip and you just don’t care what people think any more. It’s like this new found maturity.
It’s great!