Happy Birthday to Me!

On Tuesday, I turned a quarter of a century old. Yikes! Most days I feel older than my age. But there is the rare occassion when my age surprises me...like days when I realize it's been 7 years since I was in school, or when my baby brother turned 18 and graduated high school. On those days, I can't believe that I'm 25 and an adult. Sometimes, I still feel like the naive 17 year old who thought she already knew it all. I thank God every day that I am not that girl anymore; that I am not the same as I was when I was 17.

25 seemed a little scary at first, but I think it's going to be a good year. The dreamer in me is making a comeback and I am happy with so many parts of my life. I think this is gonna be a good year...

So for my birthday, I had the day off work. (It should be mandatory that you get a day off on your birthday.) Steve also took the day off and we had a great time galavanting around Denver.

We started the day purchasing a birthday present: John Mayer's new cd, Battle Studies. It's good. Mellow. I've had it on repeat for the last 3 days. :)

After that, we headed to Happy Cakes for a birthday cupcake.

I had never been to the little shop, but the website had my expectations high. I was slightly disappointed, but I'll probably give it another chance.

The cupcakes were pretty darn good! I had the C.O.C. (chocolate on chocolate) and Steve got the red velvet with cream cheese frosting. We ended up switching half way through. :)

For dinner, we went to Osteria Marco in Denver. (sorry...no pictures. I was too busy taking it all in. Plus, it was dark and my phone camera has no flash.)

I had seen the owner/chef, Frank Bonanno, on the Food Network and had been dying to go here.

It was everything I had imagined. The building was beautiful. It was classy and elegant, but casual and cozy at the same time.

We tried a variety of small plates including homemade Burrata (homemade mozzerella and ricotta cheese) and Salame, pesto, and broccoli rabe pizza. The wannabe foodie inside me was in heaven.

It was absolutely delicious. The food was simple, fresh and the ultimate definition of "rustic". Simply lovely. AND, might I add, extremely affordable.

If you're in the mood for rustic Italian, I strongly recommend it; I will definitely be going back.

Back at home Steve set off my "birthday fireworks". I have a video, but can't get it off the phone. Maybe I will try to post it later. It was definitely memorable...how many people have had fireworks on their birthday?? :)

We ended the evening seeing the Blindside (finally) and Up In the Air. I loved the first, of course. It was a wonderful, inspiring movie. As for Up In the Air, I would suggest you to wait for the dvd. All I really remember about it is that I kept thinking how good George Clooney looked for being so old. (seriously though. wow.)

All in all, it was a great day. I felt loved and couldn't have asked for more.

Sunshine

I seriously need this. Birthday present, anyone? ;)

In case you're counting.....

1 day til my birthday! woo hoo!!

Being a grown-up and birthdays, Part 2

Thank you, Notes from the Universe:

"Some people just have big hearts, Jennifer. And with this gift they're very often able to feel, offer, and show far more love than they receive from those around them. Which, at times, is a heavy load to bear. So today I'd like to remind them, and especially you, that the sun asks not that the moon and planets help brighten each day, but relishes her role as a keeper of the light and a bringer of the dawn. A role much like your own."

On that note....

Only 4 Days until my Birthday!!

Fact: Birthdays (and most holidays in general) mean a lot to me. I don't know why and I can't help it or change this fact about myself. Trust me, I've tried. I don't know why I care so much or feel the need to make grandiose plans and celebrations out of every one. I think it's something that makes up part of who I am, not just a learned habit or carried-on tradition. It's in me to care and acknowledge people and special events. I think, 100% believe, that birthdays are not 'just another day' and that everyone -no matter their age- deserves to feel special and loved on their day.
I understand that some people do not enjoy the attention and acknowledgement of them turning another year older, and I respect that. I'm not going to force someone to celebrate.
What I don't understand (and probably never will) is why people (even if they hate their own birthday) wouldn't go out of their way to acknowledge someone else's (especially if that someone LOVES birthdays).

As I've gotten older, I've realized that you can't expect to just come home to a birthday party with all your friends, favorite food, movies and games. You can't expect someone to make reservations at your favorite restaurant or whisk you away on a birthday trip. You can't force someone to plan your birthday celebration for you, and if you do manage to guilt them into it...you will only feel bad and worse for it anyway.
I think it's sad that we can't expect those things. I'm sure sometimes, to some people, those things do happen. But I think most of the time, it only happens in the movies.

To me, the loss of receiving an extravagant birthday celebration is one of the hardest parts about growing up. It's just not the same if you have to do it yourself.

It's better than staying at home alone, but it's not the same. :)


This is not an attempt to get anyone to plan a birthday party for me. Just trying to explain and make sense of my thoughts. Promise. Gifts, however, are always welcome. :)

and suddenly my day just got a little bit better....

sigh




p.s. I do apologize that 96% of my posts these days are pictures of this boy. I think I need an intervention...

Definitely, Monday

Today is (already) totally a Monday. The weekend went way too fast, work is crazy, and to top it all off: my shirt broke! Yes, broke.

I have this tank top (in purple) from Old Navy. Notice it has elastic on the bottom so that it hugs your hips but stays flowy on top. So I was just standing at a coworker's desk and *snap!*, the elastic just broke. So now instead of looking cute and trendy, I look sloppy and frumpy. the shirt hangs almost to my knees without the elastic! Haha! I suppose I will just have to tuck it in or something. Guess that's what I get for shopping at Old Navy...



Oh Monday, how I loathe thee.

Living Life to the Fullest (or, Why I'm trying to convince my mom to move to Spain)

I don't know if it's due to the beginning of the new year (and decade, some would say) and everyone making their "goals that are not resolutions because resolutions are too typical but now everyone is making goals instead of resolutions so it's really the goals that are typical now", BUT this week has got me thinking.

I've dealt with wanting to go back to school for a while (okay, 7 years...)

(Wait a second, OMG--7 years?!?!?! It has not been 7 years since I graduated high school!! 2010-2003 = 7. Holy hell.)

um, anyway, I have been thinking about this for 7 years (I guess...) but I've always just pushed it to the back of my mind and ignored it. I might have looked up a school once or twice and perused the online courses, but that had been enough to stifle the annoyance for a while.
Plus, the yearly raises at work were enough to force me to settle. Then, before I knew it, I was telling myself that it was too late now to start over and that I couldn't survive on a lower income at a new job while I worked my way back up.
This past week, though, it just hit me. I can't do this anymore. I can't sit here and waste my life away in this cubicle doing mindless work that I hate. I want to do something meaningful and important and challenging and fulfilling.
I realized that it is incredibly sad to spend your life dragging yourself to work, counting down the minutes until you can leave and considering it a success when you didn't run out of the building screaming that day. What a waste. All my energy is spent dreading coming here and wishing that I didn't have to.
I mean, my job in itself isn't bad. It's easy work, the company is decent and the people I work with are (mostly) fine. It's definitely something that a person can be complacent with doing for the rest of their life. (And trust me--there are some "lifers" here. This place is kind of like a black hole.)
But I can't stand to think that that will be me. I don't want to do this for the rest of my life. Heck, I don't even want to do it for the rest of the week!!

So...it really has come to a boiling point. I can't ignore it anymore, my piss-poor salary isn't enough to placate me and I refuse to settle any longer. I'm tired of wanting to do something about it, I have to do something about it. The alternative is too scary not to try.

I'm starting today. Filling out some forms, doing some research, writing down some goals and ways to obtain them. I've enlisted my sister's help (she's a pro at going to school. hehe) and I'm feeling motivated. I can't let this just be wasted words. I have to follow through on this because my soul will literally die if I don't get out of here.


Maybe I've been reading too many Jason Mraz blogs, but I've been feeling all purposeful and Zen-y (dont worry, it's not too serious yet). I hate to admit it, but I find myself agreeing more and more with what he says and not thinking "he's so weird now" as much as I used to. I like to think that maybe he's toned down the crazy, but I think it's really me who is changing perspectives.
I'm encouraged to live intentionally and purposefully, to realize there is more to life and it's there for the taking.
And I'm not only encouraged in my own life, I want it for everyone around me.
I insisted that Steve set a goal to be a store manager by the end of the year. When he said that was too big, I found myself saying cliche things like, "Nothing is too big to dream!" and "That's why it's called a goal, because it's something that you strive for!". Cheesy, huh? :)
And then, two days ago, I found myself talking my mom into moving to Spain. As she became more and more convinced that this could actually be a possiblitly, there was a tiny part of my brain that was screaming, "WTF are you doing? do you really want your mother to move even farther away from you, to a foreign country? what the hell are you thinking?!" But the bigger part of me, the part that was encouraging her, was the part that I knew I truely believed in. It was saying, "Why not??"
When I asked her what she wanted to do for her--not for her mom and dad or kids or friends or anyone else-- what did she want to do (ala the Notebook. hehe), that was what she wanted. So what reason really could there be for her not to?

Besides, can you honestly look at this photo gallery without wanting to throw up and then become seriously depressed that you aren't there right now??

Because I haven't used enough cliche inspirational lines yet: Life is too short not to live it fully. Do what you desire, love wholeheartedly and for goodness sake, Be Happy. :)



I know this is long and cliche and borderline motivational speaker-ish. But I had to get it out! :)