Thirtysomething or something
For as long as I can remember I've been very excited by birthdays. My own, those of friends and family and of course...Jesus'. I am the sort of person who has a "present drawer" that contains auxiliary greeting cards, wrapping paper and an assortment of small gifts. Back in the days when I had that thing, what's it called again? What you do when you're not working or doing household chores? Oh, yes "spare time". When I had that, I used to make my own cards for people. Sometimes I even used to make the presents. So yes, very into the birthday thing.
But what I've noticed over the last few years is that I have become less and less interested in my own birthday, and even those of others (still quite into Jesus' birthday though).
Maybe it's just a symptom of getting older (thirty-five as of the weekend just gone) but these days my birthday is just another day. I don't even get that excited about presents, but then when you're blessed with friends like mine who buy you tacky dolphin ornaments from the Warehouse for $3.99, there's not really too much to be excited about in the gift department.
Thirty-five feels like a bit of milestone in some ways. I mean, to celebrate I bought myself a present. It's not made of chocolate. It's not sparkly. My gift to me doesn't go really well with a pencil skirt and doesn't make my legs look modelesque, but it is made of leather. I bought myself a lounge suite for my birthday. If that doesn't scream "thirtysomething" like Ken Olin in a chambray shirt and waistcoat then I don't know what does.
And as much as large-ticket furniture purchases seem to imply a certain maturity, I am sometimes confused by the childish things I take pleasure in. My notion of what makes a "grown-up" does not include the wearing of a plastic tiara on one's birthday because one can. "Savouries as dinner" are not featured on the menu at the mid-thirties restaurant. Similarly "Icecream for breakfast".
But maybe being a grown-up is really just accepting that icecream breakfasts are a once-in-a-while treat and that a plastic tiara is a more "fiscally responsible" option than a real one. Of course, when you're younger you have an idea of what you think you or your life might be like at a later, ill-defined time when you're "old". I'm sure that the fifteen-year-old version of me would be quite dismayed that I don't have a boyfriend and cannot squeeze into a size 12, not to mention the absence of a sports car in my life (and the ability to drive one). She would, however, be pretty impressed with the shoe collection, the presence of a tub of "cookies and cream" in the freezer, and the iPhone. Mind you, fifteen-year-old me would be ultra-impressed by mundane things that I do, like pay insurance, travel on aeroplanes unaccompanied, and operate a hairdryer that has different attachments.
So what do you think are the things you do that mark you as a grown-up, and do birthdays matter less as you get older? Or alternatively what are childish things that you still delight in? What would fifteen-year-old you make of your lifestyle and habits?
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Happy Birthday Moata! I bought myself a birthday present too (birthday was almost a month ago) but it wasnt a lounge suite, was much more frivolous.
My fifteen year old self would give me a hard time for getting fat and for not having a horse anymore and for working a crappy job and not finishing my degree.. or possibly bowing to the pressure and starting one in the first place (currently working on three of those four things).
I Haven't really gotten much out of birthdays since I was about ten.. my 21st I don't care to remember 2004 was a crappy year for everyone in our family. Christmas is also not on my list of favourite things.
Although for some people I would argue birthdays become even more important.. usually an occasion to stress about how old they are and how empty their life is (quite annoying when some of these people are what I term overacheivers)
Birthdays have never meant that much to me to be honest, and I think that's because in my family we never really made a big deal out of them. For me, being grown up means slapping a thin veneer of responsibility over my inner student, and having the house, job etc. to back it up and disguise the fact that yes, I did have a Jim Beam party last night. Because I'm still young enough to do that without having a hangover, and I plan to squeeze as much joy out of that as I can while it lasts. So, to sum up, growing up is the pretense of respectability.
Fifteen year old me would generally be quite satisfied at how I turned out. You see, fifteen year old me had a game plan: get a degree, get a job, and move out of Whanganui. Mission accomplished.
When I started saving for my retirement and got some income protection insurance I knew I was growing up! My fifteen year old self probably wouldn't be too impressed with me - I was meant to be a famous rock star and living the good life by now! I still like playing xbox and playstation though and will never say no to a game of backyard cricket. My Mum also reminded me that I'm not a teenager anymore when I told her about all the jumping around and singing we did throughout Pearl Jam last weekend!
35 is a milestone in that, in the olden days, you were expected to live three score and ten. That's 70 to you young'uns. So, Moata, you are now middle-aged!! As in, you are at the middle. It's all downhill now, puppy. As a 40-summin, I accepted the slow decline into senility a while ago - can't remember when ... That said, I wouldn't be 15 again for quids. 15 was a miserable age - all that angst!
I still answer questions as to how old I am with the fraction included, as per your typical '4 and a quarter year old'. Always gets a smile when you are in your thirties (or any age really) wonder when kids stop doing that?
You can also say 'I am 26 and a few months' old to fudge things, I mean technically a 40 yr old can claim 168 months is a few can't they...?
Its my 30th birthday today - so i am official old (according to my brat of a younger sister). The fifteen year old me would be very proud I think - I'm no longer overweight, I'm fit and healthy, have a good job, good friends and still get asked for ID when buying drinks!
Fifteen year old me would be asking why the heck i wanted to grow up so fast. and why in gods name i like pink so much :p
also why im still in a job i dont actually like, and why i havent started my nursing degree yet, despite planning to at least 3 times.
the thing i like most about being a 'grown up' i can have creamed rice, straight from the can for dinner, and nobody can tell me im not allowed to!
I think 15 year old me would be pleased: degree, job in film industry, long term boyfriend and health. I had hoped to be a celebrity and married to Martin Henderson but thank god my priorities have changed!
I'm a birthday fiend, and I plan my 30th to be a rather large one. To be honest, I like to be the centre of attention.
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I realised I must be getting old when I looked out of the window and it was raining. Rather than think "bugger it, now I am stuck inside, this is going to stuff up my weekend", my first thought was "oh, this will be good for the lawn"! I am turning into my grandfather, and I am way too young for that. I also don't go out during the week ever, as I don't like the idea of being tired and hungover at work. WTF? In years gone by i would happily turn up home at 4, be at work at 8 (and occasionally throw up during work) and then start again the next night.