Today is your birthday!
My birthday, in fact. 39. It’s a good number. Much better than 38 which seems sort of aging and hunched. Smells of mothballs. Thinks about string beans. 39 sounds more like martinis, filterless cigarettes, sonatas and long chiffon scarves. I’m looking forward to it.
But while today is my birthday (evidenced by Helena calling me “the birthday woman” all day and Daniel working out that I’d be only about half a year old on Pluto) I’m not having any of it. I’m not celebrating my birthday when my parents decided to leave the day before because their first born’s birthday wasn’t a good enough reason to stay another day. I’m not celebrating my birthday with in-laws in the house. In-laws (well, the mother) who closed the aging and somewhat sticky shutters in the living room (open because I love light and couldn’t care less about privacy) because “I think it’s foolish to have them and not use them” and who supervised my reheating of the left-over T’giving meal, saying things like “Did you put the mashed potatoes in the oven like I told you to.” Ah, yes. Good times. Although I should just add that the mashed potatoes were sublime three nights in a row, due entirely to this
an early birthday present from a lovely friend who clearly knew better than I did what cooking Thanksgiving for 14 would be like. It’s silver! It’s a gadget! It’s a silver gadget! I love it! It completely riced those damn potatoes. And Daniel loved them.
Anyway, it’s not really my birthday. Or perhaps it’s half of it. There was breakfast in bed and BSG Razor on the tell tonight. But there might be a party later.
But writing this down, it occurs to me I do this–try and declare an “official” birthday–every year. Somehow I’m never quite on top of my birthday for the real day and feel the need to postpone some of it until another day when I might be ready to get down and boogie. Maybe it’s more this pushmepullyou thing I do when I think that it’s not that important really, I’m not that important really, and then halfway through think goddammit, I am that important really, where’s my fireworks. I should just get on board and plan my own party because I clearly want one. Next year, I will.
Thus, I prove that 39 does not leave me without things to learn, either about molecular biology or my own warped psyche. And that’s actually a good feeling. I’m not old. I’m just me. Just growing up, moving on, overcoming and looking up, same as always. Still moving uphill because there is no downhill on my road.
Last year, it was coincidentally also my birthday.
Happy Birthday!
Happy happy to you! Sorry about all those of the previous generations not behaving themselves (your MIL sounds scarily like my own).
I hope you find a convenient day to celebrate and that when you do, you have a blast!
My 39th is coming up in December. My birthday is always lost to plans for Daisy’s which is two days later. This year I must claim it back and make sure I do something fun.
Happy (belated) birthday! Sorry to hear that you weren’t able to celebrate on the actual day…I hope you do get to have a party.
You know….
I think that if you murdered` your mother-in-law and then used the ricer to dispose of the body… I really think you’d get away with it.
Happy birthday. Make sure you have a party next year; I did for my fortieth and it was a great night. We went to a Blues restaurant. I said that I was too young to know what presents were, so I’d appreciate it if everyone just bought their own dinners and drinks instead. We had a FABULOUS time! (Come to think of it, it’s 45 for me next year. Is that party-worthy?)
Happy Birthday! Go ahead and celebrate you!
Happy Birthday!
What is it about in-laws and the dark?? I’m off soon to visit D’s folks who draw the blinds all the time and yell at me if I open the curtains even in the guest bedroom. God forbid I open a window for some air…
Happy Birthday.
Your unforgiveable parents can have a tea party with my unforgiveable mother. Happy Birthday, Stunt Mom! 39 is just fine; I’m staring down the barrel of a .45 next month.
Happy 39th birthday to you!
Happy birthday! I’m pretty sure 39 is gonna rock for you.
For some reason, when I turned 39, realizing that it was one of only a few ages in my life that was divisible by 13 was comforting and somewhat happy-making.
Happy birthday!! i also turned 39 on the 22nd so i guess that makes me slightler older but not a bit wiser
39 is so going to rock it!! i’m thinking …
Happy Belated Birthday! (I only had one person extra for Thanksgiving and only am now getting re-organized.) I hope your upcoming year is happy and uneventful!!
Sorry I missed your birthday. You’re 39 (not 49, like me) so enjoy your youth! Hope your in-laws (the mother) will go home soon, so you can have a real celebration.