Tag: Birthdays

It’s My Half Birthday

I’ve declared June 18th my half birthday. If you are asking me why, then your birthday must not be the week of Christmas– which sucks by the way!

If you live in America and celebrate Christmas you know that Decemeber is the most festive month of the year. People spend all year getting ready for the holidays, planning trips home, indulge in movies and exchanging gifts.   This month alone can ressurrect entire economies as people dig into their wallets and share tidings of great joy with their families, friends, neighbors and co-workers.

office christmas

However, if your birthday is anywhere around Christmas people are likely to make your Christmas gift a two for one deal.  Let me give you a $25.00 Amazon Gift card to you for your birthday with a card that says Happy Birthday and Merry Chirstmas. No longer seems fair does it?

davechapellebs

If you declare your half birthday, friends will buy your present and not think twice about making it a dual purpose birthday gift.

The other thing about being born the week of Christmas is that you don’t get birthday parties.  Think about it. Most kids are getting out of school for winter break, so no in class celebration.  As you get older, your birthday falls around exams—everyone is studying and then heading home, again no birthday party.

partyofone

As an adult I took upon myself to start throwing my own birthday parties because DANG IT- I’m happy to be born and I’m gonna celebrate me. That is until friends start making request that you have your celebration two weeks before the actual day of your birth….because you know they have plans to get out of town. Being born too close to Christmas is an inconvenience to your loved ones.  Throw a party in June and everyone is there, so why not celebrate your half birthday in June!  A birthday party that consist more than you and your best friend—one with at least 10 folks!

beyonce party

Wanna get away? I hope you don’t mind that traveling during your birthday is going to be expensive—its peak travel time. Gas is high, flights are high, accomodatios are going to be high. And even if you did splurge and spend the money, guess who’s not going to be there? Your friends—they can’t spend a weekend with you when there are last minute birthday gifts to be purchased! During the summer you can find great last minute travel deals—half birthday in Italy anyone?

It’s not that I hate the fact that I was born in Decemeber. Come on we get to celebrate with Jesus and Santa. If you plan right, you can hit up all the open bars at the office Christmas parties and turn up all by yourself. If you request your aunt to make your favorite cake she probably will because she is already in a baking mood. And for all the gift cards you will get for your Merry Birthday, you can wait till the day after Christmas to spend it and get more bang for your buck during the after Christmas sale!

grinch fab

 

 

by Categories: My rantsTags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

My Issue with Turning 30

Over the past couple of days I have been really nervous about my upcoming birthday.  Generally speaking, I LOVE BIRTHDAYS! I love everything about them.  But for some reason, this time around, it doesn’t feel the same.  I’m ready to become that person, the one that casually lies about her age and tells everyone they are turning 26.  Why do I feel this way? Because THIRTY is a big freaking deal, that’s why!

 

Thirty is one of THE mile markers of life.  You turn 21, you set goals for your adult life, you accomplish those things by thirty, you turn thirty and look at all you accomplished and you say “Go me! I did all this by 30 as planned.” Then you set new goals and continue.  My life is NOT shaping up that way which leads me to believe that I need more time. I need 4 more years to be an accomplished 30 year old.

 

I hear all the talk about being satisfied where you are and focusing on all that you have but in a world where you friends are ALL accomplished by 30 and where freakin Beyonce exist, there’s pressure in turning 30.  By time you turn 30 you are supposed to be married or in a stable relationship, have a solid career and own your own home.  If you are 3 for 3 you are right on track, if you are at least 1 out of 3 you are okay, but if you are 0 for 3 there is a serious need to reexamine your life.  I am in serious need of reexamining my life.  I admit, I am a late bloomer.  My first everything usually happens at least 10 years after everyone has had their first whatever.  It’s getting old…

 

1. I’m not married. I don’t have a boyfriend.  I’m not dating.  I don’t even have a distant prospect of any thing that resembles a date.

 

Miranda: I’m sorry, if a man is over 30 and single, there’s something wrong with him, it’s Darwinian — they’re being weeded out from propagating the species.
Carrie: Okay, what about us?
Miranda: We’re just choosy…

 

At this point, I don’t even think I am choosy.  There are just no prospects.  Most of the time I am fine with that.  But when it comes to turning 30, I am not.

 

2. I don’t own my own home.  I AM A RENTER! On top of that I am a renter in serious debt.  Thanks William D. Ford student loans and a few credit cards.

 

…I’ve spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live?! I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes.”  ~ Carrie

 

Granted I’m haven’t spent that much on shoes and I’m not even that much in debt. I so relate.  All the money spent on renting, buying clothes, food, traveling and I have nothing to show for it but a few facebook pictures.  At least Carrie has her shoes.

 

3. My career or lack thereof is not as I planned. In fact it’s nowhere near where I planned.  When I was 17 I said “by time I am 28 I will have been nominated for my first Oscar.”  When I was 25 I revised that to say “when I turn 28, I will be working a steady job above assistant and coordinator on a television show nominated for an Emmy.”  I am currently 29 saying “screw it, I will just take an industry job.”  Okay, maybe not that desperate, but that’s what it feels like.  When you’ve done all the right things like go to school, get internships, go to grad school, and take non paying job, you would think you would be well on your way in your career.

 

At least I do have a start of a career, one I can focus on intently because I don’t have a relationship.  And maybe once that takes off, I will get out of debt… Can’t I just get four more years to get it right? Can’t I just be that person that says casually, “Oh I’m 26.”? And in four more years, this late bloomer will be right on time.

by Categories: The Black SJPTags: , , , , , , Leave a comment