Getting up.
Today Gabe is wearing a teal jacket, a grey sweatshirt, khaki pants, and brown shoes.
The last week has been a weird one. I was sick and not sleeping well for most of the work week, and then over the weekend it was my birthday. I used to love my birthday and it usually turned into a kind of month-long celebration in college, but my last few birthdays I have been less enthusiastic about. I think it’s a combination of a lot of things, including not wanting to be the center of attention most of the time and being less of a party-person and growing more attached to my daily routine.
Having a birthday gets in the way of the daily routine I love, because it turns a regular day into a mound of expectations and pressure to create a super fun day full of all the things *I* want to do because it’s my birthday. But what I really want to do is keep up my routine! Since we moved to Seattle almost two years ago, my routine has been what’s helped me achieve the success I have and I don’t like to deviate from it.
That said, though, this year’s birthday was pretty great. I had a nice walk and lunch with Gabe and a really fun party with friends (new and old). I stayed up late and ate cake and had a lot of fun. I even got a new copy of my favorite book, East of Eden, which loyal readers may remember went missing years ago.
But now it’s time to get back to my routine. It was fun to celebrate this weekend, but a shifting schedule is bad for me and I’m excited that the next few weeks look wide open. I’m going back to doing things the way I want to do them and keeping up the awesome momentum I ended 2012 with. I’m excited.
………………………………………………..
“You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.” — Mary Pickford
It’s funny that you mention that birthdays get in the way of routine. When I have mine at work I can never get anything done because people are always coming up telling me happy birthday and the cake and stuff and it throws you off of work all day. Then when I get home I have to talk to my siblings (4 of them) and my folks and then celebrate for a few minutes with my family before getting to bed. Crazy how much effort it takes.
Yes! They should be fun in theory, but it often ends up turning into a lot of pressure to let everyone else know you’re having a great birthday (whether you are or not). I’m thinking of celebrating mine in secret next year!
I like the days leading up to it, but the day of seems like a big drag.
Happy Birthday!!!
Birthdays have always been small affairs for me. Growing up it was usually just immediate family. As an adult it was usually just me. While birthdays on your own aren’t the epitome of fun, you make do. So for me when a party or get together happens for my birthday, it makes it that much more special.
Happy Belated!
I followed you back here from my blog (thank-you so much for visiting) and *surpriiiiiiise* you had a “birthday weekend” too! On the same weekend! What a small blog-world, lol. I come from a large family and up until I turned 12, they were a kind of big deal IN my family… …after that mom decided no more -whatever her reasons. Now, I just get excited that the kids make me cards and do little things to make my day “special”. This includes birthday hugs and random paper sheet wrapped toys that are my “gifts”.
I love East of Eden! I read it in high school and it’s been my favorite book ever since! I’m enjoying birthdays less as I get deeper into my twenties and I think it’s just a harsh realization that time is passing really quickly and I don’t live a life that allows late night binge drinking anymore…happy belated birthday and enjoy that routine!
I was telling my boyfriend about your blog…not sure he would be up for modeling his daily wardrobe but thought the idea was cool. Happy belated birthday