Monday, May 13, 2013

Birthdays Remembered

So I realized today that I had about a month until my birthday. I want to celebrate, but have no idea what to do. My friends come from all sorts of circles, many of them have left Utah, and I live kind of far away from the ones who've stayed, and I don't have roommates. I didn't really have birthday parties as a kid, but I've done different sorts of things since I left home for school. While it doesn't really help me figure out what to do for my birthday THIS year, it is fun to remember the last few years. 

2013: I don't know! That's what sparked this post. 

2012: Last summer, my birthday was odd. I was supposed to go on a picnic with a friend, but he had a family emergency, so instead I watched Criminal Minds. **shemar moore** Then that night, a bunch of people came over. My roommate had driven to Nevada and had bought illegal fireworks, and brought them back to Provo. We had some sort of food something or other, lit off the rocket dealio, and people said a whole bunch of nice things about me and came up with some sweet wishes. Many of which, actually came true. :-)

2011:  I lived with my cousin/bff Caitlin. A man-boy-guy-friend of the time (see 2010 "not-date") surprised me by taking me out to lunch and getting milkshakes. It was super fun. Then Caitlin surprised me by inviting a bunch of people over that night. They said lots of nice things about me and came up with really cool wishes. 

2010: I lived in Lehi, and hosted a small dance out there at my grandpa's house, just before my birthday. Everybody dressed up and it was super fun. I ended up spending most of the evening with a boy who was not my date...but that was okay, since my date was spending most of the time with the girl who was not me. We all would randomly realize that we had switched, and go back to our "dates"...and it was a little awkward...and we ended up back with the "not dates".  It was pretty hilarious. On my actual birthday, I went in to Provo and got a job. Who was there in the interview room, but the "not date" I had spent so much time with at the dance. o.o  I feel like we went out to dinner or something that night, or maybe a movie. I don't remember exactly. But it was pretty great. 

2009: Biggest birthday on record. I threw a really big dance party in the rec area of my apartment complex. Also, I had gotten 3 new roommates that day, one being my cousin/bff Caitlin see 2011--we were roommates twice.  I got to see her mom--my Aunt Rachelle--that day, which is always super fun. Also, I had stayed up all night the night before making refreshments. My coolest runner roommate Emily was the DJ; she totally rocked. (also, she had baked me a birthday cake out of brownies and andes mints (I don't like cake, and she not only remembered that, but deliberately went out of her comfort zone to MAKE me a brownie cake.It looks fabulous and tasted AMAZING). I had tons of friends show up to the party;  that made me feel really special. I think someone counted 113 people through the course of the night: married friends, single friends, wardies, roommates, pretend roommates, kids from classes, man-people, band friends, all sorts of people.   I was able to introduce my roommates to a ton of people, and we had a blast! Really attractive guys kept coming up to me and giving me hugs. Some really awesome Africans (who ended up being my roommates in 2012) taught me some sweet dance moves. Even the Bishop showed up to the party for a little while. Also, I worked at ColdStone Creamery at the time, and the cake decorator there made me a GIANT pink ice cream cake. So many people who meant so much to me were there.  I don't think I had ever felt so loved up to that point, in my whole life. :-D  Also, it was an EXCELLENT ice-breaker to welcome Caitlin back to the States and into college life. 

2008:  My roommate Cassia and I hosted a three-course murder mystery dinner, The Last Train From Paris, and invited 8 of our closest friends. We all dressed up, and got really into the characters. It was super, super fun!! I still have some of the props from that night. The people that came are still considered some of my dearest friends. This was before I'd decided to be a chef, but spending three days prepping the meal didn't seem out of place at all. I think that was a clue for me in my eventual life course. 

2007: I still lived at home at this point, so I'm not sure what happened, exactly. I probably went to work, and I think someone was in the hospital. We always joked that there couldn't be a holiday or birthday in our house without somebody injured or seriously ill. ;-) I'll have to go back in my journal and look. :-)

So, birthdays are great. It feels a little awkward for me to throw my own party, but welcome to adulthood, I suppose. The super-fun thing I haven't done yet is a bonfire...but ManFriend O'Texas has a birthday the day before mine, and HE always does a huge fire. And it's awesome. Since we share many friends, it seems silly to have two fires in the same weekend.

So, if you are still reading this, and have suggestions....I'm open to them! :-D

1 comment:

:cassia marie: said...

2008-2011 i was there every year, which is why last summer was so weird. i'm glad you've had so much fun with so many people! sounds like a bonfire is the thing to do this year :)