29 is not 30....

I have been alive for 10, 593 days as of today. Wow! Where does the time go? Well happy Birthday to me :) 29 seems really surreal. Besides being my birthday, the day was pretty normal. I did begin the day thanking God for another year, walked the dog, went to work....same old, same old. As the day went on I began to reflect on some stuff, ponder on things, and realize some truths. So here are the things I thought about today....

1. How did we celebrate birthdays before FACEBOOK??? I have received over 150 posts of "Happy Birthday" blessings! People I have not spoken to in months...even years, took time out of their day to wish me well. Let's be honest, minus the Facebook reminder for birthdays, this many people would not have reached out to me. But, the wishes made be feel great-ful, loved, and nostalgic....i took time to return each and every post with a "thank you." Happy are those who have friends, students, colleagues, family, sorors.......people......in the 915,235,200 seconds I have been alive people have made all the difference

2. Regardless of how many people you know or interact with.....at the end of the day because of your life and the lives of others, you are pretty much alone in the end. Today I worked, shared a cheese quesadilla with Pascal alone and soon i will turn into bed alone. People have lives and some forget about your special day. I'm not mad...it's a day and shouldn't really be uber special to anyone but me (ok, maybe to my mom). So i don't expect people to buy gifts, throw parties or even remember. but....there is a feeling of alone...pure alone....and the older I get the more comfortable I get with it.....in 29 years i have spent many events solo. Surgeries, moving, birthdays, etc.....it is what it is....ya get used to it and you enjoy the times when you are in the company of others....live in the moment...enjoy the surroundings

3. Where will I be next year? Dude!! I turn 30 next year!! WTF?? How did we get here??? Should i do something big??? Where has all the time gone?....LOL! No one is harder on me than me and once again I have taken stock in what I have done personally and professionally. Professionally we've done well :) I should write some articles and really look into my Ph.D....but those two things aside....GOOD JOB ME!!!! Personally......well....i own my own house....and car.....sigh....we will continue to work on it...I want what almost every woman I know wants....career, kids, marriage....vacations to beautiful places, vegetarian meatloaf (ok....maybe i'm the only one that wants vegetarian meatloaf), anniversary gifts, first recitals, saving for college, 10 fingers and 10 toes.... Slow and steady right? If only the personal life was as easy as the professional life.

4. Pascal is the GREATEST dog in the WORLD!...that is all....

5. 15,253,920 minutes is a long time.....and i want to keep living...but as i live, become better. Better friend, daughter, sister, soror, professional. One can not let minutes go by and not try to improve on every second. I want people to think....i am better for knowing her.....let the next 29 years allow me to impact, inspire, and instill..... in myself and others.....

29 is not 30....yet....it was a little anti-climactic.....but i did allow for pause. It's been a good 254,232 hours.....Let's celebrate this year....stay tuned for 30....

Get at me...