Posts Tagged ‘birthday’

Kellie and I hosted a birthday party for Kellie’s sister, Allison, last Friday night. We made some tasty white chicken chili paired with a white table wine from Menage a Trois – very good. After stuffing ourselves with dinner, the ladies played cards while the guys played video games. I hadn’t played Smash Bros on the Wii in ages.

On Saturday, I undertook a project that I’ve been both dreading and looking forward to: a brake upgrade on the Audi TT. Back in July, I was informed by the dealership that my brakes were nearly expired… and they wanted $1400 to fix them. I sourced some better parts on the aftermarket for a fraction of that and they’ve been sitting in the garage ever since. I spent five hours on Saturday (including a trip to Autozone for a 7mm hex 3/8 socket and Sears for a new jack – it started leaking oil on the first lift and died halfway up the second lift) and three hours on Sunday (including another trip to Autozone for a 8mm hex 3/8 socket). Even if I valued my time at $125 an hour, I still came out ahead. They look so much better and work perfectly so far.

Before

During

After

So these past ten days have flown by since my birthday but I want to give a recap since I feel a lot of fun things have happened. I received more bang for my 25th birthday buck than I bargained for when I discovered that Kellie had orchestrated a surprise birthday party for me Friday night. As we traveled across town to my parents house, I was under the impression that we’d be going out for dinner, but that quickly changed once we arrived at our destination and friends and family were waiting… what fun. We all ate some great food and had the staple cake and ice cream desert. Thanks to everyone for that experience! I really enjoyed it.

Kellie and I also shared a great Easter the following Sunday. We headed with my parents to Ada Congregational Church where we crammed in for their Easter service. This is the same church that Kellie and I exchanged vows in just over eight months ago.. so the feeling was quite a rush. Afterward, we headed to the Watermark Country Club (coincidentally our reception spot), where we enjoyed one of the best Easter brunches in existence. The whole place had been turned into a large restaurant – with a sit where you can fit and eat anything you can find sort of style. Food stations with everything imaginable were set up all throughout the clubhouse and the food was absolutely delicious. I think we’ve determined where we’ll be next year at that time – it was unbelievable. For those wondering about the picture at the right, I took that picture while at the Watermark and I like the way it turned out. It’s an easter card that Kellie and I gave to my parents.

After the weekend, this past week just flew by. I spent every evening working on the Metro Health project that was due by (last) Friday at noon. I made the deadline thankfully, but if I’ve learned anything from the experience it would be that procrastination really isn’t worth it. I had plenty of time to get it done over the past two months but sought laziness instead of just getting it done early.

This weekend has been a blast too… it’s been fun to spend time with friends and enjoy life. We spent about five hours at Boston’s last night in some good company – and with a handful of beer steins. Perry and Jason made it over from the Detroit area to visit – fun times.

Today is my 25th birthday and I am feeling pretty darn good. I slept in a little, the sun is shining, and I’ve got a light workload at work today. Heck I’ll probably be out before lunch and enjoying my afternoon. Life is pretty good. Yet still… 25?! That sounds old to me! A quarter of a century has gone by so far and it has flown… if the next 25 go by this quickly, I’m in trouble. I’ll be over the hill before anyone knows it and THAT will definitely feel old.

They say that you’re only as old as you feel though, and I don’t feel old… so I guess I’m okay there. I read the other day that Hef (playboy founder) says 80 is the new 40 (he turned 80 last Sunday). That may be true, but it doesn’t change the fact that most people need a walker at 80… not my idea of feeling 40. Oh well, I still have over two more quarter of a centuries to go before I get to that age.

It occurred to me the other day that getting older is not a whole lot of fun any longer. No longer do I look forward to the month of April.. and it used to be a great time of year.

As a kid, a birthday meant one thing: gifts and presents. It was the other sacred time of year (besides Christmas). Friends and family came together and gave the neatest things: a new bike, video games, a baseball glove and bat – such simple, but awesome gifts to a kid. Back then, I didn’t care about getting older. It was all about the presents.

Then the teen years hit and we look forward to birthdays for a different reason: getting older. A lot of great things happen in these years. We can get behind the wheel and be free, voice our political voice at the ballot, and even down a fifth of our favorite brandy. I couldn’t wait to get to my next birthday during these years.

Finally comes the post teen years.. where there really isn’t much to look forward to in getting older. A birthday means more aches and pains, more responsibility, and less energy. Sure, there are the finer things in life such as home ownership, traveling, and finding “the One”. But do those bring out that inner child in us all? Not for me.

Here’s to another year older.