I know it's a Saturday and I don't post on the weekends, but I just wanted to quickly share some of the photos from today.
“I don’t care how old you are, it’s so important to blow out candles on your birthday. This will never not be an important aspect of the day.”
Celebrating 29
Tomorrow I turn 30.
I know, I know - how could this youthful, ageless beauty be turning a fully functioning adult age? Beats me, but it's happening. And I think I'm kind of pumped about it. Why, you ask? 'Cause these past 29 years have been some of the most fortunate ones that any human could have asked for. Really. And I want to list some of the greatest things that I've experienced thus far.
(If you judge me for making this list and/or being proud of it, then I think you might be missing my point here. In which case, skip the list altogether and proceed to the final two paragraphs.)
Highlights Of The Past 29 Years
- I was a co-lead in my fifth grade musical production of Newsies (or the more accurately titled "Extra! Extra! Read All About It!")
- I've learned to play the piano, alto saxophone and bass guitar.
- I've never smoked a cigarette.
- I'm bendy.
- In London, I ate the worst fish and chips known to man.
- In Portugal, I discovered Steak Diane in the Algarve and listened to Fado music in Lisbon.
- A stuffed poodle has slept atop my bed for over 25 years.
- In Spain, my mother and I were chased by gypsies. (Is that a racial slur? I Googled it and opinions are mixed. I don't mean to be derogatory.)
- In North Carolina, I saw a crab bite my dad and as a result - I stayed out of the ocean for the following 15 years.
- In New Brunswick, I saw the tides change.
- In California, I didn't trust how perfect it all seemed.
- In New Hampshire, I flew a glider plane as a teenager.
- I went to a performing arts high school for vocal music.
- I had the perfect childhood dog experience.
- In Grenada, I witnessed some baby turtles hatch in the sand in the early morning sun.
- In Belize, I innertubed through the jungle rivers.
- I've been to Disney Land and to Disney World. (World's better.)
- I've road-tripped to Detroit solely for a concert.
- I've waded in a hotel fountain in New Jersey.
- In The Cayman Islands, I went down into the sea in a submarine.
- In The Bahamas, I was eaten alive by bugs and first saw a pink sand beach.
- In Trinidad, I slept in my mom's childhood home.
- In Tobago, I understood why someone would want to come to Trinidad & Tobago.
- In Barbados, I watched my brother get married on a beach.
- I've hitchhiked in Lake George.
- One time I ate a mustard so spicy that my contact lens popped right out of my face and landed on the sidewalk.
- I interned with my favourite childhood band The Strokes.
- I've seen Bob Dylan in concert.
- I lost my virginity because of the outcome of a World Cup final soccer match.
- I've skydived.
- I've seen a baby's birth firsthand.
- I've undergone a successful cornea transplant surgery.
- I've learned never to take my brothers for granted.
- I met Mike Myers once and he was very nice.
- I met someone who lives in Ireland in a Foo Fighters chatroom about 15 years ago and we still mail letters to keep in touch.
- In Amsterdam, I fell hard for a Frenchman and followed him to Paris.
- In Paris, I celebrated New Year's, ate crepes outside the Eiffel Tower, learned cooking techniques from a master French chef, walked to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, sailed across the river Seine and kissed Oscar Wilde's grave.
- In Venice, I stole wine, rode in a gondola and had a brief (but memorable) Italian romance.
- Acquired the entire Perfect Strangers series as Russian bootleg DVDs.
- In New York City, I've had many midnight rooftop picnics on the Lower East Side, bench-side champagne dalliances in the rain under an umbrella in Central Park, met one of my best friends by picking her up at a bar, had a short play produced and performed in Hell's Kitchen, swam in freezing temperatures in a rooftop hotel pool, saw Woody Allen in his jazz band at The Carlyle, attended Derek Jeter's last Yankee home game and I've been inside the Statue of Liberty's crown.
- In Terrytown, I've had the most luxurious meal of my life at Blue Hill Stone Barns.
- In Cape Cod, I exclusively ate red meat for five straight days.
- In Chicago, I saw great art.
- In Miami, I ate the finest steak of my life at (the now closed) Emeril's.
- In St. Maarten, I went to a nude beach with my parents.
- In Niagara Falls, I stayed in a vice presidential suite and won a ton at the casino.
- In Las Vegas, I rode that roller coaster that Grissom loved.
- In Costa Rica, I went canyoneering, ziplined through the rainforest and saw some sloths.
- I've seen The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway over 10 times and will see it again.
- I have buried time capsules with loved ones.
- In Aruba, I experienced my first all-inclusive vacation and vowed to never go all-inclusive again.
- I have broken both of my feet on separate occasions.
- I've become proficient in pilates.
- In Atlantic City, I saw Lady Gaga perform and roamed the gorgeous boardwalk.
- In Montreal, I listened to more jazz than ever before.
- I have dined and dashed.
- I have never dyed my hair.
- In Ontario, I've made out with strangers on dance floors, had hundreds of sleepovers at my brother's apartment, ate an abnormal amount of poutine, blown bubbles off balconies, learned how to play poker and swam in an infinity pool overlooking the city.
- In Jamaica, I parasailed, helped Nathan learn how to swim and experienced the clearest sea water in the history of mankind.
- I've maintained a daily blog for two full years with some degree of success.
- I'm a (magazine) published writer.
- I became the type of person who enters a dog in a costume contest.
- I've found work as an editor, greeting card store cashier, HMV seasonal employee, video store clerk, management assistant, daycare worker and part time nanny.
- In Florida, I had numerous memorable family vacations.
- I became a godmother.
- For almost six years, I've been in love with a man who treats me so well and happens to be handsome as hell.
If this post seems boastful, I sincerely don't mean it to. I'm so proud of what's happened thus far - and don't think that I don't know for a goddam minute how lucky I am. Everything on this list was possible because of my family and friends. I know how fortunate I am. So what reason is there not to be excited about whatever happens after 30?
If you're to take anything away from this post, I hope that you start to compile your own list, at whatever age you currently are. The bullet points won't all come to you at once, but they'll trickle in over weeks and you'll slowly start to see how fortunate you are in your own life, if you don't already know. It's important to look back on these things and realize we're all immensely lucky in more ways than we realize, I think.
Seinfeld Bloopers
I swear to God I’m not the type of person to love all bloopers of just any television show. Not at ALL. But Seinfeld bloopers? C’mon, man. Each season has a 22-23 minute long blooper reel and if you ever gave a shit about the show, then I know you'll be into seeing these.
I'm not sure how long they've been available on YouTube, but for years you could only watch them as extras on the DVDs so this is kind of amazing.
Mom Says
“Don’t knit a pair of socks for your boyfriend or he’ll walk away from you.”
Happy 16th Birthday, Tianna!
Look, I know that I don't (normally) do whole birthday posts for people - so this'll be the one exception.
That lady above? That's my niece Tianna (with Baby Dog) and she's probably the sweetest, warmest, most together teenager on this planet. Look at this face.
When she was a little kid I would tell her stories about how awful a teenager I was and she said to me once, "Mimi, if I turn out to be an awful teenager can I just apologize to you for that now? And can you remember that I used to be a good person?" That made me laugh so much, but it's honestly so telling of the kind of woman she is inside.
Tianna, I don't know if you're aware of how good you are to people, so let's not get into it too much here. But let the record show that you're immensely loved and I'm a huge fan.
“People get all fouled up because they want the world to have meaning as if it were words. As if you had a meaning, as if you were a mere word, as if you were something that could be looked up in a dictionary. You are meaning.”
Simpsons Birthday Episodes
With my 30th birthday coming up, this was the first birthday card I'd received (and to be honest, the absolute best one). Other than the sweet written sentiments, the main reason I loved it so much was for the list of Simpsons-themed birthday episodes that I was recommended to re-watch. Is it just me or is that the nicest idea to list these episodes out? I hadn't seen a few of these in years and loved the hell out of being reminded to. Greg and Katie, you're the best. I hope you don't mind me scanning that card to post it here. SUCH a great idea and I absolutely loved it.
The Best Elvis Song
Of all the Elvis songs I've heard, this one makes me the weepiest/happiest. But only when listened to late at night, near water and outdoors.
Lego Kwik-E-Mart
Photo Credit: LEGO
Photo Credit: LEGO
Normally, I wouldn't give a shit about new LEGO products. But this one, clearly, caught my eye.
Here are just a few of its features;
- Opening rear walls
- A removable roof with secret vegetable garden
- Dusty blue floors
- Refrigerated cases
- Crates of Powersauce bars
- Surveillance cameras
- Cans of Buzz Cola
- Frozen Jasper
- Hot dog oven
- Squishee machine and Squishees
- Rear storage closet with a rat, cheese and rat hole
Ummm, secret vegetable garden?! That's so great. I would build and showcase the hell out this in, like, my bedroom or something. Such a great idea. I feel like if they're capable of selling this, they're definitely willing to do Moe's Tavern or something at some point.
Photo Credit: LEGO