Spoiled Rotten

That’s me.  Spoiled rotten.  I can’t even work up a respectable self-pity episode when I’m so completely and thoroughly spoiled by the people around me.  See it’s my birthday and I’m 40.  I know, I know I don’t look a day over 39, but it’s true.  I’ve been feeling…well…sorry for myself.  I mean as a youth I had an idea where my life would be and how it would look at 40 and, I’m telling you, there is absolutely no resemblance between my expectations and my reality.  I was prepared for rampant depression, comfort eating, and perhaps a bit of wallowing.  Instead I got BFF’d.  Have you ever seen the television show, “How I Met Your Mother?”  Every time Marshall successfully argues a point with his friends he follows it up with the word, “Lawyered!”  It’s funny because he is a lawyer.  Maybe you had to be there.  Anyway, I was not lawyered.  I was BFF’d.

L2 whisked me away first to Freebirds, where I disappointed her expectations by not ordering a burrito.  We did get chocolate next door at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.  We then went to Fresco’s in Arlington where I had a pedicure and a haircut.  The pedicure was an experience because, well, I kind of maybe haven’t shaved my legs in three weeks.  What?  It’s been cold and I’ve been wearing jeans and boots.  No need.  So I was pretty embarrassed by my Chewbacca leg-do, but I pedicured up anyway.  I have sparkly burgundy toes now.  Then I cut off my hair-it’s kind of short now, but I really like it.  BFF then took me to Half Price Books where we spent all of ten minutes before leaving abruptly for El Gabby’s, where as it turns out, a whole host of friends and family were waiting for me.  L2 gave me a good old-fashioned surprise party.  I got bling, I got seriously good hot chocolate k-cups, and I got…wow, and hard to find the words, I have deleted and retyped this exactly five times.  L2 and Work Aunt got together and collected for my cruise fund.  I don’t know how much is in the jar, but it’s a lot.  I’ll count it later, right now I am kind of basking in the idea of a cruise, but more importantly I’m basking in the idea that so many people thought to contribute to it.

See, I can whine all day about how old I feel or how I’m middle aged now, or blah wah wah, boo hoo, but the truth is that age has brought me time to find and make friends, the kind of friends who will unselfishly think up a good idea and run with it just because they want the gratification of seeing someone else have a good day.  The kind of people who will give of themselves, whether it’s time or just some goofy ass sense of humor that turns out to be much needed.  And the kind of people who let you do for them in turn.

Yes, L2, I had a good day.  I did tear up even if you didn’t get quite the reaction you were hoping for (complete and total shock v. tears).  What made me cry tonight (and made me get up in the middle of the night to type it out because I couldn’t sleep until I did) was the fact that you would go to all that trouble for ME.  That my friends think enough of me to just to sign a card or show up for dinner, much less work together to give me such a gift.  The fact that everything did that for me?  It’s sort of leaving me gobsmacked.  From the bottom of my (sober) heart, thank you for being there and for reminding me that 40 is an opportunity, not a tragedy.

Here’s to another 40 with all my friends…