Twenty-something

Hey, today’s my birthday!

I’m 29. It’s my last year in the twenties. Looking back, for the first time, on a decade of adulthood. (When I turned 19, I was looking back at my childhood…) Ten years ago I had just gotten home from a summer of working at Mount Hermon. I was still recovering from my summer crush, a nice boy who played guitar and liked vegetables, and appreciated my sense of humor. (Now I’m married to a great guy with those same qualities, and many more.) I was in my second semester of community college, but not yet in my first “real” job. I got my driver’s license when I was 19, better late than never! On my recent visit home to SJ I drove, for the first time in 5 years, the 1970 VW Bug that I started driving when I was finally licensed. Vroom, vroom!

Nowadays I’m fine with looking much younger than my real age. It was the bane of my existence growing up. Kids on the playground would call me a liar, but it wasn’t my fault that I looked about 7 when I was really 10. Worse when I was 16 but looked twelve, and had to dress like it too, because stores such as Limited Too hadn’t been invented yet. (Not that I approve of 12-year-olds dressing like they are high school seniors…) Nowadays, I just get carded, and that’s no problem!

On my Bay Area visit, at BN’s mom’s wedding, I met a little girl who was 3 but turning 4 soon: when’s your birthday, sweetie? October 18th, she lisped proudly. I was thrilled, and excitedly explained that’s my birthday, too. She gave me a confused and displeased look – Young children don’t like to share, remember?

My birthday gift from BN is a high-performance but cute-cuddly blue fleece jacket – hooded, full-zip. With sort of a shearling aesthetic. I love having a husband with such good taste. It’s a perfect and timely replacement for my slouchy cotton sweatshirt. Cotton is not my friend during winter. I’m gradually building up my non-cotton winter wardrobe, now that I live where fall temps are firmly in the 60’s and below…