older and older

If you happen to need a photo of the shadows on my wall, I'm your gal. But if you are interested in any of the exciting things that actually happened over the last five days, too bad. 

This last week, I mourned the loss of my youth celebrated a milestone birthday and cooked and hosted my very first Thanksgiving dinner. And what do I have to show for it? 

ONE MEASLY PHOTO. 

Blogger fail.

I suppose I was a little distracted. These were emotional times, folks. 

First of all, Thanksgiving. Ugh. It was dramatic and I almost threw the motherf*cking chump of a turkey out the window. But more on that another time. (Here's a taste: a water main or pipe or whatever decided to burst on Thanksgiving and we were without water for a brief - but critical - part of the day. I also may or may not have unknowingly turned off the oven, also at a critical time. Because of course I would do that.)

Then, Saturday was my birthday. The very day I have been dreading for the last 11 months. They day I officially turned old. 

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Age is just a number. Except that it is not. Guys, suddenly I grunt when I do things like plug in the iron or get out of a taxi. Grunting = old (or tennis -- it could go either way, I guess). Other new/terrible realities I now face: marionette lines, my biological clock, being addressed as ma'am, thinking everything at Urban Outfitters is just too inappropriate, living without sugar after 5pm, and actually hearing myself utter the phrase 'kids these days.' Oh, and DO NOT even get me started on popular music.

Nevermind that I still don't know how to drive, I have yet to make a dent in my student loans, and I only recently upgraded from sleeping on a futon to a mattress on the floor. Oh yes, and I don't have a job. Not so adult.

Plain and simple, I am not ready for this. 

Though I suppose, if you absolutely forced me to admit it, there are a few... acceptable aspects of being old:

1. Pregnancy is no longer scandalous. In fact, it is encouraged by most people in my life. (On that note, calm down; we are enjoying our quiet marriage, thankyouverymuch.)

2. Confidence. I'm not invincible by any means, but I spend far less time worrying about what others think. Who am I trying to impress, after all? So what if I still listen to the Smashing Pumpkins, love HGTV and the X-Files, blush more often than not, and have weird chubby knees? So maybe I ate a can of microwaved Spaghettios the other day. Go ahead and judge me.

3. Indeed, with age comes wisdom. And appreciation. I am learning to be thankful for the things I have rather than dwell on the things I don't ... The pleasure of living in and exploring this beautiful city, an education (because I know this unemployment debacle would be even worse without one), lovely friends near and far, a family who knew me as a teenager and did not kill me, and a saint of a husband who supports me and loves me infinitely, even though I'm a jobless old lady who complains all the time :)

(Also, the new-ish Grizzly Bear album. It's sublime and I could listen to it forever and ever. It's my favorite - especially this song.) 

All in all, life is pretty good and, despite my senior citizen status, I am one lucky girl. Um, woman.

So without further ado, the one photo of the weekend! Here we are all dressed up and out on the town. Yes, it was a special occasion indeed -- Dave wore a grey cardigan instead of a grey hoodie and I wore a dress that exposed my knees!

Yes, I know it's blurry and our faces are yellow. 

It was a lovely evening. First we hit Bourbon and Branch to indulge in a few glasses of my favorite cocktail - the French 75. Plus, it's a library-themed speakeasy that requires a password to enter. How cool is that? Then to Frances, where we dined on the best artichokes in the world.