August 16, 2008 | It's not a regret, it's an "experience"
This afternoon, Otto and the kids headed out to the library and I finally cleaned my desk. It’s time to clean my desk when I can’t actually, you know, find my laptop on it. The laptop connects to a monitor, so it’s not like I can’t USE the computer if I can’t actually FIND it. Still, if I’m thinking of unplugging the laptop and taking it elsewhere and can’t do it because touching any one of the teetering piles of papers or books might set off a chain reaction that will potentially cause my desk to collapse, my office to implode, or me to utter many, many non-child-friendly words, that means it’s time to clean up.
And being the organized businesswoman that I am, when I reach that critical point, I get right to cleaning my desk. Within a month. Two, tops. Look, I get to it eventually, okay? Shut up. Today I did an exceptionally thorough job of it.
I threw away garbage and filed receipts and paid bills and balanced my checkbook and set aside a stack of the kids’ stuff to go into the “school papers that must be saved” box and another stack of the kids’ stuff to go with the “your stuff does not belong on my desk” lecture and finished mailing off the very last of the “Hi, please take my former husband’s last name off of my stuff” paperwork (hey, I’ve only been remarried… ummm… 15 months!) and shredded the stuff that needed to be shredded and answered some email and sewed a button onto Chickadee’s new pants that only cost a quarter because they were missing a button.
Dude, I’m like SUPERWOMAN or something. At least, I was for a couple of hours this afternoon.
The rest of the family came home and there was some very important Olympics-watching, for a while, and then we went outside and swam and then came back in and had showers. The kids got into their pajamas, and Otto and I got somewhat gussied up, and now we’re going out to dinner for our first official date in entirely too long. I hope to have a froofy girly drink (preferably a margarita or a pomegranate martini) as big as my head AND dessert, because I am celebrating the fact that this hellacious summer is over.
This morning, for our Saturday morning pancake ritual, Otto presented me with this:
He said it was to celebrate my last day of being 36.
“Oh!” said Kira. “You have to enjoy this coming year, because it’s your last one in your MID 30s! After this it’s LATE 30s and then a steep slide toward death.”
(That Kira—she really knows how to cheer a gal up.)
I don’t know about the steep slide towards death, but Monkey got a load of my plate and burst into song:
Monkey: Happy almost birthday to yoooooooooouuuuu! You don’t live in a zooooooooooo!!
Chickadee: Yes she does. Have you SEEN our rooms?
Monkey: You sme-ell like… FLOWERS! Aaaaaand IIIIIIII love yoooooouuuuuuuuuu!!
Chickadee: Suck-up.
While I’m not sure I’m entirely thrilled about turning 37, even in light of the recent suckitude I have to admit—36 was a pretty good year. I think 37’s gonna be okay. Maybe I’ll even keep my desk clean, this year.
Well, probably not. But I think it’s important to have dreams.
And dessert. Did I mention dessert? Because I am SO having dessert tonight.
August 16th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Awww…monkey is so sweet to say that you smell like flowers!
August 16th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Happy Birthday, Mir! I hope you have a wonderful, quiet evening with your husband filled with conversation, romance, sugar, chocolate, and alcohol…the essentials of life!
August 16th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Are you turning 18 and a half again? Wasn’t it just 18 and a half years ago you did it the first time? Well good for you. You are FINALLY an adult (again). Don’t listen to Kira, she’s on a slippery slope toward life again, she’s telling you tales.
Enjoy your lovely date, have two drinks and enjoy the night even more (boom chica wah wah!). I mean, what good is a clean desk if… EXCUSE ME! I think I let your drinks go to my head. Enjoy your birthday because its the one and only holiday where you get to celebrate and be celebrated and have no obligation toward anyone else (unlike mother’s day, anniversaries, etc. not that they aren’t all wonderful but still a bit of work). Your birthday is all about you - enjoy every second of it! Happy Almost Birthday!
August 16th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Happy Birthday!!!
August 16th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Happy Birthday!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Happy Birthday, Mir! So happy for your happy life!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Ah, booze and dessert - a great choice, even if you skip the entree and just have those two! I turned 37 about 2 weeks ago; so far it’s not awful. And you can look at the desk cleaning as starting your new year with a clean slate! Happy birthday to you!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Well, a very happy almost birthday to you! And I
August 16th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Happy Birthday! Mine is Monday!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Happy Birthday Mir! Enjoy your weekend!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
37 is already late 30’s. Sorry. But that’s okay - at least it isn’t mid-40’s.
August 16th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I love those pancakes.
happy birthday Mir!
August 16th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Have a wonderful birthday, and a year filled with only happiness and fun times!
August 16th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
LOL! Enjoy your thirties! It only gets better. I’m halfway through my 40’s and every year it’s just better and better.
Have a great birthday!
August 16th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Only 37? Mir, you’re still a kid! have a wonderful birthday.
August 16th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Happy birthday. 37 is fine; don’t worry for a minute. Of course, I’m older than you by a few years, so I could just be in denial.
;-)
August 16th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
Happy Birthday!
Don’t worry about turning 37. I’m 51 and I… I…
I forget.
August 16th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
I’m with Daisy–at 37, you’re still a pup. Happy birthday!
August 16th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Okay, too freaky - we both love to read, we both are freelance writers, and both of our birthdays are in Mid-August? (Mine was yesterday - the 15th). Are you SURE we aren’t the same person?!
Oh - wait - I’m not quite 30 yet. My bad :)
August 16th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
you LOOK like you’re in your late twenties. so that counts for something, right? if you’ve gotta get older, at least you can look good on the way.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Just got back from my birthday date with hubs…big 29 today! No froofy girly drink though…but wine, and not the kind I listen to all day long from the kids! Woohoo! Happy Birthday to you, other Mir!
August 16th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Dang, my worst birthday to date was the one when I turned 22. My youngest child (of 3) was 3 weeks old on my 22 birthday, and all I could do was cry all day and say “all I am ever going to be able to do is have babies.” So, now that I am 56, and they are all grown up and gone on to better lives, I am really enjoying my ‘downhill slide towards death”. hahaha.
Have a happy happy birthday.
August 16th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Happy Birthday! 37 is an excellent year.
August 17th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Happy Birthday!
August 17th, 2008 at 12:28 am
I just turned 40. Hang on to your 30s with a death grip. 40 is an unreal, surreal, droopy feel.
Happy Day ;)
August 17th, 2008 at 12:48 am
And now that it’s past midnight . . . HAAAAAPY BIRTHDAY!
August 17th, 2008 at 12:58 am
Happy Birthday pretty Mir! Don’t be lonely - I’ll be joining you in 37-land in a mere (mumblemumble) months. I’ll have a pomegranate martini as big as your head in honor, on that momentous day :).
I second Em - I’m hoping you had drinks, and dessert, and then DESSERT, if you know what I mean and I think you do. :)
August 17th, 2008 at 1:57 am
Happy Birthday from this side of the planet, Mir, where your birthday has been in full effect for 15 hours already! :)
37 should be a wonderful year…but I have to say, just wait until you’re in your 40s. I wouldn’t go back my teens or 20s for ANYTHING…and so far (at 42), it’s even better than my 30s! So, you’ve got only good stuff to look forward to!
August 17th, 2008 at 2:13 am
Happy 37, Mir, you younin’, you. Have a great birthday!
August 17th, 2008 at 2:28 am
Happy almost birthday! And I hope you had a delish drink/dinner/desert/date thing.
August 17th, 2008 at 2:47 am
happy birthday! I hope that all of your wishes come true.
xo
b.
August 17th, 2008 at 3:17 am
Happy birthday! I won’t rub it in that you’re older than me. Nope, I most certainly will NOT.
August 17th, 2008 at 8:02 am
I said it over at Want Not, and I’ll say it here - HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ;-)
XOXOXOXO
August 17th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Happy Birthday, Mir!
August 17th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Happy Birthday! And many more. :-)
August 17th, 2008 at 9:16 am
Happy Birthday!!
August 17th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Happy happy birthday! Hope the date was fabulous and you got to drink something as big as your head!
August 17th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Happy Birthday! Thanks for being YOU!
August 17th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Happy Birthday Mir! 37 will be awesome. I can feel it.
August 17th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Happy Birthday!!!
Since 40 is the new 30, 37 is the new late 20s, so you’re just getting started!! :)
I love August birthdays. August is the only month without a holiday of some sort, and I think it’s ’cause the most awesome people are born in August.
Cheers and best wishes for an excellent 37th year. I hope that dessert was totally decadent.
August 17th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Happy Birthday, Mir! 37 sounds awful, I’ll admit…but now that I am almost 38, 37 was loads of fun! :) Enjoy!
August 17th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I’m turning 37 in a month. Last year, my husband (a year older than I am) said, “enjoy 36, because after this you’re practically 40.” Not quite death, but a similar sentiment?
August 17th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
38 is not so bad….i just turned 41 and i’ve never been happier. i even think about exercising much more than i did in my 30s! your story of your blog is inspirational. i just started mine and i can’t tell you how late i stay up every night (past my mommy bedtime of midnight) or how early i get up to run see if more people have come. i wouldn’t trade it for a beach house!
August 17th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Happy Birthday, pretty Mir! I hope you have a great day!
August 17th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Happy birthday!!!!
August 17th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Happy clean desk and Happy Birthday!
August 17th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Happy Birthday!
And I am happy to learn that 37 (I have a few months yet!) is still mid-thirties. I was dreading its approach because I thought it was the beginning of my late thirties. Now, not so much dread!
August 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
I predict this will be your best year…ever.
To me, you will always be the little girl, with the little curl in middle of her forehead. And you are not permitted to be older than I admit to (or end a sentence with a preposition). I’m a very old looking 36.
August 17th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Awww, how sweet! Happy birthday!
(My boys have been TORTURING me since I turned 40… um… recently. That Monkey bears watching.)
August 17th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Happy Birthday!!!
August 17th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Happy Birthday, Mir!
You deserve the best…including a pomegranate margarita the size of TWO heads!!
Plus some bacon and chocolate, just not in that order.
k
August 17th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
happy birthday.
If I’d known, I would have bought you the bacon-chocolate bar I saw yesterday.
yes. for real. a bacon-chocolate bar.
and the first thing I thought of when I saw it was you.
August 17th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Happy Birthday! I hope you had a perfect day.
August 17th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Hope you had a tremendously wonderful day! Happy Birtday while it’s still your birthday… and you’re just getting better….and better…. and better! :::throwing confetti:::::
August 18th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Dude, there is not much pancake there. I hope he supplemented with BACON. (Of course he did, what am I talking about?!)
Happy Birthday!!
August 18th, 2008 at 10:23 am
I love shaped pancakes. Happy Birthday!
August 18th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Happy Birthday! I hope the dessert was great. :)
August 18th, 2008 at 10:49 am
That is my idea of a really good meal out. I’m not even that concerned with the entree as long as I have one really delicious drink and save room for dessert.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
This is my first time commenting….I love your blog! I just wanted to tell you, 37 isn’t so bad. I am 5 months into my 37th year and so far, so good!
August 18th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOOOOUUUUU!!!
You are pretty and shiny and all things wonderful! Hope all the happiness in the world continues to find its way to you, Mir.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:22 am
I leave for a couple of days and see what happens? One of my favorite people has a birthday and I miss it. *hmph*
Happy Belated!
August 19th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Happy birthday (a few days late)! Darn those Olympics. Severely cutting into my blog-reading time. ;)
August 19th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Mir… I’m here to tell you that it really does only get better! At 50 I’m living proof. ;o)
August 19th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
When I was younger, I could not imagine my life after age 35. Turns-out it’s because it’s unimaginable. Instead of trying to fit this year into a time-frame, of which you know only half, work on your desk, a little each day. Free advice from 50+-me.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Happy Belated Birthday, Mir. Enjoy your youth. I’ll be turning the half century in less than 6 months. :-( I suppose I should be thrilled to be alive, but turning into a person who is FIFTY seems to somewhat dampen my spirits.
Oh…I just saw a couple of the comments from others…guess being old doesn’t bother them as much as it does me. Sorry.
Anyway…you’re a babe in the woods. Enjoy it! :-)