in which I realize my birthday is this saturday

I have spent all day in front of my computer screen, writing. These days usually land me here with you, dear blog, as my only companions for the day have been a Google+ Hangout this morning, Lorelei & Rory for 41:53 over lunch while I ate leftovers from Saturday night, & my beautiful plant babies that I'm obsessively monitoring because I don't think I can emotionally handle them dying. It's been a good day, because it's the good kind of writing. The kind of writing that merits classical music, a whole pot of coffee (thanks, babe!) & the wooliest of socks. I got a lot done. Then I had to write the date down.

Not that writing the date down was a bad thing. However. Even though I've been singing "Octoooooberrrrr!!!" for 6 days now, I didn't really realize that my birthday is this Saturday. I knew it was coming but my, is that close. & what's even more strange is that it's a Saturday birthday & I have no elaborate plans. Saturday birthdays are like, shooting stars or sale candles that actually smell good, or groupons for macarons -- They should be cherished & embraced! But instead, I'm perfectly content with my plans: By next Monday, I'll have seen three of my best friends and my parents & had a day off with Jared. Birthday week? I'll take it. How twenty-six-y of me.

Man. 26. OMG, 26. Things about my life feel twenty-six. I frequently flip couch cushions so they don't become too worn in certain spots. The first website I visit in the morning is now the news instead of Facebook. I recently spent a decent amount on proper make-up, something that I previously would have scoffed at. I water plants. I shop at the farmer's market on Sunday mornings. I sweep our floors daily. I go to the grocery store almost every day, because I'm prioritizing eating breakfast. These all seem like things that twenty-six year olds do.

Then there's the things that I've skipped for 26 years. For some reason, I've made it 26 years into life without knowing what swiss chard tastes like. Like, I actually googled that in the middle of the grocery store (because I grocery shop now, remember?) while standing in front of the greens section, being misted. I can't actually brew a pot of coffee. I don't know how to operate a combination lock, as I've learned the hard way at work this week. I avoid talking on the phone at all costs unless it's someone that is close enough to know my middle name. Dusting is gross. I've never watched Mean Girls, Titanic or Donnie Darko.

There are clearly things to work on. Things to start doing. Things that twenty-six year olds do. Things like scheduling the next hair appointment while at the salon, paying beaucoup bucks for some form of regulated exercise, reading the newspaper... Hiking. & maybe those things will start happening. Jared & I aren't the supposed-to types these days, so there's also a chance they won't. But mannnn, I'll tell you what. My stars changed between 25 and 26, & now I'm just really excited for what a new year holds.

I'll be back for a farewell to 25 post. For now, I'm off to watch youtube videos about how to open a combination lock. #livinlavidaloca