FYI — that is a Steely Dan reference, and I am unashamed.

My birthday.  I love birthdays.  Seriously.  I think they are the one day a year your requests are legitimized by the phrase, ‘It’s my birthday!’, including such scenarios as “I want to drink that whole bottle…”, “I’m wearing my Spanx and THAT dress…”, and the classic, “I’m puking in this hotel ice bucket, and I’m not even staying at a hotel…”.

Although there are those who say my generation was coddled and spoiled beyond our own survival or good, and perhaps I’m playing into it, I still believe everyone should get at least one day where they feel special.  One day where they get special recognition from all those they encounter.  So many days pass and slip through us without a notable change or acknowledgement of progress.  But the birthday is an internationally recognized annual marker that says, if nothing else memorable happened this year, I gained a year.  And if I don’t get cake any other day this year, today I will get free cake somewhere and will get waiters to insert my name into a simultaneously lackluster yet over-excited version of a congratulatory song that can be used for birthdays, anniversaries, or graduations.  Everyone deserves that equal ground.

But let’s be honest, I’ve felt special more than once this year (very special), so this birthday I’m totally content with reliving memories of the past few months and laying low.  Or sitting and thinking.  I remember turning 24 and hearing (and importantly understanding) Neil Young’s ‘Old Man’, and it struck a chord (pun intended).

“Old man, look at my life, 24 and there’s so much more…”

And I remember thinking of how much life I had in front of me and I was still so very young.  Granted, I’m only two years older, but what a whirl-wind two years!  This is the first birthday I feel absolutely at peace.  On our honeymoon, I sat on our balcony, drank wine, watched the cold, grey ocean splash by while silent, heavy mountains seemingly and effortlessly floated past and I happily meditated on my blessings and my joy that is my life.  Who gets this in their life?

So for this birthday my only requests are queso, beer, and some live music.  And the restaurant my family used to go to out near Spicewood, Texas when I was a little girl and we were meeting up with my gnradparents who lived out there.  It’s right next to the Hill Country Galleria, but back then, there was NOTHING out there, so I want to relive those memories and see how the restaurant is doing.  Sounds completely obtainable, doesn’t it?  And sounds completely awesome, doesn’t it?  I agree.