I don't know what it is, but every time my birthday rolls around, I always look at the clock at about a minute to midnight, as though I expect something to happen when it strikes 12.
Of course, it never actually does. It's just:
"Huh, I'm a year older."
But today, I realised something.
I'm always up a midnight, so I've pretty much always watched the clock tick over from the 22nd of January to the 23rd. However, three years ago I moved to the USA.
What does this mean?
It means, as I was born in England, I'm aging on British time.
Britain is 5 hours ahead of where I live now, which means for the past three years I've actually been 'officially' starting my birthday 5 hours late.
What a revelation, eh? Bet you're all as gobsmacked as I am.
Now for the part that's gonna make some people nod in agreement, and some people wanna beat me around the head:
I think this is the last birthday I'm going to have where I've looked forward to it. I've officially crossed the line into "dreading birthdays" territory.
Today I'm 26, mid-twenties. Still nice and young.
However, next year I'll be officially be in my late 20's and dangerously close to the 30 years old mark. I know that's not exactly old, but turning 29 is the last birthday you have where you can possibly lie to yourself and convince yourself you're not an actual "grown-up"
Once you turn thirty...forget it...you're a grown up no matter what.
Not forgetting that when you hit thirty, turning 40 looms on the horizon which is a huge shock because. let's face it, no one in their early twenties really believes they're ever going to turn 40.
However, you hit 30, Then suddenly it's:
"Holy crap, I went from teens to 20's, from 20's to 30's...holy shit! It's happened three times before...I'm going to turn 40!"
That's why people complain about "old people" all the time...because in our heart of hearts, we all know that we're never going to actually be old.
Well, Happy Birthday to me....and if all my readers club together and buy me a Nintendo Wii, it'll only cost you about $20 a piece...you know where the paypal donate button is!
...Can't blame a guy for trying.
6 comments:
Oooh, you're on the backside of twenty now, my friend. Everything's downhill from this point on.
Happy Birthday, though! Or whatever you crazy Brits say... ;)
I vaguely remember turning 30... a little over eight years ago... It's not as bad as people think.
If I donated to your paypal account, how would I know that you're not spending it on crack?
If you're aging on British time, I'm aging on Japanese time, therefore I'm what 13-15 hrs late everytime I've ever celebrated one of my birthdays?
AND BTW: Just because your age is older, doesn't mean you actually ever have to GROW UP. I'm NOT growing up. I may get older, and dumb like my grandma, but I'll always be a stupid little kid at heart.
Happy Birthday, hope you get/like my present!
Wiiiiii... those things are way cool. I played with a friend's recently. Awesome. Awwwwwwesome.
Happy birthday! There's a post on my blog just for you. :)
Kato : Thanks for the encouragement, and we DO say "Happy Birthday" in England...but it's usually proceeded with something like "pip-pip old bean! Cheerio and where's the crumpets"!
Ozzy : The paypal thing was honestly a joke...my paypal account isn't attached to a bank account yet, so I can't actually touch any money in there unless it's from another paypal account. I CAN promise you it wouldn't be spent on crack...crack sucks, meth is the way to go.
Manda : Hopefully the USPS won't let us down...can't wait to get it!
Amelia : Yay!
HI PAUL - HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM AUNTIE PAULINE, UNCLE STEVE, SARAH, KATHRYN, JIMMY AND MIKE (GOSH THE LIST GETS LONGER) - HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD ONE - YOU FELL YOU ARE GETTING OLD THERE IS NO HOPE FOR ME - LOVE TO YOU
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