Posted June 1st, 2003 by Michelle

So it needs to be pointed out that although the weather might make you think it is February, it is actually the 1st of June. And for those of you folks who haven’t been on the ride my entire life, that means one thing, and one thing only: Birthday Month. That’s right, only twenty-five more shopping days until the climax, June 26th, the day I turn 31 years old.

I also need to point out that I thought I’d have kids by 30, and also that I once said that anyone over 18 was dead. And really, who I am is definitely dead when I think of who I was at fourteen. Fourteen year old me would not have liked thirty year old me. And I can’t say that if I met fourteen year old me now that I would like her very much. I’m just not sure.

Anyway, back to my birthday. In years past, it was a week of celebration, and then weeks, and finally just a whole month. My last birthday was actually rather subdued, only one dinner party two days after the Northeast AIDSRide. No festivities, no silliness. (Other than the night before my birthday at McSorley’s in the East Village, but we don’t need to talk about that.) This year, well, I like to think I’ve grown up a bit, like to think that I don’t need to self-promote to the degree that I have in years past. But I just might be in Africa this time next year, so why not do it up. I don’t have any major plans yet, other than having just bought a ticket to California leaving right after my birthday, but I’m sure things will pop up.

As for what I want for my birthday, which is always an issue to discuss in a family the size of mine, that I’m not clear on either. What I do know is that I don’t want stuff. I hope to be packing my life sooner than later, if not for the Peace Corps then for something else, so stuff that I will have to pack will not serve me well. On the other hand, books are good. A wireless cyclocomputer for my road bike would be good. A day at Magic Mountain would be good. The best thing? Laser surgery for my eyeballs. I haven’t quite been able to talk myself into going to the hospital to start the egg donation thing because frankly I’m terrified. I hate needles and I hate pain and you have to give yourself a shot ten days in a row. And then get a nice big needle stuck into your ovaries to suck out your eggs. Do you see my hesitation?

Anyway. I’m just getting home from work, and guess what I do tomorrow!?!? Work a double!!! Huzzah!!! I’ve never known anyone to work so much and yet be so broke. I’m not just broke, I’m broken. But at least when I work I don’t spend gobs of money.

My mom is back in town, briefly, and right after work she took me to see WInged Migration and Saving Neno. I think it was Neno. Nemo? Finding? Saving? Meno? I dunno. Both of them, in their own way, made me cry like a baby.