i was going to write about the ¡derecho! today. (in no small part because unusual punctuation marks amuse me. but whatever.) but why dwell on not having power? lame. today is a much more interesting day than that.

i am 31 years old today.

birthdays, it seems, get a little less fun and exciting every year. people are genuinely laughing at me because i am so full of birthday joy. but screw that – i like my birthday. i don’t care that i’m grown. it’s still a rock-star day. and maybe it’s because i’m an only child, but i am a firm believer in reclaiming your birthday and making it the one day a year that is unequivocally designed to make you feel good that you’re alive. i build a BIG GIANT WALL OF RELENTLESS CHEER around this day. it is impenetrable. no one is allowed to make me unhappy on this day. i’ve only ever had one birthday in my entire life get wrecked – the ex had surgery on my 21st birthday.

life isn’t always wine and roses. sometimes it’s dark. sometimes it’s awful. but everyone is entitled to at LEAST, at the VERY least, one day a year that’s theirs. why not choose a birthday? you don’t actually have to wear a tiara if you don’t want. (i was SO tempted to do that today, but the people in my office already think i’m… eccentric… enough as it is.) just imagine that it’s there. you’ll feel better.

as for me? i’m going to leave work soon and go do something i feel like doing, just for the hell of it. and why not? it’s my day.