I'm Going to be 40...

Someday!

Tomorrow I'm going to be 36. Thirty-six. Yesterday when I went to the doctor to have a cancerous-looking mole checked, I decided that 36 was officially over-the-hill. It didn't help that while trying to reassure me that I didn't have cancer the doctor said, "As we get older, all sorts of spots appear on our skin."

Later, Warren asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I said, "I want the bathroom painted."

He clarified his question. "What thing can I buy you for your birthday?"

I usually just tell him to buy me a card and write nice things in it, but instead I responded, "Hmmm...a new vaccuum cleaner?"

Thank goodness my grey hairs are still mostly brown from the dye job I got in March or I'd really feel old.

But honestly, I feel pretty good. Especially when I look back at what I was doing this time last year.

To sum up:

1. I had a complete panic attack followed by intense stomach pains while watching my team play the Angels of Death. (Just last week I skated with my team against the Angels of Death and didn't freak out about anything.)

2. I owned two houses!! (Now I happily own just one.)

3. I was lamenting the fact that Dodgeball was moving east. (They didn't! And Warren is actually on a team this year.)

4. Jiro had a broken leg. (No broken anything around here for months!)

5. With no party in sight, I rallied the troops at the last minute to meet me for dinner at my favorite pizza place, which was followed by cupcakes at the playground. (This year I'm going out on the town with Warren and the Smiths--one of whom shares my birthday. And no, when I say the Smiths I mean Colleen & Ben, not the band!)

Even though it isn't actually my birthday yet, I had three totally unexpected, nice things happen today:

1. Senor Dreamy sent me a very nice text complimenting me on the article I wrote about Las Tortugas in the current Edible Memphis.

2. A woman I went to college with sent me an email just to tell me that she admires me.

3. My friend Dan called to wish me happy birthday a day early.

And finally, Colleen, the Smith I referred to above, who is also on my roller derby team, has 95% convinced me that the emergency team meeting that we are having tonight at The Cove is really going to be a surprise birthday party for us.

Maybe 36 isn't so over-the-hill after all.