Gettin' mah geek on

For my birthday, Teel bought me tickets to the Phoenix ComiCon. This was the first ever "con" I've been to, excluding academic things. It was exciting...a chance to let my inner fan-girl out without worry. While much of the con was focused on geekery not of my flavor (i.e. comics, graphic novels, anime, etc.) there was still plenty to keep me entertained. I met Frank Beddor (author of Looking Glass Wars) and talked meshing established stories with reinvisionings. I got a great vampire t-shirt from Little Vampires! And had a fun conversation with Wil Wheaton about following him on Twitter. I think the weekend was well spent indulging in geekiness that took me too long to accept in myself



Yes, that's me and Wil Wheaton. And yes, we are wearing our cool t-shirts.

Adventures in Birthday Land

First, this one isn't about my birthday, but I keep giggling about it so I thought I'd share. New evidence has been found that supports the conclusion that my brain does not work they way many other peoples do. Yesterday, while on the way home, I noticed a sign. It reads: "Ray's body and paint"  Using my deductive reasoning skills and only a small amount of gray matter, I am aware that this sign is probably for an autobody shop. That is not however how my brain initially interpreted that sign. I read the sign and was immediately given a mystery movie like scenerio where there was a body on the floor (Ray by the name stitched onto the pocket of his shirt) and several dozen spilled paint containers. I can almost hear the dialogue. From the gruff, out of sorts Chief of Police looking at a picture of the scene: "What the hell is this?"  Smart assed rookie: "Well Sir, Ray's body and paint."  Ok. I know it's terrible, but it had me in giggles at the time and still does.


Alright, birthday stuff. I learned three very important things this Saturday. One and two are so closely related that I'll let you untangle them. I learned not to procrastinate when planning an event that is important to you or one that people will have to drive for. When you do you smack into things like not being able to get reservations or even random seating at the restuarant you've chosen. I was undecided until late Friday evening as to whether I really wanted a birthday party or not. When I decided it took several hours to decide where. I sent out the invites and let procrastination kick in. I didn't call the restaurant for reservations. I didn't think it was necessary. Turns out it was. Luckily, everyone involved was willing to take a side journey to another restaurant. I was especially lucky to have Teel around. After letting me apologize and wrap my embarrassment around my mistake he pulled the internet out of his pocket (iPhone) and with the help of Zoe (foodie friend extraordinare) located a restaurant not too far away that would take a last minute reservation. Yay!

The third thing I learned is that my friends/family are amazing. I'm sure I already knew this, but the reminder was well timed. Even with my close to temper-tantrum pouting my family supported me and hung in there. My friends, who could have been really put off by having to drive all over town, were gracious and accepting of the changing plans. The whole thing could have gone so very wrong. Instead it became an adventure with delicious end results.

I still haven't quite accepted 32, but I'm much closer than I was. If this whole weekend taught me anything it was that just because something is bad, it doesn't have to become terrible. 32 is starting out rough, but if I focus on the good I am sure it will only get better.

The oldest I've been, yet.

I don't exactly know why this birthday is shaping up to be harder than the others, but it is. I started feeling it a couple weeks ago. It's hard to explain. A bunch of little things - things that really shouldn't weigh this much - are all ganging up to make me feel old. Some of them are silly things.....like facing the associations I've made with old people going to bed early and seeing that I'm usually asleep before 10, even when I want to be up. Others are not so silly, but still shouldn't be dragging me down. I feel really old right now. Some of it is mentally old. It's been noted recently that I've started forgetting things, and these aren't little oops forgets but rather I should be remembering this without a problem, but have forgotten slip ups. It is somewhat scary. If I'm this bad at almost 32 how will I be at almost 62?

I don't actually want to turn 32. There are so many things that I want to do....or that I wanted to do before now. Not that I've had the time, money, or opportunity to do them, but on my fantastical 'what do I want to do with my life' list there were some big things. There are some things that are getting harder/farther from my ability to accomplish them.

I've never really been one to worry about my age and what it meant or what it was supposed to make me. That is most of what is making this birthday so odd. Why am I worried about this? What makes this number any different than the last?