A Grown-Up Birthday Wish

Yep, today I turned 26. More and more, I am less and less interested in this particular date on the calendar. January 18th. Okay...I didn't really accomplish anything today. Honestly, the births of my children are far more significant--I really had to work for those!

Nonetheless, it's tradition to mark today, to celebrate today, for people in my life to be happy that I exist on this anniversary, today.

Some of my friends regularly take their birthdays off. A nice way, I suppose, to enjoy a quiet day, but my birthday has either always been off (due to its being on MLK weekend) or been one of the first days back to school. I couldn't take it off before and honestly, I don't think it's my best choice to take off work with so many responsibilities.

I always try to figure out, if I could do something significant to mark a birthday what would it be? I don't have too much of answer to that question, but I think this year, the plans are nice. Over the next few days I have sushi and dancing with friends, having coffee and playing paintball with my dad, enjoying a nice birthday dinner with Chinese food at my parents' home, and checking something incredible off of my life list: having tea at the Brown Palace.

I feel very lucky to have so many caring people in my life right now. However, getting older can be kind of negative when I actually have to admit it so I'm going to share my favorite bday card I've received this year so far:

I also started pondering today all of the different songs I've listened to through the years. And so, here are my favorite LK theme songs 1985 - Present:

1985: Wham! "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
1986: The Bengals "Manic Monday"
1987: Beastie Boys "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party)"
1988: Joan Jett and The Blackhearts "I Hate Myself for Loving You"
1989: R.E.M. "Stand"
1990: Tom Petty "Free Fallin"
1991: R.E.M. "Losing My Religion"
1992: Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody"
1993: Haddaway "What is Love"
1994: Ace of Base "Don't Turn Around"
1995: Melissa Etheridge "I'm the Only One"
1996: Sheryl Crow "If it Makes You Happy"
1997: Meredith Brooks "Bitch"
1998: Matchbox 20 "Girl Like That"
1999: Barenaked Ladies "One Week"
2000: Delerium feat. Sarah Machlachlan "Silence"
2001: Alicia Keyes "Fallin"
2002: Avril Lavigne "Things I'll Never Say"
2003: Jet "Are You Gonna Be My Girl"
2004: Hoobastank "The Reason"
2005: Butch Walker "Mixtape:"
2006: Kelly Clarkson "Because of You"
2007: Taylor Swift "Teardrops on My Guitar"
2008: Plasmacrash "Leveller"
2009: Die Brücke "Existential Angst (She Says)"
2010: Taylor Swift "Innocent"
2011: Pink "Raise Your Glass"

Granted, these songs don't represent most of the music I love, but if you want to get me singing or moving, these work pretty well.