I threw a birthday party for myself on Friday night and got home at 5 in the morning. I woke up at 10 am the next morning, very hung over, had 2 Advils, 2 cups of coffee, took a long brisk walk in the freezing morning with my dear roommate Jen, and felt completely fine and normal again by 11 am. It is not good to “lose” days, to being hungover, whatever. Time is too precious.
But still, despite all of that, I just did not feel like pulling out the stack of “Georgia” index cards, and sitting down, rifling through them for ideas. This was not the space I was in yesterday.
The party, held at Dempsey’s Pub, was incredible. I would look around at times, and see people from every different section of my life (actually, no high school friends…they were the only representatives missing) talking with each other, getting to know each other, saying, “Oh…YOU’RE Lesley? I have heard so much about you!” I was the common denominator between many of them. An odd feeling…to be confronted with how much you are loved. I was overwhelmed by it at times. All of these people, coming out on their Friday nights, to celebrate with me. It was beautiful.
I had been going to lay real low for this birthday. My actual birth date is November 27, the day before Thanksgiving this year. I will be home, with my family, so I thought: “Nah. No bash. Just hide out.” I tend to start stressing out and battling the blues come the beginning of every November, due to the approach of my birthday. I am not all that wacky about anniversaries like that, moments where you can mark the passing of time. It freaks me out, to be honest. But anyway, I suddenly got OVER all of that, and decided, at the last minute, to invite everyone in my address book to join me for a beer, and celebrate my birthday.
There is no need for me to be haunted and bizarre and stressed-out every November. I can choose to change that pattern. And despite the last-minute-ness, despite the fact that most of them have spouses and kids, despite the fact that it was Friday night and every New Yorker always has his/her Friday nights booked months in advance … everybody came out.
I was given Hostess cupcakes with 2 candles in them. So damn funny.
I am a very lucky woman.
