Reflections on Turning 29

My 29th birthday was 2 weeks ago. And as a lot of you know, I love my birthday. A lot.

In fact, I wrote a post about this 2 years ago.

Usually I just reflect on my birthday by looking at inebriated birthday party photos. But this year is different.

It's not exactly a secret that it's been a rough year for me. My self-esteem has taken more than few beatings, because, as someone (who shall remain nameless) put it, "Arielle, there are only 2 things in life. There's love, and there's work. And right now, you have neither."

So in the midst of all this, I really feel like my social life is all I have going for me. To the point where, if there's a night where I want to go out and I can't find anyone to hang out with (which thankfully doesn't happen too often), I get really, irrationally upset about it. Because when your social life is all you have, and at that moment your social life fails you...well, it blows. And I get cranky.

Which brings me to my birthday. Technology has made it extremely easy for people to wish you a happy birthday, which of course doesn't even account for people actually wishing you a happy birthday in person. Even though I know that someone taking 3 seconds to write on my Facebook wall doesn't exactly mean they want to become my best friend, it still makes me feel loved. As do the text messages, the phone calls, the 18 people who came out for happy hour on my actual birthday, and everyone who came out for my 7th annual joint birthday party (Halloween style!) with my friend Julie.

I made my birthday wish this year on a pile of jello shots. Yup.

Carmen Sandiego and Waldo. Best birthday/Halloween couples costume EVER.

When I was younger, I loved my birthday because it meant presents. I don't get too many presents anymore - most people like to give the gift of free drinks, which I more than appreciate. But I don't even really need that either. I just love the warm and fuzzies that come with people caring enough to do something from write on my Facebook wall to joining me at a bar while I consume too much vodka.

So, going along with last week's theme of gratitude, even though I don't have a job or a boyfriend (or even a guy who will get off his couch to come make out with me when I drunk text him from my birthday party but whatever I'm an awesome maker outer so HIS LOSS), I'm still super thankful. Because my birthday this year was 1000 times better than this birthday was. And because I have friends who bought me jello shots and friends who send text messages and friends who dressed up in Halloween costumes and danced to a Sublime cover band on a boat with me. In the absence of all that other stuff that I'm lacking, these people are pretty fucking great.

Gratitude, yo. I'm full of it.

**This is my new series called Stratejoy Monday. To learn more about all this goodness, see the first 5 months of my Stratejoy journey here.