18 again...

Yesterday I was 18 again. OK, so I was actually 25 but whatever - who's counting.

Now I'm not saying I didn't have a great day yesterday, I was taken out for lunch, sent lots of cards, treated to a couple (OK four) strawberry daiquiri's in the evening and even received a few presents. But there's something about birthday's once you either a.) reach 21 or b.) finish uni that just don't quite cut it.

There's a few reasons why not:

1.) Work
I actually love my job, believe it or not. But, as I now work for myself, people think I can just take time off whenever I feel like it. Incorrect. Whilst it may be the case I could, theoretically do so, I would neither earn any money, nor do I relish spending a day 'off' when everyone else is at work. Grab a mate time. This year I woke up, opened some cards, ate breakfast in bed, waved off the other half (when I say waved off I mean so in the loosest possible way, I was, of course, still under the covers) considered my options for the iconic 25th year of my birth (should I do a skydive, get a tattoo, was it too early for vodka?) then resigned myself to opening up the laptop and working.Rock and Roll.

2.) There's people missing
How dare my school / uni / lifelong friends be scattered across the country? Don't they realise that their presence is required every birthday, regardless of work / other life commitments? Frankly, it's just not on. All it used to take was an old school party invite "Dear Sam, please come to my birthday - there will be cake and jelly" and a phone call from one mum to another making sure the invite hadn't got lost on the way back from school. Boo, hiss - and yes, I will cry if I want to.
 

3.) Wearing a tiara all day becomes a little less acceptable.
I believe it's a god given right that a girl should be able to wear a tiara on two occasions, her wedding day and her birthday. For as long as I can remember  I've donned my (classy) plastic tiara on my birthday - but last year I received numerous looks that suggested I was deranged and it saddens me that the tiara has lost a little of its previously unrelenting joy. Haters, be gone.

Whilst I'm on a whingy roll, here's another short list of why getting old is rubbish:

- People believe you are interested in the minute by minute happenings of their children. You are required to sit and click through 7,000,000 photos of the brat doing mind-blowing activities such as blowing bubbles or 'looking cute'.
- You are supposed to not only know, but understand, mortgage interest rates.
- You must know what a perennial is.
- Hangovers last up to 3 days.

Over and (blow the candle) out.