Twenty Five

Why, yes, I did drive to an elementary school on a Sunday with a party hat in hand just to take birthday pictures in front of some colorful walls. That's what you do when you're 25, right? Adult things? Yep, I am indeed 25 today, and I do feel pretty great. I'm not doing too much to celebrate, but I'm fine with that. Jon and I are going to dinner with our best friend Adam tonight and watching Game of Thrones after, and tomorrow we're all getting together with a couple of our other friends to try a rolled ice cream (and ice cream taco!) place near my apartment. I definitely feel like I've outgrown throwing a party or doing something big, so just getting to see a few close friends over food sounds perfect to me. 

Just for fun, here are some differences between my once expectations vs. reality of being a quarter of a century:

• I'm not "enjoying my 20s" the way I once I thought I would, but I'm definitely enjoying them. I've never been very adventurous or spontaneous, so when I was a teenager, I always thought I'd use my 20s as an excuse to go crazy and do stupid things. I've never felt like that was really me, so I feel pretty good about being happy in my quiet life.
• On that note, I didn't expect to be settled down with a serious boyfriend. I always thought that I'd finally figure out how to date around and that I'd be casually dating while focusing on my career at 25. NOPE. I'm happily settled and living with Jon, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I was never going to enjoy casually dating, and thank goodness it didn't take me long to figure that out.
• I AM finally feeling like I'm on the right track in my career like I was hoping I would at this age. I was so afraid that I'd still be in the job I was in a year ago, feeling stuck and behind in my career goals. Over a year later, I'm in a job that I love and just got promoted!
• I definitely expected to be living outside of Orange County, and while I often do dream of finally moving elsewhere, I'm much more okay with it than I expected to be.
• Probably the biggest difference is that I prioritize my relationships more that I always said I would. I used to be big on believing that I would be career focused at 25. I actually used to say that I figured that I would break some guy's heart by putting my career first. Yeah, I was dramatic. Fortunately, becoming an adult and being in an adult relationship has made me realize what's important and also how lucky I am to be with someone who supports me in career so that I can have both. I also thought that I would be living somewhere else because I wouldn't care about living far away from my family, but now they're probably the biggest reason why I'm still here, and I'm good with that. What's the point of traveling and living in a new place if I don't have anyone to share it with?
• No, I am not a famous and successful blogger like I was once hoping to be at this age. I also don't want that anymore. Blogging has been my favorite hobby and I love the process of connecting with my community and growing my following, but I'm okay with not making it my job or being a big success. 
• I still haven't learned how to use chopsticks. I'm actually pretty embarrassed about this one, but you'd think that I would learned that by now. One day...

If anything, being 25 is much more boring than I once thought it would be, but I think this was all one long way of saying that I like boring. But that's what adulthood is all about, right? Just being boring and being happy with it.

22nd Birthday Wish List

(Dear Creatures Waikiki Dress)

Well, I'm 22 today. Of course, this mostly just means that I'll be spending the whole day dodging Taylor Swift references as they're being thrown at me, but I'm excited nonetheless. I've always been a fan of birthdays (both my own and my loved ones'), and I think my love has to do with the fact that it's the one day my overly sarcastic group of friends and family drop the harsh exteriors and make each other feel special. For as much as everyone I know (again, myself included) rely heavily on insulting each other as terms of endearment, we reveal our big softie sides on birthdays. My tradition has always been to go to Disneyland on my birthday, but I haven't been able in the past few years. Fortunately for me, my best friend, Whitney, started working there recently, and she's being kind enough to sign me in today. I'll rant about Disneyland in another post, but I haven't been there in a year and a half, so I'm really excited. When you grew up in Anaheim, going that long between Disney trips is actually a big deal. I have to support my hometown, you know?

While I'm riding the Indiana Jones ride countless times and crossing my fingers for a funny Jungle Cruise skipper, I'm leaving you with my birthday wish list filled with things I can't afford. I ended up buying the Swedish Hasbeens (cheaper from Amazon) with birthday money from my parents, and I can't wait for them to get here tomorrow. Obviously I'm not saying any of you need to buy me anything on this list, but let's just say I'm not opposed to it. 

21

Well, here's what I wore on my 21st birthday because even going to bars can't stop me from wearing an A-line. This outfit is so simple that I almost considered not posting it, but then I remembered that I even though I wear this dress fairly often, it's hardly been on the blog and it's pretty great if you ask me. This was actually what I like to call my "I don't want to dress like a child or grandma like usual, but I still want to feel like myself" outfit for the night, or rather, my "I'm not picking up guys at the bar, but I still don't want them to think my I.D. is fake" look. That's the type of thought process that comes with looking like a 16-year-old for eternity. 

I had a really great birthday, even if it was fairly tame. I did drink a good amount (anything more than one is considered a lot for me), but didn't get too crazy. My friends kept buying me fruity drinks that didn't taste like alcohol, which, yes, I know will be the death of me for years to come. We ended up only going to two bars — the Tiki Bar at Downtown Disney and another bar in Old Town Orange — before my friend who was driving had to go home, but it was still a lot of fun. My family took me to the Cheesecake Factory the next night (a birthday tradition for me, one of my brothers, and his wife. Mostly because of our love of cheesecake.) and my family all got drinks with me and ordered me another one of those dangerously delicious blended drinks that tastes like dessert. It was great. Best of all, my brother and sister-in-law gave me $50 to Modcloth, so now I can get new things despite the $800 I had to pay to get my parents' car fixed since I damaged it. Stupid poles are stupid. 

All I Ever Wanted

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

Today's my birthday and, if you couldn't tell, I have a childlike enthusiasm about it. As I've said before, I'm mostly just thrilled to be hitting that milestone of turning 21, even if I am incredibly lame about it. I thought it would be fun to share some items on my wishlist, ignoring the fact that they're all out of my own and my loved ones' price ranges. I'd be perfectly happy if everyone just wanted to forgo buying me drinks and just gets me pretty dresses instead. On the off chance that my wish comes true and my brothers or any random kind soul takes the hint, I'm generally a size medium. Thanks in advance, world.