Not Too Shabby After All

So IT happened last week. The day I have been dreading for months, nay, years now. I turned 30. Frickity frick frick. I thought I would just be all maudlin and lock myself in and watch Cocoon all day, but as a matter of fact, I had a pretty awesome birthday/birthday weekend! A recap:

My friends rallied for me on this dark day and made it really fun. My BF organized a dinner on Saturday for all of us at a new Indian restaurant downtown that was just awesome. We all laughed and caught up and had a generally great time. After dinner we went to one couples' house to play some video games. I may be one year older, but garsh darnnit, not any more mature! Somehow during the course of the evening, my BF and I agreed to go to the yearly Kite Festival at Rockaway Beach with another couple. So on Sunday, we got up WAY too early and our friends picked up and whisked us away to the beach. It was overcast, so there weren't as many kites as we hoped, but we still had a great time.


Not a lot of kites....


Mr Wonk and I.

Our friends have two awesome dogs that came with us, Stanley and Edgar. They just got Edgar the week before and he was only 7 weeks old when we went to the beach. He is a purebred Shih-Tzu and literally the size of a gerbil and just about the cutest thing I have ever seen.


Seriously cute. He practically needs bodyguards for his own safety.


Edgar, Daddy, and Stanley.

We got stopped by nearly every person out there to coo over Edgar, and there was an awkward moment when we were all pretty sure that a Japanese family was going to try and steal him.

We arrived back home about 3:30pm and were immediately invited to a BBQ by yet another couple that couldn't make it to the dinner because their babysitter bailed. we spent a few hours eating and chatting and generally having a good time. Its kinda good that they couldn't make it, other wise I would have been forced to wear this the whole night:



Yes, a princess crown with 30 on it and a blue feathered slap bracelet. Slap bracelet! I haven't thought about those in years. Granted, it wouldn't have matched my outfit, but a princess crown goes with everything! Right gals?!

I had Monday and Tuesday (THE day) off work. On Tuesday I made plans to go to the Portland Art Museum with Mom of Puppy, so we spent the morning there being followed by an over-eager security guard who clearly though we were planning a heist. We did manage to ditch him long enough thanks to a group of kids on a field trip so she could take some cell pics of the piece she was writing about for school and hauled ass out of there before we could get 86ed from the place. How sad would that be? 86ed from an Art Museum. On my birthday. We had a nice lunch and later I met my mom for some coffee and cake at a local bakery. I picked up some steaks on the way home and my BF grilled them up for dinner.

Boss Lady called while I was with Mom and let me know that I could come in half an hour late the next day, which was a very nice surprise. She generally does not tolerate tardiness of any kind. Little did I know that it was was so my team could put these on my desk:



They are literally 3 feet tall. I brought them home and Las Gatas just stare at them. But my team redeemed themselves by pitching in to get me Guitar Hero for my new Wii and also got me some pretty flowers. And I am sure they realize that all but one of them have their own birthdays coming up in the next few weeks, and there will be payback. Mwah-ah-ah!




Thanks for everything, everyone! You all made me feel special, well-loved, and very happy on my birthday!

Love,

The Wonk

30 Wonky Things About The Wonk on Her 30th Birthday

1) My body does not Tolerate the Lactose. Which I find, frankly, just plain rude. I have to take a pill to eat cow-dairy.
2) I hate the way the the stupid pill for the dairy-challenged tastes. Like a lot. Tons. HUGE. More than Tums. Also, can I get a handicapped parking permit for "My Condition?"
3) I wish I could be both a morning person and a night owl. Right now I just have the night owl part down. Morning....not so much.
4) I can wink my left eye, but I do not have the ability to wink my right eye, which makes no sense to me. I can blink it, why not wink it?
5) I brush my teeth in the shower. It shaves like 3 very important seconds from the morning routine.
6) I can't keep a plant alive to save my GD life. The Blackest of Thumbs, am I.
7) Speaking of black, I spent a good 2 years of my life in high school telling people I was black as the result of a genetic fluke accident from being a Irish/Mexican mix because I thought it was funny. I am, in fact Irish/Mexican, and now have come to terms with not being black. I mean, seriously, I have freckles, and not the Morgan Freeman kind.
8) People were scared of me initially in high school. (See Number 7)
9) And it wasn't just because of the whole "I'm Black" thing. That came way later after people started to get my wonkiness. It might have been the skull rings, black leggings under cut-off jean shorts (that was in back then, btw), Red Hot Chili Peppers BloodSugarSexMagic T-Shirt, burnt black velvet converse (the bomb!) with pentagrams drawn on them, and a generally surly attitude. But the Grunge Era had just started and yadda yadda yadda, and there I was.
10) Did I mention that I went to an all-girls Catholic high-school? With Real Nuns!
11) I have truly been in love with my BF for over 10 years now, even though we have been together for just over 2 years.
12) I probably know more about current events and pop culture more than everyone else I know, but that's not getting me anywhere. Except for carrying on extensive conversations about Paris, Lindsey, Brit, Brangelina, etc....
13) I can't help that I know all this crap but can't manage to get a college degree in The Stuff That Counts.
14) I am taking out my tongue ring today! I got it on my 20th birthday and see it only fitting to take it out today marking the end of an era. Plus, its just about freaking time.
15) I still like Gangsta Rap. I can't wait until we are all in the nursing home together with our tats and piercing holes throwing signs at each other in the hall when we are being wheeled to dinner and rapping about bitches and hos. West Wi-ING, Baby!
16) Officially over half-way there!
17) I am totally one of those people that when a person dies in a movie, I could really care less. But if its an animal, I am totally distraught.
18) I love to read. I hope to have a real library for my books in my home one day where I can drink tea in a blanky and look out the window at the scenery. While listening to Gangsta Rap, of course.
19) I am trying very hard to get very technically savvy. I have a huge interest, but lack the innate skills or focus. But I am working on it and getting much better.
20) Even though I am trying to be a Grown-Up, I still might get my nose pierced soon.
21) I would like to be a vegetarian, and have been one before, but holy cow (lol!), I luvs me some good meat.
22) I love to cook, sometimes well, sometimes, umm, maybe not so well.
23) Because I can't just follow a recipe straight out, I always have to Wonkify it and it may not come out as intended.
24) I am obsessed with chefs, celebrity chefs (national or international) and all shows that involve cooking, especially competitive.
25) I am a savory, not sweet person.
26) Also, it MUST be spicy. As spicy as possible, like have the extinguisher close at hand. You may have to put my mouth out.
27) Last thing, about food (can you tell I am obsessed?), I LOVE condiments. Its what pretty much takes up the majority of my cupboards and fridge. And a desk drawer at work. (Note to self: call Xhibit to pimp my glove box into a condiment holder.)
28) I love sunny weather just as much as I do rainy weather. Which makes living in Portland a pretty good match for me.
29) I really really REALLY want a trampoline and someday will get one to play on. I am pretty sure I will break something while playing on it, but its a risk I am willing to take.
30) After months of kvetching and freaking out about 30, now that it has actually happened, I am surprisingly actually zen with it. I had a really good weekend with friends and a great day today, so I am cured! Yay me!