I know, I know, I said the next post would be knitting, but I haven't finished the pictures yet. Sorry.

Instead, I'm going to post a joke only a few of you will get, and talk a little about turning 30. One of the characters I play in World of Warcraft is a Tauren druid. They are shape shifters, which is loads of fun. I really like having one character who has the potential to be tank, melee DPS, caster DPS or healer. And at level 30 they get a cheetah form which runs about 40% faster than walk speed. No one else gets a speed boost like that. At level 40 everyone gets the riding mount, which increases your speed by 60%. But only druids get to move a little faster, a little earlier.

So I took a picture of my new travel form:




Yup. I hit level 30 today. I'm actually far too stressed about school and life in general to be really stressed about this marker birthday. I am doing something of a life review, which is one of my traditions for the base ten birthdays. I always take the opportunity to see where I am, where I'm going, and who I want to be. Am I becoming a better person?  One of my favorite podcasts at the moment is Urban Dharma and the latest episode that I listened to is one where he spoke about his journey as a Buddhist. He mentioned that he was no longer the person he was at 20, or 30. That Buddhists see life as a team sport, a relay race between the selves we are right now and who we will be in the future. I laughed out loud when he talked about throwing a memorial service for all his past selves, wishing them well. I started crying when he said his normal sign off "Be happy. Be peaceful. And most of all, be free, from suffering."

I did a lot this past ten years. I graduated college (age 23), and went back to college (age 29). I ended the relationship that I'd had since age 19 around age 24. After that I fell in love with a remarkable man and eventually married him (age 27). I moved a few times over the course of the years, including my first ever solo apartment (age 24). I bought a house (also age 27, and definitely related to the man and the marriage). I learned to belly dance. I've made several new friends, and gotten to know some existing ones better. I discovered how much I love process improvement, and was certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt (age 29).

I really feel like I'm hitting something of a stride now. I'm grown up enough to be able to accomplish amazing things. I'm young enough to be healthy, strong and energetic. I am very much loved, by many wonderful people and that makes a huge difference. I have no problem letting the decade runner from my 20s go sit on the beach for awhile. She did a great job. We've gone over the job debriefing, I have all her files, and I think I'm ready to take over now. I've got a couple of big things planned for 30s, but at least for the first few months I'm going to let things continue according to her plan, see what works out. I am happy with who I am, even as I struggle continuously with how to be authentic, aware and ascending amid the realities of keeping a body alive and comfortable.

I was aided and abetted in this decade's review by one of my mom's presents. She made a wonderful slideshow of pictures with music and voice-over. The pictures range from before my birth to a few years ago. It was marvelous fun to see my grandfather looking so young, and to see friends from age 6,8 and 10 and REMEMBER THEIR NAMES! Wow. That startled me. It was fun to watch all my various hair styles and colors parade before me.

I should have let you show this at the restaurant Mom, sorry about that. It would have been great fun, and I simply wussed out. You did a really great job, and I give you public permission to show that to anyone who wants to see it. I shouldn't let my shame about growing up in the 80s stop you from sharing. Everyone else suffered through it as well.

Most interesting to me was one mom's final comments on the slideshow, about looking back and seeing everything that we've done, everywhere that we've been. And that really is one of the themes of my life. I take opportunities. I make options. There is so much I want to do, so much I want to learn. I think I'm not really freaked out about turning 30 because I don't feel old. Heck, I'm planning on living to 100 years, so I'm not even a third of the way through my life yet.

I am also faced with the decision which only really crops up every now and again on my birthday. Do I wish to bake myself a cake, or simply gorge on Easter candy? Of course, since dinner last night was at Shalimar Indian restaurant, and afterwards I went to the grocery next door there is also a package of mixed Indian sweets, and one of gulab sandwiches (the fried dough in honey things, but they're split open and stuffed with some tasty looking cheese stuff). So I might just go for the completely different this time.

It's ok to have dessert for breakfast on your birthday right? Good. 'Cause I think I've decided that tea and something sticky sweet is going to set the proper tone for the day: