Coffee-n-Cake

Do you remember being a kid and adults telling you "enjoy being a kid, when you get older the years just fly by so quickly you don't know where time went"? I distinctly remember being a kid, adults telling me that and not believing them for a split second. Come to find out, it is so true.

I turn 26 tomorrow and don't get my wrong, I am SO excited about my fabulous birthday weekend, but I am a little freaked out to be getting past the Early Twenties. I would still consider this Mid-Twenties...but the next year will be Late Twenties, which Completely freaks me out. (I know, I know that age is just a number...and I do this almost every birthday...but it still weirds me out)

I don't really know exactly what I thought I would have accomplished by this point, but part of me wonders if I have accomplished enough for the age of 26. I definitely think I have experienced quite a bit and am very fortunate in that aspect; studying abroad, traveling around Europe with Chris, fabulous experience working at museum for a year, teaching amazing kids for a year, picking up and moving to NYC...I suppose I am pretty pleased with what I have accomplished but in so many ways I don't feel a day over.....22 lets say.

I also think back to mistakes I made or mindsets I was in when i was in high school or in my Early Twenties and thank God I am smarter than I was back then; I thought I knew so much but I knew so little. That is a definite plus of getting older.

What was I doing exactly 10 years ago when I was turning 16? Well, I Wasn't getting my license or a car unfortunately (my poor driving skills allowed my parents to make me wait 6 more months). I had two best friends Samantha (still BFF) and Karen stay the night, then the next morning we went to the West End in Dallas and Magic Time Machine for dinner with my family. Maybe not the 'coolest' birthday to most 16 year olds, but it was a blast.
Most importantly, I got my first video camera for my 16th birthday, I couldn't put it down whenever I got it. I wanted to be a female Stanley Kubrick and took that damn thing with me everywhere.

Ten years later, I may not strive to be Stanley Kubrick anymore (although I still adore him), but my mind is constantly overloaded with ideas and thoughts and goals and they boggle in my head making me not sure which direction to go in first; a blessing and a curse, all these ideas. (OH, animation, no poster design, NO, knitting, stationary design, maybe Bookbinding!, sewing!, No-filmmaking!, zine design!)

If these next ten years fly by twice as fast as the last ten years (according to those adults back in the day), what will I be doing then? Will I have reached all my goals? Will I feel 36 (ughh)? Will I still be in NYC? Will I have kids or be married (so weird to think about)? Will I still be a receptionist (let's hope not)

I'm starting off age 26 in a new city, new life, boggled/brilliant ideas to create, amazing friends and a kick-ass new haircut as of 6pm today.

Jennifer: Age 26 26 26 26, maybe repeating it will make not seem so weird.