The big "three-oh"

Today is my birthday, and as much as 30 really doesn't feel any different...at the same time it is. Gone are the 20s. No longer should I just pretend that I am just another 20-something at college. Boy, have I tried! I'm actually blessed with great genetics, and I've been told that I don't look a day over 22, so that makes me pretty happy. Most of the kids in my class are around 20, and they usually act pretty surprised to find that I'm not in my early 20s. I think I will continue to go along pretending that I am still in my 20s until...well...forever sounds pretty good.

Most people make New Year's Resolutions. I quit doing that a while ago, mostly because I know that I'm not so great at sticking with my resolve, and because I'm a procrastinator. Since my birthday follows not far from the New Year, I usually make up my mind to try new things around that time. Another year older, another year wiser, gee, I should try this new thing. Sometimes it works. Most times not, but it doesn't keep me from at least trying.

So, what are the resolutions of a yarn-obsessed now 30-year-old? The same as most people. Maybe lose a few pounds, try to put some organization into my life, not taking things for granted, cherishing the little things a little more. Pretty typical. DH had this great revelation at 29 that he couldn't stand the way he looked and felt. So over the course of the next year before his 30th, he lost 25 pounds and really got into great shape. Since I always seem to be a day late and a dollar short, I've decided to do the same (well...not 25 pounds, because that would just make me too skinny, but 10 sounds pretty good). Actually, I'd like to be able to do some more triathlons this year, and it just isn't gonna happen in my current state of fitness. So I made an appointment to go get my metabolism tested to find out how many calories my body really needs in a day and also to get a fitness assessment to find out what kind of shape I'm really in. I'm all about numbers. Give me a number goal, and I can do just about anything.

The rest of this week leading up to my birthday has been hectic and not exactly fulfilling. I had an organic chemistry exam on Monday, so I spent all last weekend studying. I think I did pretty well on the exam once I got the prof to admit he made mistakes on the exam that he can't dock us points for. What's that Dr. L? You can't make a phenol from benzene using electrophilic addition? It was on the test why?

I have an exam coming up in molecular biology next week, and after realizing that I didn't understand much of the past few days' lecture notes and being completely frustrated, I managed to break down in tears in front of the professor. Not exactly a stellar moment if you're hoping to get a letter of recommendation from said professor. Turns out it was his lack of explanation and detail that were causing the problem, and a visit to office hours put us both at ease.

Then in organic lab yesterday, I leaned up against the stock table as I was dumping my waste into the appropriate container and managed to get unknown chemical concoction of the day all over the front of my jeans. The 5' tall lab coordinator suggested that I remove said pants, and, since I didn't have a spare, offered her extra sweat pants to me. Seeing as they would fit like knickers, I politely declined and instead opted to go to the bathroom and rinse the jeans and my leg. This seemed to take care of the problem until I hit the cold air outside. Uh, yeah...this stuff is making my leg tingle...so I went directly to the bookstore and bought a pair of KSU sweats to wear. I actually now have a KSU ensemble consisting of t-shirt, zip up hoodie, and sweats.

So far the birthday has been pretty good. I got to sleep in until 9:30, and the boys brought me McDonald's breakfast and a Big Diet Coke, which as anyone who knows me will attest, there are few things I like better than a fountain diet coke from McDonalds. I think it's the ice they use and the extra fizz from the fountain. The caffeine rush from 32 oz. of said drink doesn't hurt, either.

I think I'll spend the rest of the day generally screwing around and doing nothing that I should. I think knitting is definitely in order.