Yikes! It’s official, and this will be the one and only time I admit it…I’m 40.  Again I say, yikes!  I have that scene from Friends where Joey is crying about everyone getting older, “Why God? Why?” playing over and over in my head.

I haven’t been looking forward to it, and I’m not “depressed” exactly, but I’m not that pleased about it either.  And it’s not like I didn’t know it was coming…there’s no stopping time.  I suppose the birthday present Mother Nature decided to bestow upon me this morning in the form of a pimple in the middle of my forehead is a good reminder that age really is just a number…Thanks, lady. 😛

I came downstairs this morning to quite the sight – the entire house is decorated in princess decor.  There are metallic colored swirly streamers hanging from the ceiling along with those fan-like circular ones.  There are streamers wrapped around the bannister, around the doors, and even a princess chandelier hanging from the ceiling fan…it’s perfect.  Oh, and I have more presents waiting for me than I’ve had since I was a kid, and The Sis is making me a black forest cake which I had for my 1st birthday…it’s turning out to be quite the day!

I have a friend, who for her 40th did something different everyday for 40 days, but I don’t have that sort of commitment.  I decided to do something that coincides with my age, and how it does ring true that you get more comfortable with yourself with age.  So, I present to you “40 random & true things” about me, in (sort of) chronological order:

1. According to my mother, I was the first girl born to my father’s family in 90 years.  He was English (so I suppose it’s in my DNA) and gave me two middle names.
2. I was born in Canada.
3. Evidently I was a born swimmer, jumping into the pool when I was about 2 with no floaties and no lessons.  I’ve been swimming ever since.  I love the water.
4. I once missed the bus because I forgot my pink elephant, Pinky, for Show-and-Tell.  I still have it.
5. I’m still friends with a girl I met in kindergarten.
6. I used to sleepwalk occasionally as a child.
7. I had (still kind of do have) a fascination with fire, and was caught on occasion playing with it – like burning the back of the seat of my stepfather’s car. Oh yeah.
8. I did not like ketchup until recently, but would eat tomatoes.
9. I used to have the horrible habit of rolling my eyes…at everything and once fought with my third grade teacher about the date.  I argued that the calendar must be wrong.  Wow.
10. I had hair that hung nearly mid-thigh and often pretended to be Madison from Splash – my hair was always green during the summer months.
11. The first boy I ever had a crush on was named Tommy, but I also thought Kenny Rogers was a “fox”.  So there’s that.
12. Tom Jones brought me on stage once and sang to me.  I still have the album he signed for me.
13. I was in fifth grade when we watched the unfortunate events of the Challenger Space Shuttle take off, and I can still remember it clearly.
14. I had my bike stolen in fifth grade from outside my house and I got in trouble for it. I wrote my first “novel” about running away from home because my stepfather was a jerk about it.
15. The book about running away was a school project; we were given a blank hardback book and that was what inspired me to be a writer – the book, not the story. 🙂
16. I was a ballerina for 16 years.
17. I once tried out for cheerleading, but quickly realized it was not for me.  I joined the volleyball team instead, and regularly hated the cheerleaders’ perpetual perkiness.
18. I was the third tallest kid in jr. high behind two boys, Conrad and Dean.
19. I topped out at 6 feet tall by the time I was 18.
20. I had to wear guy’s jeans until I was almost 20 because they were the only pants that had inseam length.  I still have a problem finding clothes that are the right length; my sleeves are always too short, and pants a little high water.
21. I met my best friend, Jill when we were 14 at a church youth group camp.  We thought we’d be pastors’ wives…oh how the times have changed.
22. My mother entered me in a beauty pageant at 15.  I didn’t crack the top 10.
23. I did modeling in my teens and was told by a photographer to lose 10 lbs.  I was 5’10” and 125 lbs at the time.  I quit modeling shortly thereafter.
24. I sang in my junior high and high school choirs.
25. I’ve always had very long hair and when I was 15, I rode a go-cart without a cover on the engine.  My unbound hair whipped in, and I lost nearly half the hair on the left side of my head. I ended up cutting off about 3 feet of hair to get rid of the burnt, mangled bits.
26. I had my first kiss at 16 with my best friend at the time, Eric.  He thought we should lose our virginities together.
27. I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 29 and planned on writing a screenplay about it; the 40-Year Old Virgin beat me to it.  I had a friend who suggested I sell “it” to the highest bidder, like a geisha and at least make a profit.
28. I played volleyball for years, despite not getting my varsity letter my junior year because I went on a French Club trip to see The Phantom of the Opera that coincided with state finals.  I didn’t play my senior year out of spite – still so stubborn.
29. I did not go to my Senior Prom.  The boy I liked thought I was going with someone else and didn’t ask.  At our 10 year reunion he apologized. 🙂
30. I considered being a showgirl, but was told I was too nice for the business.
31. I was 19 when I discovered England was “home”, and the love affair began.  I’ve only been back once since.  Maybe that’s why no place feels like home?!
32. My brother and I thought about opening up a tea shop, and while in research mode, snuck into a tea convention.  Such a rebel.
33. Titanic was the first movie I ever saw alone.
34. I went back to college after a 5 year hiatus and graduated 2 months shy of my 30th birthday.
35. I’ve been a vegetarian for 8 years.  It was then that I discovered I’m lactose intolerant, but I’m never giving up cheese or ice cream!
36. I haven’t been on a date in 5 years, as I swore off men until I got my career off the ground.  I’m willing to lift the ban for the one who “gets me”.
37. I hate horror movies and country music.
38. I have almost every ticket from every movie I’ve ever seen at the theater.
39. I don’t like drugs because of the loss of control.  I’m a bit of a control freak.  I’ve “smoked” like 3 times and did shrooms once.  It caused me to react with this weird hysterical laugh/cry thing that I did not care for.
40. Inevitably, no matter where I work, I get the nickname Princess.  The Sis says it’s because it’s obvious.  My muse –

Goodness, that’s quite the list and reflection on my life.

Thank you all for being a part of the journey!

xx, Rach

Dearest A,

I don’t remember much, but I do remember the happiness and love I felt the day you came home.  I was so happy to have a baby sister, mainly because I was excited to be able to swaddle you in pink, our brother didn’t appreciate that.  You were so bald for so long, and I loved listening to you laugh, still do.  Maybe that’s why I love the sound of babies laughing…It all started with you.

I’m sorry your birthday didn’t happen as I had hoped this year, there’s always so many big plans, and yet…I know I say it often, but eventually it will be true, “things won’t always be like this”.  So we’re going to celebrate today and it will still be wonderful albeit a little belated.

As your (much) older sister, I should never even say that aloud, here are a few words of advice.  I feel it’s necessary to impart some wisdom, whether you heed the words or not. 🙂  I don’t want you to worry about everything, you’re still young (you really are), you have so much ahead of you, and things will work out as they should.  We are going to make things happen this year because I have only ever wanted great things for you.

You are the age now that I was when I decided to go back to school, so believe me when I say that it’s never too late.  Keep in mind the quote I love so well, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been”.  Only you can choose to be who you want, although I like you just fine the way you are, and find the thing that will make you happy.  I want you to have passion in your life, and there’s no time limit on finding it.  As you remind me, age is a number and it doesn’t have to define us.

And now for a few thank yous.  I’m not sure who I’d be if we hadn’t decided to move in together all those years ago, and I truly am thankful.  I’m more comfortable with myself, something that comes a little with age I know, but it is also because of you.  You’ve always had the ability to just be who you are and damn whatever anyone else thinks.  I’ve always envied that, but I am a little better now thanks to you.

You are not only my sister, but the best friend I have ever had.  You know me better than anyone ever has and you keep me young (so thanks for that).  I love that we never have to say a thing to know what the other is thinking, or we can say some random thing that says so much.  I love that we can be geeks together, that we laugh at the same things (even when no one else is laughing), and that we get excited about so many of the same things.  I could list them, but that’s our thing.  If it wasn’t for you, I’m not sure I would have ever discovered Dragon Age – how sad is that thought?!  Or my love of Doctor Who or even Captain America…goodness, my life would be so boring. 😉

I also have to thank you for your continued support.  Having you in my corner is what makes me want to do more and be more.

So Happy Birthday!  Enjoy today as if it were your actual birthday.

Love, Me xoxo