It’s funny how we annually celebrate certain things…almost as if it’s an elaborate reminder.  We celebrate the day we were born…when our relatives were born….  We celebrate starts to relationships on their anniversary.  Wedding anniversarys.  The day someone quit drinking or smoking.  The day someone lost the weight they aimed to lose.  The day a drug addict went sober.

On the other hand, we also use reminders in a pretty morbid way, regardless of the purpose they suit.  The anniversary of someone’s passing.  A major world event where lots of people die.  The assassination of a political figure.  The murder of a celebrity.  The suicide of a rock star.  But I guess it all depends on who you are.  I can barely keep dates straight myself.  I am pretty thankful for electronic calendars.

Let’s try to jot down thirty things I have learned about myself and the world, shall we?

0)    Naked is the first natural state.  Have fun with it.
1)    We can’t prevent what we can’t predict.
2)    Your boss is your boss, not your buddy.
3)    Someone’s job title doesn’t necessarily relfect on them as a person.
4)    Don’t be mean.
5)    It’s okay to cry.
6)    You can tell more from a kiss than you can from a look.
7)    The sharp-dressed man might be hiding from a lack of confidence.
8)    Believe nothing that you read and only half of what you see.
9)    If two people see it…it’s real.
10)    When it rains…something good happens.
11)    You’re here once.  Go out with a bang.
12)    Sing in the shower.  Even if you don’t know the words.
13)    Not everyone is going to like you. Don’t worry. That’s their problem, not yours.
14)    If you’re sick, say so and stay in bed.
15)    Intrinsic value is good, but within reason. Know when to throw it away.
16)    Know when to walk away….know when to run.
17)    There are other planes.
18)    Love isn’t done on purpose.  Hate is.
19)    Beauty is all around you, but to see it you first have to find the beauty in yourself.  It’s there.
20)    Email addresses are like keys.  It’d be nice to have just one.
21)    Money is there to be spent.
22)    Look down sometimes.  There might be money on the ground.
23)    People are people.  Some are monstrous, others are divine.  But they are still just people.
24)    Avoiding negativity keeps you sane.
25)    Fight fire with fire.
26)    One’s feelings are their own to have, and never the fault of another.
27)    Strike a pose.  There’s nothing to it.
28)    Hero worship shows a lack of capacity for independent thought.
29)    Your family is always there.
30)    The phone works two ways.

I could say a lot more.  And I probably will.  Any day now I’ll start reminiscing about things I would never have dreamed to write down.  But as I am getting older, I am becoming less ashamed of myself for some of the experiences I have had.  I’m looking at things in a much more mature light than I ever have.  And it’s not because I’m turning thirty.  I just surround myself with mature people and I’ve learned a lot about myself in the process…about my capacity to make the right choices and avoid utter disaster.  I would wish the same for all of my friends.

I think my birthday gift to myself is probably going to be a nice shiny and new iPod.  But let’s worry about getting Saturday’s party out of the way first, shall we?