birthday.

I'm gonna speak on a subject that I never understood. My African-American Facebook friends and the fact that they LOVE their birthday. Way. too much.

If their birthday was Christmas... the day AFTER Christmas their Facebook status would be "364 DAYS TIL MY BIRTHDAY Y'AAAAALL! WE GON' DO IT UP BIG NEXT YEAR!" I've seen birthday celebrations last three days, I've seen them at EVERY major hotel, I've seen prom dresses on grown women, SHORT dresses on old women and themes.

To be honest... I get it. You're alive another year! Jesus be praised, you're aLIVE! So you should celebrate that! but counting down months in advance... planning elaborate parties that mostly just involve 1. the club (doesn't matter which club... it's the universal CLUB), 2. all your girlfriends past and present so they can see how good you look and 3. way too many sequins paired with all the eye make-up in the world is NOT the way to go.

On the opposite end of the spectrum... treating your birthday as just another day is WRONG. You're alive dangit! Look happy about that! Get a cupcake!

Personally on my birthday, I take off work and sleep in. I wake up and go to Starbucks to redeem my birthday drink and usually head downtown. Pizza might be involved. Sushi might be involved. I may shop a little for that business lady blazer I've been looking so long for. Buy that book that I've been wanting. But otherwise? I just want to enjoy the fact that I'm alive not CRASH into it head first. I want ice cream... and 14 extra hugs. and a pair of TOMS. and a walk by the lake. These are do-able things!

The club will ALWAYS be there... full of short dresses, group photos and all the "MY SOOONG!"'s you can handle. So leave it there. Find the friends and family that will truly celebrate you with a homemade cake and out of tune voices singing "Happy Birthday".

this post brought to you by the fact that my birthday is in a few days and I don't know what to do for it. and my Facebook friends' statuses.