Thoughts on Turning 30, The Big Three-oh, Getting Old, Etc

***This post was written prior to my actual birthday, but since I'm in New York City I thought I'd schedule it to post on the appropriate day.***

It's interesting to think that I'm turning 30. Thirty years of living on this earth. I'm actually quite excited to be reaching this milestone. All of my older friends say that their thirties were truly the best years of their life. I've had friends who had a crisis about turning 30. I had a "quarter-life crisis" at 25, so I don't plan on having one now!

When I was 15, 30 seemed so old! I imagined myself married with kids by the time I hit this age. Who would have thought I'd actually be thankful to not be married at my age? But, I am. I've had such fun being a single gal for the past three years or so. I've been able to do so many things and have so many opportunities. Not that I want to stay single forever, mind you...but it sure has been a fun ride recently!

When I was thinking back over where my life has taken me in the past 15 years or so, there was one thing that really stood out. You see, when I used to imagine myself as a "grown-up" single woman...I had this vision of myself in a high-powered job, living in a fancy apartment all by myself...but I never imagined myself with friends. I'm not sure why that is...maybe I was still in my introverted stage at that point in my life and thought I wouldn't need friends or people around me? But the thing is, when I think about all of the fun experiences and memories that I have from the last half of my life (and really the first, too) the things that really stand out to me are the people I've known and loved. My friends and family. As cheesy as it sounds, they have helped shape me into the person that I am, and I think without people, my life would be sad and boring. Because of that, I think the fact that 6 of my close friends are traveling to New York with me to celebrate is a fitting way to celebrate my 30 years on this earth.

And really, how bad can 30 be? I have fabulous friends, a good job, enough financial security to buy myself diamond earrings, a great guy in my life...shoot, 30 seems to be shaping itself up to be one of my best birthdays yet! At least, I'm not complaining...:)

Sparkle, Sparkle! Happy Birthday to Me!

I turn 30 this weekend. More thoughts on that later. Back in the fall, I decided that an appropriate birthday present for myself would be a pair of diamond earrings.

I've never had diamond jewelry of any kind...but have always wanted it. When I was 11 and getting my ears pierced, when my Mama asked what kind of earrings I wanted, I said "Diamonds!". She laughed and said I'd have to wait until I was older to have diamonds. So I waited. And waited. I wanted diamonds in college, but figured I'd meet a man and get married someday soon and he would give me a diamond ring. And then, I could find some earrings that matched. Well, by that rationale, I've been waiting for a diamond ring for 10 years! I actually sort of stopped caring about that 3 years ago...but I digress. Since I've wanted diamond earrings for years, and am tired of waiting around for a man to give them to me...I decided buying them would be a great way to celebrate turning 30.

I actually bought these back in December at La Belle Cezanne in downtown Annapolis. While they are not huge (really...I'm not a "big" jewelry girl anyway), they are a nice size and are set beautifully. They really sparkle! They are a little over a third of a carat each. I tried on the 3/4 carat ones that were beautiful...but a little big and VERY expensive. These actually fell nicely in my budget range and are absolutely lovely. They have been living in my ears for the past month, and probably will be there for awhile longer. So, if you're a friend IRL, take a look at my ears the next time you see me!

A close up...please ignore how gross my earlobe looks...

Chorale Gala

Just thought I'd share a couple of photos from the Chorale gala that I worked last weekend.

My fellow "worker" Lauren (also my Disney partner in crime mentioned in the last blog)

Pam and I checking folks in.

Oh So Goofy...

Anyone who has heard me say "I don't think I'll ever run another marathon"...close your ears (or your eyes) now. Are they closed? Ok...for the rest of you... I've done it. I signed up for the Disney "Goofy Challenge" which is a marathon and a half. Literally. During the Disney Marathon weekend in January, the Goofy Challengers run the half-marathon on Saturday and the Full Marathon on Sunday. I'm crazy. An official card-carrying member of the running cult that is my running group of friends. For my thoughts on my first marathon, read here and here. At some point after that, I decided that the training that went into the marathon was just too much and that I didn't think I'd do another one.

But, the Goofy Challenge is different. For one thing, it's harder than a regular marathon, but easier than an ultra marathon (usually about 50 miles or so). I'm the type of athlete/runner that needs some type of "new" challenge to stay motivated. Something bigger or more difficult. I don't get motivated by trying to do something faster. So, running another marathon to beat my original time doesn't appeal to me. For some strange, psychotic reason...running a half-marathon one day followed by a marathon the next does. I think the bigger, better, more difficult rationale is what motivated me to race the Iron Girl triathlon last year. And I had a great time with that.

I've also found that in order to stay motivated to exercise, I need to be officially training for something. After the Iron Girl Tri at the end of the summer, my exercise fell off this Fall because I didn't have anything that I was training for. Yet, now that I'm training for the Disney Princess Half Marathon in March, I'm actually motivated to run again. I've also registered for the Iron Girl again in August, so I'll be training for that at the end of the spring into the summer. Once I'm done with that, it'll be time to start training for Goofy. Something about paying a lot of money for a race motivates me to train for it so that I will do well (for me) and enjoy it. So, my $300 should motivate me to train well for the Goofy Challenge! Our strategy, however, will be to run the first 7 miles of the half and walk the last 6 (still finishing under the limit of 3.5 hours) and then to Galloway run/walk the full until we are exhausted and walk the last part (20 miles seems to be my wall). So, for those of you who I've told, "I don't think I'll ever run another marathon" (if you're still reading), I don't think it counts as my "running a marathon" if I walk a significant portion of it. Right? :)

I have to credit my friend Lauren with my decision to do this though...partially because when she told me she was going to do it I said, "Hmmm...wonder if I might do that" and she replied, "Oh, you wouldn't try that...you are the lazy runner". Nothing motivates me more than someone telling me I won't do something. :) (Love you anyway, La La!). But seriously, once I said I actually might do it, she talked me into it. Something about other friends are doing it...this would be the only time we can run it with other people, etc. A lot like the "if you're friends are jumping off a cliff" analogy. Anyway, Lauren and I are running the Disney Princess Half in March together (well, we are going to Disney together...she is much faster than me and will finish way before me, I'm sure) and she is my "Part of Your World" Little Mermaid song duet partner at Piano Bar as well. So, it's fitting that we now have another excuse to go to Disney and run! Maybe that is really my motivation for signing up for this crazy thing...

Cold Cupcakes

It's days like today that I wonder why I left South Carolina for Maryland. Currently, it's 3:30 PM...and the temperature is 13 degrees. That's right...thirteen..not thirty. Yikes! I've ventured out to run a few errands and get to and from work, but that is about it. When I arrived at the office this morning it was 7, so I guess 13 is an improvement? It's all relative, I suppose.

Anyway, last night, I caved into my craving for cupcakes. As most of you know, I have a huge sweet tooth. Dessert is often what I look forward to most. I like cake, and I guess I've always liked cupcakes...but not like I do now! Back in the summer, a cupcake bakery opened in Eastport (a subdivision or seceded colony of Annapolis, depending on your point of view). For the past few years I've been hearing that cupcakes are all the rage, and I wondered why. Various cupcakeries have popped up in larger cities..New York, DC, Baltimore...but the Baltimore Cupcake Company was the first one I heard of in Annapolis. I thought "How good can a cupcake be?" And then, one day last summer, I swung by and picked one up. And I was hooked.

Last night's purchases from L-R (Pink Vanilla Woo, Cookie Dough, Dark Chocolate Raspberry)

Over Thanksgiving break, I had cupcakes from a Mt. Pleasant bakery with my friend Sallie (hi, Sallie!), and it reminded me how hooked I am. I picked 2 up during the crazy singing season one evening as a quick treat, but it didn't quench the craving. Actually, it made it worse. During Messiah rehearsal one evening. I was having a severe case of the cupcake blues. Everyone kept offering me treats (homemade cookies, fudge, snacks), but all I wanted was a cupcake. Performances came and went, Christmas came and went, and I never got to slake my cupcake thirst.

Until last night. I had a few minutes, so I went out of my way as I drove home to pick some up (Thank goodness Eastport is not really on my way home or I'd have cupcakes every day!). I made my selections and headed home. As I was gushing in a text about how yummy they were, I was asked the question "What's the big deal about cupcakes? What makes them better than something else?" I had to think about this question for a minute. And then, I realized the simple truth. For an icing lover like me (I used to buy tubs of icing and eat them in one sitting), cupcakes have a much higher icing to cake ratio than a regular piece of cake. The Baltimore Cupcake Company's have a huge icing to cake ratio. And therein lies the answer to my cupcake craving. It's really a pretty way to feed my icing addiction without being the piggy Page who eats icing straight from the tub...

Pink Vanilla Woo up close (vanilla icing on chocolate cake)

A blurry shot of Dark Chocolate Raspberry

In a New York State of Mind...

A few months ago, my roommate Maureen and I realized that we should do something to mark our upcoming end-of-January birthdays. Both of us are hitting fairly significant milestones (30 for me, foooortyahemcoughcoughguhfive for her), and we thought that a trip somewhere fun would be a great way to celebrate. Knowing that we both love the arts, particularly the musical ones, we decided that New York City would be the perfect destination for some birthday fun. We posed the idea of a Wayward Chorus Girls Adventure in the City to our Wayward Chorus Girl friends, and 6 of them accepted! Including Maureen, myself, her sister, another friend, and the WCG, we have 9 arts-loving, fun-seeking, intelligent women planning to descend on the Big Apple Jan 30th-Feb 1st (which happens to be my birthday weekend). So perfect!

Our trip will begin with a 2 3/4 hour train trip from BWI to the City on Friday, Jan 30th. That evening, we'll probably grab dinner somewhere and I plan on celebrating the last night of my 20s with a trip to a dance club. Not that I have spent many nights of my 20s in clubs...but it seems like an appropriate end to the decade, no? We're staying at the Westin Times Square...I can't wait to fall into the Heavenly Bed!

Saturday (my actual birthday) I think I'm going to treat myself to room service. Not sure if anyone else is going to join me (it can be expensive!), but it seems like the perfect Birthday morning treat! Saturday afternoon, I will have my first Met Opera experience when we see Rigoletto. Saturday evening will bring a yummy dinner.

Sunday morning/early afternoon is up in the air...maybe a nice brunch? But at 3 PM, we have tickets to see WICKED! Finally! I've only been trying to see this show since it opened...can you tell I'm excited? I know all the music from the album and singing it at Piano Bar, so it will be hard to not sing along! Our train leaves at 9 PM Sunday night, so I have a feeling we'll probably spring for another good dinner before heading back home.

All in all, I'm so looking forward to this fabulous weekend! It is so special to have friends with you on such an occasion, and I'm thankful for them and that I will have made it to 30. :)

Tuesday Tidbits

I'm resorting to another bullet point post:

• For some reason this week, I've been very productive in the morning...and then my productivity crashes in the afternoon. A caffeine-induced energy, perhaps? It's too bad that I can't have caffeine in the afternoon.
• Someone hit my car a few weeks ago in a church parking lot, and it's now in the shop for repairs. For the second time in a year. The good news, however, is that I have a rental car. And it has satellite radio. So I've been enjoying stations like The 80s on 8, the 90s on 9, and the MetOpera station. My commute to and from work now involves listening to as many different stations as I can.
• My sinus issues keep clearing up and then reappearing...last tonight and today it feels like someone is stabbing a knife behind my right eye.
• I have some fun activities planned for the next few weekends...the Chorale gala, going to a few performances, Piano Bar...and at the end of the month the big trip to NYC with my friends to celebrate my 30th birthday. So fun!

Reading List

I know, I know...I've been MIA again. I guess that just comes with my schedule considering it's been busy at work and that is usually the only time I have to blog. But, I thought I'd drop a few quick lines about what I've been reading lately. January is usually the time that things slow down a bit in my world, and I actually get to read again. This December, I put aside a few books that I knew I would want to pick up in January. I've read one, am in the middle of another, and have the rest sitting on my night-stand ready to pick up.

The Merlot Murders- This a book by a Virginia author that I picked up at "Read Between the Wines", an Annapolis Symphony Orchestra fundraiser. It's actually a pretty good mystery...based in Virigina Wine country. I enjoyed all of the "wine-talk"...how it's made, etc. The characters are also pretty interesting. This one is actually the first in a series, so I plan on ordering the other two from Amazon and reading them at some point soon, as well. Actually, last week, this book was my perfect unwind-in-the-bathtub-with-a-glass-of-wine companion.

Dead Man Dancing- Marcia Talley is a local author, and I picked this book up at Read Between the Wines as well. The interesting thing about this book is that my dear friend and former roommate, Alicia, is written in as a character! She won a bid on being in the book at our Chorale Gala fundraiser a few years ago, and now she is written in as a dance instructor. (Something about books and music fundraisers seem to go together). I'm in the middle of this book...the plot is ok, but so far I'm loving reading about the areas the characters go to in Annapolis.

Twilight- I know, I know...teenie-bopper trash. Well, maybe. Just like it took awhile for me to get on the Harry Potter bandwagon...I've been holding off on this Twilight nonsense. However, I think it will be interesting to read and find out what all the hubub is about...I mean, I did end up loving Harry Potter!

So those are the books on my reading list for the next few weeks. I also have a few other January projects underway...and am also working on catching up on my stack of magazines that piled up in November and December!

Baltimore, I Do Believe You're Growin' On Me, Hon!

When I first moved to Maryland, my intention was to eventually live in downtown DC. I settled for a job on the West side of Baltimore and living in Annapolis because that's what my friend Kristena did, and well...I didn't want to move to a new state, town and job completely friendless. And Annapolis is pretty darn charming. I had a plan to get in the area, make a few contacts, and get myself into DC within the year. While I fell in love with Annapolis, my friends, and my life here....I saw Baltimore as the pits. A dump. (For my native Baltimorean friends...I apologize). You see, all I generally saw of Baltimore on my daily commute was the Beltway (hell on earth), the West side (sketchy suburbia at its finest) and the Inner Harbor (which while nice, is quite touristy). Of course I would venture into Fells Point and Little Italy occasionally, but my perception of the city was pretty much an industrial sketchy city with a little bit of polish to attract tourists. Charm City? Yeah, right. When I thought of charm, I thought of my lady Charleston....ahhhh Charleston....

Anyway, once I put down roots in Annapolis, my idea of living in downtown DC morphed into living in Annapolis and occasionally venturing into DC to get my urban city fix. I'd wander around and drool over the rehabbed townhouses, drink my Starbucks coffee, do a little shopping, and be pleased with my city experience. Who wants to drive to Baltimore when you can drive 25 min, hop on the metro, and wander around the Nation's Capital? I dismissed Baltimore as the industrial, Northern dump that I thought it was...

Fast-forward to this summer, when I sang in the chorus of an operetta with a company in Northish Baltimore. I still didn't see much more of the city than Roland Park at first...but slowly, I started noticing the people around me. They were intelligent, talented, funny...and they chose to live in Baltimore and liked it? Really? I was surprised. One evening, my friend SP and I were asked to go out with some of the singers after rehearsal to the Owl Bar in the old Belvedere Hotel. And I liked it, despite it's Baltimore location. Then, I peeked around the Mt. Vernon neighborhood and realized that, gasp!, it had some charm!

In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that the operetta this summer led to me spending a lot more time in Baltimore because of a certain someone. And while that has perhaps rose-tinted the city a bit for me, I also think I've gotten to see aspects of it that I hadn't before. I'm enjoying spending more time there these days...for multiple reasons. :) I've read a bit more into the history of the city and Maryland itself, which has been quite interesting.

And really, my silver pattern is Repousse...by Kirk/Stieff...and it was made in Baltimore. Oh Baltimore, that in and of itself should have told me we would eventually get along one day...