Holy Crap, I'm OLD(er)!

Ah, birthdays. Days of cake, presents, and parties....all to celebrate surviving yet another year. Well, not exactly that...but you know what I mean. Personally I love my birthday. Just in time to get me over the post-Halloween depression but still far enough away from Christmas to not affect my much loot I rake in. Life is good.

That doesn't change the fact that I'm OLD this year.

A few of you have been wondering how old I am (for a variety of reasons I'm sure). Be amazed: today I turn 26. I know that's not old. I know people who are older than me who I'd never say were anything but young. All I know is that from my own perspective when I was a teenager I'm ancient. Let me tell you a story.

When I was 9 I made a time capsule. Well, it's less a time capsule and more a message to my future self. Originally I was supposed to open it when I turned 13. When you're 9 years old, 13 seems impossibly far away. When 13 rolled around, I realized I felt like I'd just left the capsule to myself...so I decided to open it when I turned 18, since THAT age seemed so very far away. Suffice to say, my 18th birthday has come and gone and I've still left the thing unopened to this day. I'm not sure I want to open it. It's like admitting you're "the age" or something. Bah.

Of course I'm kidding about all the melancholy Birthday Blues. I'm thrilled about today. Today's the day I get to open the damn presents my family mailed me early that I've had to stare at for the past month. Today's also my annual "Jared gets re-introduced to video games" day. If you're like me and don't set aside a "geek budget," then birthdays and X-mas are really the only times to get your gaming addiction fed properly.

So, if you'll excuse me, my older woman has made a cheesecake with my name on it.

-jared

PS: Chaly (an online friend and by coincidence (I swear) the 2nd place winner in the "Name the Monsters" constesty thing) sent me a bit of Birthday Art.

The spookiest thing is how that's EXACTLY what I would say. It's also the same damn thing I said when I saw the above picture. Thanks for the gift Chaly. You rock.