pleasing tinkly sounds

Yes, I’m back, two and a half weeks later. I’ve been busy. I went to the conference on web design in Las Vegas. It was great, I learned a lot of interesting things which I am already starting to apply to projects that I’m working on, but it was rather exhausting. The sessions went from 9 am to 6:30 pm each day, so by the time I got out I was brain dead and tired. But we still managed to have some fun. We went to see Second City, rode the roller coaster on top of the hotel New York New York, and did lots and lots of walking around and going ADD from the shininess of the place and the pleasing noises that the slot machines make. Oh, and choking on the everpresent cigarette smoke cloud that permeates the city. I only wish that Doc was there, too, but they gave me such short notice about the conference (nine days) that he wasn’t able to get the time off. 🙁

The conference ended on September 11, but I didn’t want to fly back that day for obvious reasons, so we stayed until the 12th. Then I had one day to begin recovering before the whole birthday weekend thing kicked in.

I was really hoping that my 30th BD wouldn’t turn into a 3-ring circus, and I wasn’t about to plan a party for myself (I’m a grownup now and I’m not going to ask people to come give me gifts). Plus, I was hoping that maybe Doc and I would just do something nice by ourselves on my actual birthday, and maybe get together with friends on a different night. (But that’s a whole different story).

So when I got wind that our friends might be wanting to plan something for my birthday, I asked for any potential plans to be kept low-key. Not because I am freaked out by turning 30, but because I wouldn’t really be comfortable with the kind of lavish going-out-and-celebrating celebrations that others of our friends have had for their 30th birthdays. That’s just not me. I’m more the “have friends over to the house for drinks, food, and games” type of girl.

I think, however, that I may have given the impression that I didn’t want a party or even to see any of my friends on my birthday this year, which is not at all what I meant, and I feel bad that anyone may have thought that I was being antisocial or anything. I just didn’t want a 3-ring circus, and I didn’t want traditional gifts (I didn’t want gifts at all, actually), as I’m not much of a “things” person anymore. A fun, low-key party with no gifts was what I was hoping for, but I know that I didn’t express myself very well about it.

So, consequently, I got my wish. Instead of a birthday party, our friends bought the two of us a night out on the town, solo, and an evening at a fancy hotel, and then a small brunch at Rachel’s house the next morning. The brunch was great — awesome food and a great time talking with friends. The evening out consisted of Medieval Times, which actually ended up being cheesy fun. I suppose that at some point I must have expressed interest in seeing what it was like, although I don’t remember doing that.

It was a very thoughtful and generous gift, but I still feel bad that I gave completely the wrong impression to everybody about my party preferences. So if any of you guys are reading this: I’m soooooo sorry! I wasn’t trying to be antisocial! I just didn’t want something on the scale of some of the other 30th birthdays we’ve celebrated! Believe me, I know that I’m not “owed” a celebration or gifts or anything, and I’m thrilled that you like me enough to want to do something nice for me. But despite (or because of) my attempts to keep it from turning into a circus, I turned it into a circus. Or maybe it’s just in my own head. In fact, I’m certain that I’m placing far more importance on these events than anyone else in the world, so really I should just get over myself and move on with life. Right?

Ugh. I don’t think that I’m even expressing my thoughts all that clearly about this. I’ll just shut up now.