26 years and 364 days old

Today is, sadly, the very last day of my mid-20s. Tomorrow, I turn 27. 3 years till 30.

When I was home in Bama, I looked through a couple of my old photo albums from college and high school. I didn't realize how much baby fat I had on my face. I was commenting on how I understand now how women can look better at 30 then at 21. APK, not filtering anything he said apparently-"Yeah right that any woman looks better at 30 then 21." "OMG!" I yelled, "I'm closer to 30 now than 21!" The next morning I stuck a pencil under my boob to see if it would hold. The pencil dropped, so I was happy about that at least.

On gchat-

Sam: Let's see how you respond. I never realized how much baby fat I had on my face until I was 21. I was, like, a size 0 with chubby cheeks.

Peter: Wait, baby fat at 21? Baby fat goes away when you're 5. That's just fat on your face.

So as to not be overly depressed about today, my 26th year+ 264th day on earth, I've decided to think positively about this last year. Reflect, if you will, on where I've been and who I've met and what I've learned. I'm making a list of 27 reasons why this year has been good.

1. I'm lucky to have been in both NYC and DC this year. I turned 26 in New York with my college friends Ali and Jill smoking hookah with me at trendy Le Souk. A month later, I was living and working in DC.

2. My ranking on computer Scrabble moved from Beginner to the Intermediate/ Advanced level.

3. I got over Jerk and met APK and have been dating him for 10 months, as of tomorrow.

4. According to my employment, I have been both a Nasty chick and then a Preservationist this year.

5. I have upgraded from a cubicle to an office (windowless, but still) this year.

6. I have joined my College Alumni Steering Committee and the Junior League.

7. I have thrown a Tahitian-themed party with raffia covering my house, a dinner at the Woodrow Wilson House with chocolates shaped like top hats for dessert, several dinner parties, my first Shabbat dinner party, and run the silent auction at the Washington Design Center's Design House.

8. I have attended Fox News' holiday party, the Lockheed Martin holiday party, the live season finale of Treasure Hunters, swing dancing at the Josephine Butler Park Center, Jazz on Jackson Place at Decatur House, and so many other fabulous events.

9. Two of my best friends got engaged.

10. One of my best friends moved to Colorado to become a PHD in map making.

11. I've met more new, and great, friends than I could have ever imagined meeting!

12. I've lived in two beautiful late 1800s townhouses. I've bought my most expensive bedding ever (well, my Mom bought me it, but still). I've finally framed 3 vintage music sheets I bought at a flea market in 2000. I've moved in with a female roommate for the first time since college, and I can't say enough about how much happier I am having someone else around!

13. I've gotten over my issue with buying myself jewelry. I used to say that jewelry in ancient times was given to Kings and Queens to adorn them with the adoration of their country. Buying your own jewelry, in my old opinion, was being self-righteous. I've gotten over that. I love myself, and I'm proud of it!

14. Agnes B makeup through CCB Paris is no longer available. I loved the apricot tinted face lotion ($18). After switching to Chanel's Hydromax tinted makeup ($50), I discovered Botanics by Boots Pharmacy at Target ($8) and have now gotten over the loss of the apricot glow on my face.

15. My cousin Jeff and I have realized that our differences can work to our advantage. He can help me with computers and I can help him with clothes. The turning point came when he was helping me purchase my new Dell Computer online. Right at the purchase page, I noticed a coupon code area. I asked him to open a new window and search for "Dell Coupon Codes." Sure enough, a 30% off code appeared. We typed it in and saved my father $300. He was definitely impressed. "Jeff," I said, "computers I may not know, but shopping, I know."

16. The artery leading to my kidney ended up being disformed not clogged! With some daily blood pressure medicine and a reduction in salt, I didn't need surgery afterall!

17. Mobile got a Macaroni Grill, so visits home now are much more tasty. I once made my mother turn around on the highway to design our own pasta.

18. Ali sent me postcards from Moscow, Paris, and Shanghai. Suave brought me back pineapple wood spoons from Hawaii. Even though I've not really be out of the country, it has been nice to sort of pretend I've been.

19. I bought my first and second pair of Ferragamo shoes only to discover they are the most pleasurable pads for your feet out there.

20. My Mommy bought me a huge Amethyst cocktail ring like I've always wanted! It is double the size of the one I hinted that Jerk should buy me at the Movado outlet in Manchester, VT. Of course, he never got the clue. This is just to prove that my Mom rocks!

21. I learned how to barbecue all by myself. With the help of Gene, I even learned how to use hickory chips. Who needs a man anyhow?

22. I joined my first place of worship by myself as an adult. Okay, so I just joined a couple of weeks ago because membership was cheap. I still feel like a real live responsible adult. (Funniest line on Gilmore Girls last night, Laureli to Rori, "Grownups don't call themselves grownups. They say adults. Well actually they say ah-dults.")

23. I tried tubing in West Virginia for the first time. It wasn't a great experience, but still.

24. Salmon and tuna steak aren't bad at all! I just learned that this year too.

25. In Boston for New Years 2006, I realized that my friends from college are such a blessing of mine. No one could ask for a more supportive and loving group of girls in their life!

26. I read at least 25 books including Freakonomics, which I was peer pressured into reading so that I could understand people at parties when they quote it. On a side note, I also learned where people who were ugly, socially awkward dorks and somehow got hotter, smarter, or wealthier go to make a life for themselves- DC.

27. And finally- I deleted my old blog entirely and started new. The old one was filled with my post-breakup-from-Jerk traumas. I realized I was over it and him, and I was able to start fresh this year in a new city with a new blog.