I know what you’re thinking. “Kollin, it’s incredibly weird that your birthday post happened to land on a ‘Me’ post and a special tenth post.” Okay, maybe you weren’t thinking that, but I was. And upon consideration, it’s not as statistically improbable as it may sound. It’s actually just two-in-seven divided by ten, which equates to just under a three percent chance. So while it is spooky that the coincidence lined up, it’s not too spooky.

In any case, I’ve never considered my birthday to be a huge event. I actually don’t consider much to be big events. (Like, high school graduation? Why is that a big deal? It’s not really going to be an accomplishment for most people.) So, I don’t plan or expect anything. I wouldn’t be upset if nothing happened. I think it’s sort of silly for people to feel obligated to buy things for people they aren’t necessarily close to just because they’ve completed another year around the sun.

I don’t buy presents for all of my siblings. One, because I’ve never had money I can openly just ‘spend’. (I do, but not much.) Two, because I have a lot of siblings. They don’t need me to buy something every year to know I care about them. I’d say it takes a pretty superficial person to be offended that somebody doesn’t go out and spend money for them on their birthday. The people I buy things for are in circumstances in which I want to go and get something for that person, or give that thing to somebody. You can take that as selfishness on my part, but I think it’s the way we should handle things. If you don’t like an aunt or stepparent or whatever family member that might fight the situation, you should be under no obligations to pretend otherwise.

Tangents aside, I actually got a lot done this year. One year ago, I was in my first semester of classes in college, meeting new people and, surprisingly, reminiscing with people I hadn’t seen in years that also go to the same college now. I wouldn’t really say I’ve made college ‘friends’ since then, but I’m not surprised. About eleven months ago I also got my first taxable job, which was a pretty neat learning experience. As in, I learned how much retail sucks. Do not put yourself through that unless you have to, friend.

In fact, I’ve actually lost friends over the past year. All of them were personal decisions on my part, and I won’t pretend the decision was easy, but I think I’m the stronger for it. After that I started this blog, quit my job, got my license (a bit late, I know), began teaching improv in earnest, and joined a writer’s group! Overwatch launched. World of Warcraft: Legion just came out, and I’ve read some pretty awesome books this year.

So overall I’d say my adulthood had a great start. So here’s to an even better year with less stress (I can dream) and more success. By this time next year I hope to have gotten my AA-T degree, be taking classes at CSUCI, and maybe working a job I don’t hate. Heck, if I’m going to be overly optimistic lets ask to be living on my own (or maybe sharing a condo with people) and completing the first draft of the Nacre Then anthology. I mean, good luck with that, but if I’m as productive next year as I was this year, it’s only very unreasonable, not ludicrously so.

And hey, if you’re reading this and it’s somebody’s birthday (even if this is in the archives) wish them a happy birthday for me. If it’s your birthday, what are you doing wasting time reading this when you could be skydiving? I mean, I’d rather be reading this than skydiving, but that’s just me. You do you.