If cryogenics were all free ...

...then I could live like Walt Disney and live for all eternity inside a block of ice. But instead my time is set, this is the only life I get and though it hasn't ended yet sometimes I (don't) wish it might. :-) (mom, dad...you'll probably be the only ones who get that..haha)
Happy Birthday...to me. Yay!
I have to say, 23 is going to be a hard year to beat. California. Fantastic new friends. LA. Seafood. Beach/Ocean. Inception.

Thursday (my "other" birthday) Critter and I headed out of Camarillo towards LA. After a great lunch at a restaurant nearby, we waited in line...in the extreme heat...for over an hour. And we waited some more. And then we went through security, and waited. Went to the bathroom...and waited. And finally, we got in! AIR CONDITIONING! YAY! ...Jay leno?? Who's jay leno??? I JUST WANT AIR CONDITIONING. ;-)
We had dressed up in our LBD's (LittleBlackDresses for those who still don't know the acronym). And as we were walking down the line, following everyone as they were headed up the ramp to the left. We stopped at the man behind the desk who asked us "how many?" and we said, "2." "You can go down the hall to the right." We glance at each other. And we smile, thinking "Does this mean what we think it means?" Little did we know. "Wait here," another man said. 30 seconds later, "follow me." And so we did. Right past everyone...into the front row...RIGHT in front of Leno's desk and the chairs. As in we were probably 15 feet away. AWESOME! We re-applied makeup and tried to dry ourselves off from our own sweat.(yuck). As I was reapplying my lipgloss, I realized my hands were shaking. Couple minutes later I had calmed down. Another couple came and sat by us, who we learned were just on the last days of their honeymoon. Sweet. Two girls sitting behind us were from Minneapolis. Also sweet. Jay Leno's jokes - not as sweet. We were given instructions pre-show on how to make a good laugh. So, Jay Leno...yeah, sure, the Sarah/Bristol Palin shots were funny. But of course the one joke that was...well..not as funny (to say in the least), was the one where the camera caught me "laughing." (I do a pretty good fake-laugh, though, don't I?) Sad. But Ellen Page - awesome. Pawn Stars - cool. Band I've never heard of - actually somewhat good. All in all, awesome and fun and incredible experience for my "birthday." Especially with miss Critter! Would I do it again??? Maybe. But I'd rather David Letterman over Jay Leno any day. (hint...let's go to NEW YORK!)
Next up on the docket: The Santa Monica Pier! I don't think I realized just what was ON the pier until we got there. Critter and I pulled the "quick change in the car" into more comfy clothes, and we headed towards the pier for some dinner. I am so in love with the SM pier. I wish we could have something of the sort in MN. The closest thing is the adventure park in MOA. But it's not on a pier! Granted, all we have are docks in MN. Not piers. We enjoyed our dinner, soaked in the view from the pier, and then had a grand time on the Ferris Wheel..at Sunset..over the Pacific! Oh, so, so so so so so so BEAUTIFUL!!! And to finish it off with Chocolate Dip'N'Dots!? Yup, definitely a day I kept thinking, "I can't believe this is real."

So then my actual birthday..I worked, and then I did homework...and ran to the grocery store. Completely exciting, I know. (Which was actually just fine! I felt like from the day before, I needed a relaxing day! I enjoyed a chick-flick that night, too.)

Saturday afternoon. 75 degrees. Sunny. The beach at Ventura Pier. The ocean. YES! I was there around 1:30 or so, and by 2, people started "trickling" in for my "Beach Birthday Bash." Which was less of a bash and more of a chillaxin' day. So after a while of just sun-soaking, laughing, and chatting, Luke came and had brought his Skim boards. Olivia had attempted to explain this to me earlier. And I couldn't grasp the concept. Then Luke showed me. And I was like "wait..you want me to do WHAT?" Literally, it's like a combination of surfing and skateboaring. You throw this board down just as the water's receding from the shore and, well...SKIM across it! So not as easy as it looks. I attempted, and failed...alot. And then finally I attempted and KIND OF succeeded!! Fun! *note: I'm STILL not quite used to all the saltiness! It's weird to get a wave in my mouth and feel like I"m eating a salting cracker with too much salt.* By then it was time for dinner, so we walked to downtown Ventura for a good meal at...some place I can't remember the name of. After which we decided that going to see Inception sounded like a good plan at the Ventura Theater. So we did. That movie was crazy! It's kind of like the Matrix for dream sequences...it's weird.
So Saturday was great times with great friends!

23 is going to be hard to forget.
(photos and videos to follow shortly!)