The Birthday Bubble

Yeay, I am 27!

That is 27 in Turkish standards because they round 26 years 1 day off to 27. To the rest of the world I am still 26.

I could choose to say 26 but I prefer 27 for people perceive 27 a lot older than 26. By claming to be 27, I get the “adult” treatment and shock those who think I must be a freshman in collage.

I amuse myself by making people guess my age. It is usually a very flattering game except for this last time I played it with the cab driver who was taking me to my birthday party. It got a little uncomfortable when he started elaborating on how I have the body of a woman and the face of a teenager. It is a compliment that most women die to hear but the thought that the driver had already measured my bra size before I get in the car almost made it an assault, or I haven’t gotten over my sensitivities over the past 27 years.

If we manage to overlook these little frustrations, it feels like the universe, which we belong to and own at the same time, is changing skin on the day of our birthdays. We wake up to an improved version of ourselves and thus of the universe. Everything is the same but also different, or at least you feel as so.

On the 18thof Sept 2009, I woke up to my “improved universe” to where my camera finally returned after a year in hiding. Birthday magic continued later in the day when I found out that I had more money in the bank than I knew of. It did not help Turkey to win the basketball match against Greece, but it did fill my karaoke night unexpectedly with about 30-35 people. Yet, the universe saved its best treat for the end of the day when I approached a taxi to turn on the day tariff at 4 am. He said, “Don’t you know? There is no night tariff anymore.” Dolce vita!

Our updated versions make us feel like we are capable of more in this new age. If it weren’t for this feeling of empowerment, we wouldn’t have new resolutions every year.

So, here are mine:

1) Be irreplaceable for the companies I do consulting for. Grow the business. Create opportunities for testing business ideas.
2) Resolve the long distance state of our relationship.
3) Work out consistently three times a week.
4) Get better with emails for the sake of not breaking hearts.

27, are you strong enough to let me do these?