29 Years

 Me and my dad, blowing out some birthday candles (I think it was his birthday, not mine).

Oh yeah, I'm a grown-up.

Today I'm 29, which means I'm officially in the last year of my 20s. It's funny thinking about all the things you hoped you would have accomplished by 30 that you haven't (a graduate degree, bought a house, live in a major metro, have a kid, have a pet) and all the things you have (lived in 3 different cities, change careers, get married, travel out of the country). 

I really appreciate this age...I think it's one of the best stages of life I could imagine. I'm young enough to still be a little footloose and fancy free, but I'm old enough to have learned a lot about how the world works. I'm glad not to be 22, you know?

Just for fun, I thought I'd share these random facts I shared on Facebook last night about myself. I'm sure it will be interesting to look back on this list someday!

1. I can't whistle at all.
2. I have to read every night before bed or I will not go to sleep.
3. I have always secretly enjoyed writing research papers, which is probably why journalism was a natural fit.
4. My favorite dinosaur is the stegosaurus, because it's an herbivore that can still eff you up!
5. I wikipedia/google EVERYTHING.
6. I've had a subscription to Entertainment Weekly since I was 9.
7. I'm a super picky eater when it comes to consistency and texture.
8. I love to play made-up road trip games, like "Most Random Celebrity Crushes" and "Guess the Price of These Items in Architectural Digest."
9. I hate to play Scrabble.
10. I'm one-quarter Puerto Rican and I don't speak Spanish.
11. I didn't learn how to cook anything until I was 24.
12. I care an inordinate amount about the design of things, from fonts to candle jars.
13. My mom gave me historical fashion paper dolls and ballet history coloring pages as a kid and I was OBSESSED.
14. If I don't have chocolate in the house, I go a little cuckoo.
15. I'm named after a fantasy novel.