Happy Birthday to ME!

When people think about hallmark bdays, it's usually becoming a teenager, turning 16, 18, 21, 30, and then you get into the decades. For me it was those plus 27 y/o (my GOLDEN bday) and 33 (I'll just spill out my age!). Why? Well, dad met my mom when he turned 33, and he's always said 33y/o was his lucky year (awwww) and every year for his birthday he would always make some kind of comment about being 33, and we would always (and still!) write that on his bday cards... even when he was turning 45, 50, 55, and so on. 

So the pressure was on when I was approaching 33 because I always had it in my mind something BIG would happen.... or I would make it happen. Unfortunately my older sister was of no help because her 33rd birthday came and went with NO excitement, so there was slight doubt what a fabulous year it would be... slight, but I wanted and needed something big to happen.  As marriage wasn't coming anytime soon, the next best thing was to make a LIFE change. It sounds silly, but really, when that 33rd birthday rolled around, I just knew I HAD to do something. Good thing was I was at the tail end of a full year of travel, so I was pretty much open to anything! 

So here is my last year, the infamous 33rd birthday year, in a nutshell:

-Celebrated my 33th at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, a 7-Star hotel. Spent the next 5-6 weeks networking, interviewing, and making job connections.

-Came back home with job opps, but nothing confirmed... until officially in July by my current company :-)

-Practically single handedly packed up/cleaned up the house where I've lived for the past 25+ years, including a lot of my family's stuff. This included major selling/donating/giving away stuff... I'm talking garage sales, consignment, Mom Mail/Craiglist, you name it. This was practically a full-time job and a very emotional one because I was literally packing up/selling my comfy beautiful life in my favorite childhood and adult home and town (I love you Oak Park!)

-Wrapped up the logistics of my life in Oak Park/Chicago... this included many small but important details like bank stuff, change of address, renewing drivers license, etc etc etc.

-Worked part-time to keep up my professional skills up and caught up with most, if not all, friends and family.

-Made a road trip out west with some close friends, a last hurrah!

-Learned to play tennis, did yoga/pilates, got back into swimming, kept up with running and ran a 1/2 marathon, and got into biking again (but I admit, more social biking).

-Hosted a BIG o goodbye party!

-Had a HUGE breakdown before I left.

-MOVED TO DUBAI!!!!! 

-Suffered and rehabbed myself with my first ever severe injury -> 2 herniated discs (darn all that moving and packing!)

-Got my life started here - bank accts, driving license, apt, bills... while working 50+ hours a week in a NEW country where I know literally a handful of people and had to figure out how to do all this stuff on my own.

-Finally, and this is a BIG one for me, kinda slowly am starting to learn how to COOK! Yes, I hope you are sitting down to hear that, especially for those that know me. :-) And no, I am not embarrassed or ashamed to say I've somehow avoided cooking for 33 years of my life! 

So .... yes, a pretty BIG year! What lies ahead for this 34th year (eek!) is yet to be seen. For now my goals are to get involved with a new activity/sport, network more with sportsmedicine stuff, travel to NEW places (I already have Uganda/Rwanda and Antarctica on the list!), and basically ENJOY life here! Now, I admit, my life is about 70-80% work, work, work, and the rest is.... ummm.... rest, rest, rest! :-) ha ha, like an old lady. But "halas" (as they say here) - enough waiting around, time for action!!

To start off my bday right, I am going to Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), another Emirate, one of the 7, of the U.A.E. for a little getaway weekend - I want to watch TV (I don't have one here! On purpose!), lounge, relax, pleasure read, get some SUN by the beach, get a massage, and just DETOX by NATURE! Supposedly there are some little mountains there (Hajar mountains). Although some may find it strange I am going by myself, but honestly, and I'm not complaining about this, but when your profession is listening to people complain all day and you almost literally and figuratively break your back for other people, I just really want to do something by myself and for myself! Doing what I want when I want and so be it!!!

Lesson #25: In a land of luxury, indulge!!! Take advantage of it and treat yourself every now and then!

So my next update will be one year older and wiser!!! :-)