Twenty years ago today I turned 8. If I remember correctly, that was the year of the Holly Hobby birthday cake, which me dad and his friend ate while I was on the phone with my grandmother.

Ten years ago today I turned 18. It wasn't much of a night. It was cold, as usual, and I had to stay late at school for a Sound of Music rehersal, and then take the bus home to the family with which I was staying. It seemed that nothing had changed. I wasn't interested in lottery tickets or smoking, and there was no vote coming up. I didn't need to register for SS. As I was to discover in a month, the school still wanted me to bring in permission slips signed by my parents (even though the people who had been signing most of my permission slips for the past three years hadn't been my parents or even guardians). Needless to say I laughed in their faces and signed my own slips anyway. Yet the day itself was pleasant. I had a dear group of friends that made certain to celebrate the day in the usual high school ways. It made me smile.

Today I plan to meet with a small group of good friends, and possibly attend Kites on Ice, and get my Nitty Gritty Birthday mug.

All and all, it been just an eyeblink in time, but it has been great. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next.