Happy birthday to me!!!

Its finally happened. I'm no longer 25.

I liked being 25. I still felt young. I was hanging onto my early-twenties category as tight as I could. Now I am slipping into late twenties, but wait hang-on, what about mid-twenties....yeah I like that better.

Yes, my birthday came and went on the 5th September, thanks to all those that remembered. Shame on you to those who forgot. But before you panic, I'm still accepting belated birthday wishes, so go right ahead.

This wasn't the most eventful I've had. I am even pretty sure I made a bigger scene on my first birthday. This year was spent in Sakhalin Island, Russia, a less than cheery place for one to celebrate a birthday. My day was very similar to any other really. I went to work and..... I worked. I got some nice emails, SMS texts and phone calls which gave me a nice lift. That evening I went into Yuzhno for dinner with Fabs and Maryline. We had a nice time, the restaurant was pretty swish, the waiters wore white gloves and we received sorbet between entree and mains (to cleanse the pallete). Fabs and Maryline gave me a not-so-traditional Russian matryoshka doll (the wooden dolls that fit inside one another). I say not-so-traditional as it was not painted in the tradition of a Russian bubushka (or doll), but rather of the Simpsons! A cool present I thought, even if it could possibly offend Russian culture. The evening was filled with good company, good food and it was great to be around friendly faces on my birthday.

And that was it....no party, no madness, near no alcohol ( I had two beers at the restaurant...wow). A different birthday from the many previous. However, perhaps its time I gave my body a rest from the abuse of my early-twenties.

No, I'm not ready for that yet....

Comrade Steve