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Today is my birthday. Hooray! As birthdays go, my thirty-fourth is shaping up to be pretty low-key. I took today and Friday off work. Later, I’ll head over to my parents’ place for a quiet celebration. Honestly, that’s probably just what I need- this past year has been one of gradual transition and plenty of stress. Here’s hoping for a smoother year ahead.

Today marks the third birthday I’ve celebrated here, and it comes with mild disappointment from a blogging standpoint. In previous posts, I shared photos of highway signs that coincided with my age, like State Road 32 and US 33. No Highway 34 traverses Indiana today, but that wasn’t always the case. From 1926 to 1950, Indiana State Road 34 stretched from Illinois, near Covington, all the way to US 52 in Indianapolis. Nowadays, it’s known as US 136. I’ll probably be long gone -or at least too old to handle a camera- by the time I’m 136, so a shot of the street sign at the corner of 34th and Fletcher in Anderson will have to do this year.

Last year, I shared a birthday post that highlighted some of the most notable events in my life. This time around, I see I haven’t posted nearly as many. I can’t quite tell if it’s because I stopped writing about them or if fewer noteworthy things actually happened! I’m still working as a production planner, still missing my belly button after hernia surgery, and still serving on the board of the Delaware County Historical Society. Disco and Zulu still run my house like a pair of furry mob bosses, and I’m still dealing with bipolar disorder. I started collecting old coins a couple months ago, so I guess that’s something.

I have seen some positive developments recently, especially regarding wellness. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’ve lived with a very unhealthy lifestyle and mindset for my entire adult life. Bipolar disorder played a big role in that, along with some abuse I endured as a kid. Still, I’ve decided to view this next year as one of transition and healing. I’m not a natural optimist, so even making that prediction feels like a step out of my comfort zone and towards the right direction.

I never expected to reach thirty-four. But unexpected milestones lead to blank pages to fill, and I’ve already started writing on a few of them. I’m looking forward to seeing what stories my next birthday will bring. Happy birthday to me! It’s kind of freeing to have a birthday with so little planned. Maybe I’ll go to Meijer and get one of those mini-cakes and a pint of Blue Bell to celebrate.