As you may already know, Monday is my birthday! In previous years, this involves getting dressed up and going to my favorite karaoke watering hole. What makes it fun is being dressed up but going to a total dive bar.

Since I moved to Kent last year, and the aforementioned karaoke watering hole is located in Tacoma, we went to a karaoke dive bar here. It was fun, but not AS fun as I’m imagining this year will be. As the picture above clearly demonstrates, I had quite the fun time last year so that gives you an idea of what I’m expecting this year.

2009 – for comfort, of course I had to wear my red chucks to go with my red dress.

Of course, previous years have been nothing to sneeze at, as you can tell from the other pictures here. These other pictures are from the same place I’ll be going on Monday, so you can tell that a) it really is the diviest of dive bars, and b) it’s always a really, really good time. I fully expect to NOT drive that night, and indeed, I plan to get a hotel in Tacoma and take a taxi to and from the bar. That’s me being smart! Seeing as I’ll be 36 years old on Monday, I feel like I should demonstrate a little growed-up-ed-ness.

Sad side note about the dress I’m wearing here: I lost it in a horrific pooey accident which I shall blog about later tonight. It happened to me two years ago and I am ashamed to admit that I never blogged it out.

You will most likely be as sad, shocked, and horrified as I was when it happened; if that is so, then the only thing I can offer is that I apologize in advance and I appreciate the empathy.

2010 – my awesome re-gifts!

One other thing “the crew” does for birthdays is the infamous re-gifting event. Basically everyone brings all those things that they have collected in the nooks and crannies of their houses that they would never in a million years actually use, and they give it to the lucky birthday person.

Over the years I’ve received the disposable slippers they give you after a pedicure, a Nair hair removal kit that was approximately ten years old, a half eaten fruit snack, and a collection of post-it notes and paperclips, among other fabulous gifts.

2010 – all the ladies!

One time I even got a condom filled with ranch dip – if you can just imagine what that looked like, you will get an inkling of how astonished I was to receive it. That one actually turned out OK, since another of the birthday guests (that wasn’t familiar with the re-gifting process) felt bad enough that she went and bought me a $25 Starbucks gift card. So that year I got both a “used” condom AND a Starbucks gift card! It was a banner year that shall live on in infamy, to be sure. I can’t wait to see what comes up this year!

So how about you all? Do you like celebrating your birthdays or have you all grown out of it? What birthday traditions do you have?

oh yes. those are indeed my special birthday sunglasses.