On the year of my 36th, an interview…

• What day of the week were you born? I had to look one this up, but it turns out I was born on a Thursday. My Mom always mentioned it was at 8:08pm. And I was born on the 8th, in ‘88. And I’m a “Type 8” for those of you who speak enneagram. 
• How do you celebrate your birthdays? My husband and I try to go out of town for our birthdays. We celebrated my 30th, 33rd and 36th birthdays in Key West, FL. We were at Disney World for my 25th and in New Orleans for my 35th. 
• Do you think everyone should get the day off work on their birthday? Yes! I do not ever want to work on my birthday and I try hard to avoid it. I wish everyone else had the privilege to take their birthday off, too. I truly hate how hard we make it here in the U.S. for employees to have a day for themselves. 
• Have you ever had a surprise party? I have! My 19th birthday was a surprise party thrown by my wonderful and amazing friends Mary & Kelsey. 
• What’s your earliest birthday memory? I remember turning, I’m uncertain exactly the year, but it was a very young age- 3 or possibly 4? And on the dining table there was a vase of roses specifically for my birthday. I think, if memory serves, that they were cream with tinges of pink. English Tea Roses remain my favorite to this day, although coral come in a close second (‘Movie Star’ variety). 
• Does your family have any birthday traditions? Going out for Mexican food was a very common one growing up, but sometime when I was in my late teens, we started the “say nice things” tradition. This is simply that everyone, as they sit gathered around the dinner table, says something ‘nice’ about the birthday boy or girl. This can be silly or deep or sweet or sappy or long or short. But generally these “nice things” turn into very heartfelt toasts and compliments and at least 2-3 family members become a bit teary (and that’s how you know it’s working). 
• What’s been your favorite age so far? I have to say 32 and 34 were really nice. If I had to pick one age to stay forever I’d probably go with one of those. 
• Is there anything you want to achieve before your next birthday? Plenty of things, I’m never exactly not striving to do things (Virgo, much?). But if I had to pick one thing only I’d say I’d like to lean into my art more. I want to spend more time creating. Pottery, drawing, painting, all of it. 
• What’s the best kind of birthday cake? The best kind of birthday cake is pie. But if all the pies in all the world were sucked up to a space-ship that day, I’d choose red velvet cake.

“There are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents, and only one for birthday presents, you know.”

Lewis Carroll