Turning 30

So today I am officially 30.

Normally I don't celebrate birthdays.  Initially my thinking in deciding to celebrate this one was: I look quite young for my age, and since I was 13 people have been saying "it will be good when you're 30" (which is not reassuring, not even when you're mid twenties because 30 is still five years away), so I thought throwing a party was the perfect way to ensure that my being 30 started off as awesome I'd been promised it would be.  This morning I was feeling pretty ordinary (not what I'd hoping would automatically become my new default state from my first second of being chronologically 30 onwards), but now I'm sincerely feeling good and even excited about having an entire decade ahead of me to get things done in.

I've realised now a bigger reason for celebrating my birthday is because of my contrariness towards society promoting attitudes such as

• If you post about a significant birthday, you must include the worlds "OMG I'm getting OLD!!!" or "I guess I'm an old fart now".  Even though this becomes ridiculous in hindsight after you say that for ages 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, 25 ... not only does it lose its effect (you keep changing your mind about when the oldness sets in), but you realise how mistaken and ungrateful you were (isn't it possible that 40- or 50-year-old you might have something to say about 30-year-old you making that sort of declaration?).
  
  So I am trying the radical move of just stating my age without judgement required as to whether it's old or young and is it a good or bad thing.  It is just a thing, and one that I should accept about myself (I don't want to waste my 30s feeling bad that I'm not 20 anymore).  I don't want to keep spending my life talking about myself negatively each time I pass a milestone.  I'd rather be busy enjoying the life I have in front of me.
  

• Women over 30 should do their best to conceal their existence altogether.  Botox, anti-ageing creams, plastic-surgery, layers of makeup ... They've at least been able to make sure that the majority of female newscasters and presenters on TV don't show any obvious wrinkles, even though men are allowed to look as wrinkled, fat and balding as they like (and commonly get paired with youthful women in movies but rarely vice versa).
  
  It's one reason for why even though I could pass for under 30, I am deliberately choosing to do the opposite of hide it.  I am daring to ask people to celebrate with me instead of commiserate on this milestone.  I am not going to whine or complain or act ashamed or embarrassed.  Because there is no reason to.
  

I think there are plenty of areas I can improve on (and even some that I won't figure out until later on), but I accept myself and being me is never a bad thing.