do you remember when 21 years was old?

I partly really love my birthday because I can always equate the age number with some song lyric. And so I get excited about "my song" and want to sing it all the time when it's finally February 12. The above is Phoenix and pasts include age 18, "Barely Legal" by the Strokes and ages 16 and 19 definitely had one too, I just can't remember.

Speaking of can't remember, there's a lot about last night I can't remember. Here's a blotchy recollection of what I do but in between sips of Costco brand gatorade all day today I would remember something random and it made me laugh.

In keeping with the tradition of the past four years or so, Best Friend texted me right at midnight just as a couple friends and I sprinted into the sketchiest bar in town. The bartender took a double take at my ID, looked at me, looked at his watch and said, "Oh well happy birthday!" It was official, it was 12:03.

The thing about drinking with boys is that they expect you to drink like a boy. "Tonight we have to make it to five bars!!!" Sorry brah, not going to happen. After three bars and three really strong man drinks, we settled for oatmeal at the nearest diner and I woke up in a parked car at 4am.

Fast forward a couple hours and I was in a car again headed toward LA with some of my best/closest friends. We ate at Grub (owned by a Top Chef contestant!) which was delicious, quaint, vegetarian friendly and really really good. After a 'Big Ass Ice Cream Sandwich' with a "4" candle on top we were set.

After that we met up with another friend at her friend's apartment and partook in some pre-bar hop drinks and gangster rap music videos. A grumpy taxi driver picked us up and we were off to bars in West Hollywood.

From here I'm not even going to try a play-by-play. I spent a lot of time in this one bar where I made friends with this guy who was also celebrating his birthday and whose mom's birthday was the next day. We exchanged Twitter information and basically became best friends. The bartender was particularly hot and shirtless and gave us a good deal on drinks. I spent a good deal of time bonding with this other guy talking about economics (because GDP is sexy. no really, I need to stop this habit but I can't help it. I love Milton Friedman), poker and color symbolism? There was also a bathroom and eating tootsie rolls in the bathroom (where did I get them?), taking pictures with random people when I got lost from my group, hugging this guy who was wearing the same lashes as me (I was wearing fake lashes), dancing to that new Gaga song which played a thousand times that night and finally waking up on Stephanie's couch.

I wrapped up my birthday extravaganza with a family lunch (at 11:30am, thanks mom) and have been lounging around dizzily ever since. I really love 21. I really love my friends. I am so appreciative.

edit: Songs, age 19, "Nineteen" Tegan & Sara; age 13, "Thirteen" Wilco.