Veintidós

Twenty two years ago, I was born. I am a year older than I was a year ago, perhaps a little wiser, definitely much fatter.

Hoorah, it is my birthday!

"So, what does it mean to be twenty-two as opposed to twenty-one?" I hear you ask. "Any great revelations had? A sudden feeling of maturity never felt before? A grasp on the world and how you fit into it?"
Well, I'm glad you asked.

• It means that I feel even more compelled to look for a "real job".  
• As a result, it means I feel even more compelled to start saving up in earnest for a trip to South America next year.
• It means I've looked back on the year that has passed since the last celebration of the anniversary of my birth and yes, I have learned quite a bit through the myriad mistakes and stumbles I've made.
• It also means that if I am to recount the Epic Tale of "Adrian the 18-year-old", I will seem ever so creepy-old. Or a sexy cougar type. Yes. I think we'll go with that one.

Mature. Wise, like an owl.

To be honest, I actually forgot about my birthday until maybe a week ago, when my folks reminded me. I guess it was the excitement of being back on home soil, back with my friends, getting back in the swing of things. Speaking to a mate, Tim about it, he shrugged, "Easy to understand. Twenty two's not very exciting."

Having said that though, today's been quite nice. Woke up rather late, so the family had gone their ways by the time I emerged from my backyard lair. Luckily, a barrage of text and facebook messages soon brought the love. The morning was spent hanging out in the sunshine with Elvis and Neil Young, until heading off with Linc for most of the day. Off to Chadstone to spend some of my birthday winnings. Bought The Omen and Mad Men (season 3), had a rather nice coffee at Jones the Grocer. Spent much of the day shouting, hollering and generally making strange and annoying noises with Linc (as is the case when around the guys).

In fact, one of today's highlights (cheap thrills, y'all) was most definitely, without a doubt, a brief trip to the Apple Store. I had wanted to visit a pal, Clay, whom I hadn't seen since a while before my trip over yonder. However, while Clay and I chatted and caught up, Linc decided to busy himself on one of the shiny display Macs. Namely, by searching for a particular video. With the sound of Linc's cackling laughter behind me, and the sniggers of an Apple minion beside him, I turned around to be met with this:

Cheap thrills, y'all indeed.