Pre-birthday-ing.

Happy August! I know, when did that happen, right? I'm not sure. And I know, I'm supposed to have some more photos up here. But since today is officially August, I have to post about something a little different because there's only one month left.

One month left?

That's right. Next month... I turn thirty.

So I have one month left to revel in being a twenty-something, to look back on the past decade and all its awesomeness and scariness, wackiness and confusing turns, mishaps and delights. In my quest to become "very zen" I have learned to have no regrets; whatever junky stuff happened to you happened, and that's how it is, so you take it and learn from it and have an amazing tomorrow.

ANYWAYS. Very zen-ness aside. This post exists for two reasons.

Reason the first is my 30th birthday celebration of choice.

My birthday is on a Thursday this year, but if all goes according to plan I'll be taking a few days off and heading down to Orlando to spend a long weekend.

There is one part of this weekend that I'm exceptionally looking forward to!

It's magical...

But likely not the type of Orlando "magic" you're thinking of.

Oh no, this is real magic.

None of that hocus pocus, look, a quarter in your ear and the five of diamonds in your undies stuff.

Nope, it's time to get your wands, study for your OWLS, and load up at Honeydukes because, if all goes according to plan, I will be visiting...

HOGWARTS!!!!

Yes, none other than the brand spanky new Harry Potter Theme Park. Sweet maple syrupy Jesus, my tail is wagging as I write this. I've easily been a fan of this series for about 10 years now and I can't WAIT to go see all of my favorite places from the book, like Hogwarts and Hagrid's hut and all the shops like Zonko's and Honeydukes and Ollivanders, and choosing a wand and riding the dragon coasters and seeing the Hogwarts Express... AAACK!!! It's going to be AMAZING!!! I'm going to re-read all the books before I go, and maybe try to wear something Ravenclaw colored (my favorite of the houses), and of course take photos of EVERYTHING. And lord help them if they have people playing the actual Harry Potter characters walking around for photo ops, because those Weasley twins won't be getting out alive.

So yeah, really really excited!!!

I'll even try to go on the Dragon Challenge coaster (it used to be the Dueling Dragons coaster), even though sometimes they make me a little motion sick. I think my plan is to take a dramamine beforehand. You think it will work?

I will buy magnets and keychains and little doodads at the shops, and they have all of the actual candies from the books. And? AND? They have. BUTTERBEER. Be still my beating heart!

Okay, sorry! I got a little overwhelmed there.

Where was I?

Oh yeah, reason the second for this post.

There is one thing I want for my birthday. And that is ... birthday cards. Lots and lots of them! I'm turning a big number so I should have lots of birthday cards! This is where you come in.

Send me a card! Or two, or three if you really can't choose just one. Find the wackiest, goofiest, glitteriest birthday card you can find and send it to me. I want to put them all on my counter and take a mega-picture of them! There's no need to get me a gift, although if a card or two was stuffed full of gift cards to Starbucks or Ulta or Dick's Sporting Goods I would be all aflutter, but more than anything.... I want cards!!! I want the mailman to sprain his wrist trying to fit them all into my mailbox!

Email me (nikineu at gmail.com) and I'll give you my mailing address if you don't already have it. Then, get thyself to Party City and find something crazy! Oh yeah, and my birthday is September 9th. I think I forgot that little detail!

I'm excited already!

Phew. That's a lot of excitement for one post. I'm going to catch up on some blogs now, and relax... :)