24

Let's have a history lesson.

The year - 1986

* was the year Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first observed in the United States
* was the year Pixar Animation Studios opened
* was the year the United Nations designated an International year of peace
* was the year Argentina won the World Cup held in Mexico
* was the year the Phantom of the Opera opened in London
* was the year the U.S. Senate allowed its debates to be televised
* was the year the space shuttle challenger exploded at take off
* was the year of the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty
* was the year Mike Tyson won his first world boxing title
* was the year Elie Wiesel, author of Night (one of my favorite books), won the Nobel Peace Prize
* was the year I was born. June 15th to be exact.

Now fast forward 24 years.

The year - 2010

* is the year that I became an official cougar, by graduating from BYU.
* is the year that I finally subscribed to Time magazine
* is the year that my obsession with Elder Holland grew to new heights
* is the year that four of my best friends in college got married
* is the year that my parents celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary
* is the year that I registered for a skype account
* is the year that I became an intern for two different health clinics/hospitals
* is the year that I watched my first 3D movie in the theater
* is the year that dreams of certain people began to repeat daily for months
* is the year that my tie-bar collection began
* is the year that really feels like it is going to be different from years in the past
* is the year that I turned 24 years old. June 15th to be exact.

Now the comparisons and the contrasts between the two years may not seem very interesting, because in reality, it's not. It's just a bunch of facts; which any person would argue is the definition of history. However, I found it interesting to see how all the events listed in 1986 are what has happened in the world, while the events taken place in 2010 are what has happened personally in my life. Someday I will have to go back and look at my journals and to recap what has happened in all 24 years of my life, and not just the past six months.

Turning 24 has been a long time coming. A whole year it seems. ha ha People have been asking me how my birthday was, what I have received, and how I feel. To answer them, I will just sum it up by saying I feel different. In my mind there is a big difference between 23 and 24. I don't exactly know what that difference is, so don't ask me to explain. I just knew that once I hit the dreaded 24 I would feel different. Which I do. It has been a week since my birthday and the feeling hasn't gone away. I like it more than I thought I would.



Turning 24 means that I can plan my own birthday dinner with my closest friend in Provo and not care if anyone else is there.



Turning 24 means that I can wear grey suspenders on my birthday and not care if I am referenced to Larry King.



Turning 24 means that I can wear a homemade necklace that says "Hella Hunk" because I feel hella good.



Turning 24 means that I can eat as much half-price sushi as I want and not have to worry about the price because of our waitress.



Turning 24 means that I can only work a few hours and then be sent home by my boss just because it's my birthday.



Turning 24 means that I can log on to facebook to read seventy plus birthday posts/messages by great family and friends.



Turning 24 means that I can spend two hours laughing and taking pictures at Happy Sumo before the real party begins.



It was a 24th birthday dinner to remember. Happy Sumo never disappoints.

And neither do Cole, Derek, Sadie, Stephen, Megan, Billy, Jillian, Angelique, Jeff, Rachel, Rob, Marlee, Sam and Cami.

I'm pretty sure Jack Bauer would have been jealous. 24 is his favorite number you know.