Awesome, Possum, Orange Blossom

So, exactly how awesome has my birthday been? Very!
After a "celebrating the last hours of my twenties with me" party Saturday night, Ant and I went on a little adventure. Where to? The Wildlife Learning Center in Sylmar! And we had a private tour. Our guide Jen was super charming, and answered a lot of questions (see, I was trying to be a smart-a** and come up with good ones. That didn't always work). We also got to hang out, hold and pet some of the animals, which was totally nuts. And no, these guys are not trained, don't do tricks or anything like that. Most of them friendly/tolerated us because they were either used to people or are just very social animals. Here are our favorites:

The porcupine family were the most friendly, laid back gang. What do they really need to worry about anyway?


We got to hold a Tawny Owl, they're more feathers than bird, actually! Super light and fluffy.


The sloth was super funny. Every time she yawned she stuck her (long) tongue out, we just didn't catch it on film. And she yawned a lot.


Yes, I can hear you going "awwww!" all the way over here! I got to hold him too, but Ant's photos were better.


One of my all time faves - the Armadillo! These are not scales, BTW, it's hardened skin.


Kitty paws (on a seventy-five-pound Lynx)... And we got to touch them. Carefully.


I can't remember the scientific name of this guy, but it's a super cool dragon like monitor (that should be it's name, though)


Cool, ha? More pictures here.
But the coolness doesn't end here! Oh no. Check out what I unwrapped when we came home!

A pile of presents from my family and friends. Including a Shinzi Katoh teapot set, books galore, Ice-Bat, cute mushroom salt and pepper shakers, bath goodies... My friends and family are the best.

And then...

I got to bite into this red velvet raspberry cakewich from Cakemonkey. Yum!


There's one more thing I got for my birthday that I need to show you, but I need to take a picture first.
Find it on my Flickr stream in the next few days (let's see if you paid attention). Let's see if you can tell what it is. Special prize for the correct guess!

Thirty-Sometings

Yep, that's how my DS welcomed me this morning. And yes, it true. 'Tis my birthday today, and 'tis how long I've been around.
Really, thirty is just another number. Does it change anything? Probably not. Have I changed in the last decade? More than I can even begin to tell you. Am I excited? Heck yeah!
So to celebrate my turning into a thirty-something, I'm going to share with you thirty-some-things about me that you may, or may not have known. Later in the week, I'll tell you about the day's adventures, as they're not quite over yet. : )

1. I've been a vegetarian for ten years now (almost, I will be in august). That's a third of my life. Wow...
2. I can eat the same thing for months, and only that thing, then all of a sudden stop and not touch it for years.
3. I'm the pickiest eater in the world, so if you ever meet my future children - mommy is allergic to broccoli (and green beans, peas, cooked baby carrots.. cauliflower... fennel... celery...)
4. That being said - I am trying, so (dad, don't faint) I've recently been eating kale, chard and sugar snap peas (although I'm on the fence about the peas. They can't be trusted).
5. I do, on the other hand, love cheese. Really really love cheese. Especially brie and goat cheese (or brie made out of goat cheese).
6. I'm lactose intolerant.
7. My right leg is a fraction shorter than my left. So that fancy, nonchalant pose I'm always striking - not really that cool.
8. I've worked as a secretary, waitress, web designer/programmer, illustrator, youth instructor, customer care assistant, teacher's assistant, retail worker and in animation production.
9. I think that secretly I'm a hypochondriac (watching House doesn't help any), but I think I've actually invented a new syndrome: I worry about most aches and pains but I'm so scared people thinking I'm a hypochondriac that I don't even go to the doctor.
10. I've had pets most of my life I really can't see myself ever living without any. And if I wasn't married I'd probably be hoarding them (or opening up a shelter).
11. I love pens, pencils, notepads and sketchbooks. Almost too much.
12. My ears are pierced in five places (two on the right and three on the left). My belly button is pierced too.
13. I have four tattoos. Tomorrow - I'll have five. And no, that's not going to be the last one either.
14. I used to drink 8-9 cups of coffee a day each exam season when I was in high school.
15. I used to sing in the school's choir. I can't play any instruments, though. Too clutsy.
16. I actually have a decent musical ear. I can tell a cover from the original easily, even a good cover.
17. I can't work without background noise, usually TV/movie/podcast. Not music though. Not sure why.
18. I used to go to ballet when I was little, but I'm a horrible dancer. Dancing at clubs doesn't count, and I'm horrible at that too.
19. I am married to a former ballroom dancing champ.
20. I have hand lotion and lip balm in every purse and on every desk and table.
21. I can curse in four languages. Guess which has the juiciest insults.
22. I hate ironing clothes. With a passion.
23. I hate following patterns, I always adjust and adapt them. But as a kid, I colored methodically inside the lines. Not sure if one contradicts the other.
24. My favorite color is red. I'm growing very fond of yellow too.
25. While I love colors an patterns and use them a lot in my work, I wear mostly black and grey and my tattoos aren't colorful either. Patterned clothes? Forget about it.
26. I am terrified of caterpillars and worms. And my back stairs garden can get pretty scary (especially in the lettuce patch).
27. My lucky number is three. This year I've been married for three years, on top of turning thirty years old. This might just be my year.
28. I used to be the tallest girl in my class until I turned twelve. Than I stopped growing and everyone shot past me. I've no problem with my hight now, but at the time I felt kinda cheated.
29. I don't really like musicales. And I really don't dig country or heavy metal.
30. My iPod is full of pop and cheesy 80 music. Most of my gym playlists' names have the word "cheese" in them.