I'm turning 23...yikes

In two weeks, I will be 23 years old. That sounds very young when I apply it to people that aren't me. I've been alive for two decades plus three years. I was born in the 80s, was around for the entire 90s and the dawn of the 2000s. I survived Y2k. Y2k, for God's sake, and now we're heading into what could be the end of the world, or where the Mayans ran out of space ... or just got bored.

I'm constantly getting confused for a college student, which is nice because it makes me feel like I look youthful, granted I graduated less than a year ago, but it gets old telling people that I actually have a real job, and a real apartment and real bills. The thing I'm most sick of is getting ID'd at bars. I've been 21 for 2 years now, and yes that is me, I know my hair is a different color now, do you want my social security card, too?

In the future, when they stop asking for my ID, I'm going to be embarrassed and invest in ridiculous creams for crow's feet and laugh lines. But, for real, I already have wrinkle creams and makeup that won't settle in the lines on my 22-year-old face. What is this world coming to, right? It's those air brushed models, but I digress.

Having not even reached my mid-twenties yet, I understand that this portion of my life is for self-discovery. I need to find who I am and start to understand her and be happy with her.
As we can discern from my previous statement, I haven't done this yet, what with the wrinkle creams and all.

In the past year since I graduated from college I've made sweeping improvements but I'm just not there yet. I don't know where I want to go, what I want to do and what I ultimate want out of my life. And as often as this makes me feel crazy, I know there are so many of you out there wondering the same thing.

If I can give those that are younger than me a little advice I'd just say, give it time. As much as you want to understand things, you just won't be ready yet. Eventually things will click. Don't worry too much. Just keep doing the things you love, and try your best.

To those older than me, I'm sorry if this all offends you. I'm sure you're thinking "What does she know, she's still a baby." You'd be correct and I am thoroughly open to you giving me free advice. Seriously, there's nothing like learning from other's mistakes.

And to everyone: Don't stop acting immature. I'm not saying stop paying your bills and run away to the circus. I'm just saying, a little immature fun is what keeps us going. Pulling out that Disney movie you love when your sick is the best medicine. Whipping out that *NSYNC CD to jam to some "No Strings Attached" is completely worth the risk of someone seeing you.

I'm thoroughly planning on going to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter with my girl friends next year for my 24th birthday. So, Peter Pan it up, in the non-creepy way. It's the best advice a 22-going-on-23-year-old can give.

My birthday wish list

Here are things I will probably have to buy for myself with the money I hopefully get for my birthday.

1) A skirt and to blouses from the new Jason Wu collection for Target. I reeeeeeally want the pleated light blue skirt with the stripes on bottom, the red no-sleeve blouse and white blouse with the black bow at the collar. A lot. If I have to take my break from work early to get those when they hit the stores Sunday morning, I'll do it.

2) This beautiful stella & dot necklace. It's a gold arrow necklace, and for some reason I love it because it's so different. It's pretty expensive though, so that might never actually happen.

3) A Walmart and/or Target gift card. I spend way too much money both places. I mean I buy food at Walmart, what can you do?

4) Anything from Kate Spade. They have the cutest, simple jewelry. I especially love this bangle, and it matches the necklace. Granted, I do love the sailor knot jewelry a lot too, and the spade ones.

5) Anything from Mod Cloth.

6) Any bracelet...basically...from Kiel James Patrick. Really my favorites are the ones that are striped like ties, but they're bracelets, and the new ones with the anchors as clasps. This one is my favorite though.

7) A pet fox or a pet deer. Obviously I would want them as babies. What? That's not weird have you seen how adorable baby foxes and baby deer are? No? Well, check out that picture up there, I know right. So, adorable.

I'm sure I'll think of more things I'll never be able to afford or that are illegal to own.

The Perfect Gift

Whether you're buying Christmas presents, Hanukkah presents, birthday or Valentine's gifting can be difficult. There's always that thought that maybe they already have it, it won't fit, or they just straight-up won't like it. Well, I have some advice on starting your holiday shopping excursions now. I mean, you can wait until Black Friday, but with all the stores opening at midnight (cough, Target) or even 10 p.m. (cough, Wal-Mart) you might be out of luck depending on what you're planning on Thanksgiving night.

Esquire has a decent guide of what to get basically everyone on your shopping list. The items they suggest are basically just easy go-tos. I mean, a watch is always a nice gift. Just make sure it's in a style he or she will like. I know, that's the tricky part. But that comes from knowing the person. Scarves and gloves are always nice and useful gestures that people will most likely actually wear. You don't have to go as high end as these, but they are good ideas to have in case you really can't think of anything more unique.

For something really interesting you could always look at products that are attached to a cause.At Filanthropist.com they have a ton of products that benefit a certain charity. If the person is a do-gooder, has strong feelings about a particular cause, or if you just want to feel warm and fuzzy about giving a gift and donating at the same time, try the website. Also, the recipient will probably be very impressed.

New York Magazine offers this great manifesto for gift-giving in 2011. Read this then go shopping. You won't regret it.

Personally, when I shop I like to go to places that other people aren't always going to. For example, everyone shops at Target, therefore, the recipient probably goes there too. I try to find items the person I'm buying for hasn't seen. It's kind of fun. Stores like World MarketorUrban Outfitters can be fun to look through for interesting ideas. Urban has great weird house ware type of objects or trinkets. World Market has house wares, interesting little trinkets, baskets for gifts, beautiful boxes to put presents in and an incredible assortment of interesting alcohol. In case thats what you're looking for. It could come in handy when hosting holiday festivities as well.

DIY gifts are always heartfelt and definitely appreciated, if not cheaper than store bought presents for the buyer. Here's one for any beer or root beer lovers from Life of a Modern Mom. Our Unexpected Journey, has the cutest wreath you can make for yourself or others. Here are some great gifts to give people in jars from Texas Cottage. You know, like dry cookie ingredients in a jar, and that sort of thing.

When you have actually narrowed down your gift, presentation is important. Granted, the present is the star, and really the only thing that matters, but what it looks like before they see it, that can really make a person's day. Wrapping a gift and tying a ribbon around it really changes the whole mood when you give that person the present. I mean, compare:

To this:

I'm totally being unfair I know. And I realize bags are reusable. But if you are going to use them, please be classy about it. Some other good ideas for wrapping: Wrap in a natural brown color then just add a colored ribbon, instant classy. Ornaments or candy canes on the ribbon on boxes or bags is always cute, especially if it matches the color scheme you have going.

I just learned that sometimes even when you think you nailed a present, it might not always turn out like you planned. For example, my boyfriend's birthday was earlier this month. I sent him a shirt, this shirt, for multiple reasons. We both grew up in the Midwest, met there, went to college there, it's different, and I thought he'd look attractive in it. I guess he was confused about whether it was a guys shirt. Well, great. He does like it for the record, but my advice is think about what they really are into first.

Good luck.