Every year on my birthday I listen to my favorite album (In Colour by Jamie xx) and take a walk! I started a few new traditions this year - making a playlist consisting of songs that remind me of the past year and i cap the song # at last year's age. Also, I donate to an organization or charity I admire in the amount of the age I am turning (:
it's my birthday tomorrow and i dont know how to explain it, but this track/album has really resonated with me as i reflect on what a birthday means to me and how i want to spend my time here (earth, not the app). i find myself being very reflective, and grateful to have found this song. it feels like one of those moments thats just the right thing at the right time. also - i love the album cover, incredible. it gives off the same energy as a project ive been working on; glad i could find just a little bit more inspiration.
my birthday often falls the week of thanksgiving, so i usually just take the day off as a "extending the long weekend" if i don't already get it off. since i moved to the west coast ~3 years ago and most of my friends and family are back in new york, every year on my birthday in the morning i make sure to: 1. respond to every single birthday text i got, and if possible hop on a quick call with as many people as i can. basically just a gratitude practice of "hey as i've gotten older i've not only developed meaningful relationships, i've also held onto a lot of meaningful relationships." 2. eat breakfast out; i think my birthday breakfast for the last two years has been Oddfellows Café + Bar (oddfellowscafe.com), but taking the time to have an extra special solo (or with my partner) breakfast keeps the scaries at bay for at least a couple hours 3. going shopping for a birthday gift for myself in person so i have something to open when i get home. after that it's pretty much just about having a couple extra things to do during my day like trying a new restaurant / going to a favorite for lunch, running a "fun" errand like dropping off film to get scanned, and then meeting local friends for either dinner out and / or cake and games back at my apartment, etc. having something where i can look back and feel like i did something is all i'm looking for; i think through my late teens / early twenties i put a lot of emphasis on wanting my my birthday to feel "special" which meant it was doomed to not be "special" enough. since pivoting to having fun my birthday has felt a lot more special since it's just different from the monotony of a normal day, and there wasn't any extra pressure on it
Perfect Days by Wim Wenders, shows you the beauty of everyday life The Worst Person in the World, simply showing life & love how it is Aftersun, a deeply moving debut film which tells you the whole story in between the lines Beautiful Boy, deeply moving story about addiction & the relationship between father & son High Fidelity (the Zoë Kravitz Version), simply levels up your music taste, really good remake Normal People (better if you read the book first), unglorifies life & love in the most beautiful way