26-27

My 27th birthday was Friday, and as I looked back on the year last week I told a friend that I think this has been the best year yet. In a nutshell:

• Went as Marty McFly for Halloween (living the dream!)

• Took horseback riding lessons
• Changed jobs!
• Got my passport
• Attended four beer festivals
• Traveled to Las Vegas (Buffets! Fake rooftop wedding proposals!) and Puerto Vallarta (Open bar! Massage on the beach!) within a two-week period
• Finally learned to roast a chicken
• Played a 50 percent role in Emily's wedding proposal
• Was a facial hair poetess
• Saw Paul Simon in concert
• Learned to do a backbend
• Got a new bike
• Camped at six Minnesota State Parks: Interstate, Mille Lacs Kathio, Schoolcraft, Jay Cooke, Lake Maria and Wild River
• Attended a Neil Diamond tribute concert
• Camped at Acadia National Park (Saw whales! Climbed a mountain!)
• Played on a wiffle ball team named for a dinosaur

I have high hopes for the next year.