Things that make you go "Hmmmm..."

So I'm doing my blog thang this morning and I read a post from a mom that is turning 35 tomorrow. She shared that she is a little freaked out because at the age of 35 you are eligible to run for President. And it is a comfort, at age 34, to know that the government considers you "too young" to do something. It's kinda' nice to feel "too young" for something.

Well, then in the comments, people started sending well wishes, encouragement, and listing all the things she was still "too young" to do. Like: take advantage of the senior discount, apply for AARP, and get featured on the Smucker's Birthday segment on the Today Show.

One of the commenters threw in a story about a time when she was 35 and she was carded at a convenience store. It was such a compliment to her, and when she left, she felt all warm and fuzzy knowing that the 22 year old guy behind the counter thought she looked "too young". And it got me thinking. At a convenience store the only things they card you for are tobacco products, trashy magazines, and alcohol.

I'm not a trashy magazine kind of person, and I can't even stand to walk through the smoking sections at restaurants, so that leaves alcohol. I have been known, on occasion, to use the expression "You're gonna drive me to drinking." I usually mumble it under my breath when . . .

I've been up all night with throwing up children,

I am mopping the floor for the second time in 2 hours because the 7 year old spilled an entire cup of milk, (because I don't mop all that often, so I want the clean to last longer than 2 hours)

after 30 minutes of "getting ready" to go swimming, I have just lowered myself, ever so slowly, into the cold swimming pool only to hear, "Mommy I have to go potty!",

or when I am in the McDonald's drive through ordering dinner because I finally got the kitchen clean and don't want to mess it up by doing something crazy like . . . cooking.

I also quite frequently fight the urge to write "margarita" on the drink order form when my preschool director offers to make a Sonic run.

It is obvious that I equate drinking with defusing stressful situations. I am usually up for anything that makes the pain go away. Or that makes me feel good about myself despite the chaos around me.

I mean, I've been a tea-totaler for 32 years, but if getting carded at a convenience store because the college kid working the counter thinks there is reasonable doubt that you are over the age of 21 is such a self-esteem boost, maybe it's time to start. I'm all about trying new stuff.