Suburbs & Things :: I could write about January 2016 – the very meaningful and memorable January that I just had, but I’m not going to.

Instead, I have randomness. Also, can I tell you that the suburbs freak me out?

Valentines Day is this weekend which doesn’t mean much except that I’ve decided to have a little dinner party at my house to celebrate. Spaghetti and meatballs are on the menu (Rao’s meatballs to be specific). And, because I am the way I am, I also decided that for this occasion I NEEDED these new napkins. Why do cloth napkins make me so happy?

I was going to order the napkins online, but didn’t want to risk them not getting here in time. So, tonight I headed out to the Bellevue burbs to pick them up. I saw TEENAGERS and a SUPER SUPPLEMENTS and a COPY CENTER and KIDS IN SHIN GUARDS and it felt other worldly. I grew up in the suburbs so I shouldn’t be that weirded out by them, but they are strange to me. Especially in Washington – so many trees and trails. Where’s all the concrete and neon signs and fast food chains?

Speaking of fast food, while in suburbia I stopped at Chick-fil-a (because they have one here now!) and indulged in chicken nuggets, waffle fries, polynesian sauce and a lemonade. Delish. It’s a good thing I don’t live any closer to Chick-fil-a.

Want to know what else freaks me out? Next week I turn 33. Whoa. Yikes.

Jesus died at 33. This fact, for some reason, always struck me as a child. 33 is so old and also so young and also a palindrome.

Someone told me today that statistically people enjoy being 33 more than any other age. So, there’s that to look forward to I suppose and hopefully it won’t be too bad after that. Here’s a thought: I guess it’s quite possible that sometime after 33 I might end up living in the suburbs. Whoa. Yikes.

In other news, it dawned on me yesterday that this is an OLYMPIC YEAR(!) which makes me even happier than my new cloth napkins. And so, I shall leave you with this image of the US Men’s Gymnastics team via the world of Instagram. Looks to me like these boys are #READY FOR RIO.