2013 - My Year In Review, Part 3

July

Headed to the "gun show."

On the 10th of July, my brother and I went to see 311 play at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia, the tradition we've adopted of celebrating our birthdays - his June 3, mine August 3.  311 always comes to Philly right smack in the middle of those dates.  On this same day, I went to visit my old boss, and asked for my job back.  He welcomed me with open arms and much relief.  (Dependable people are hard to find in my field.)  By the end of my visit, I was booked for the entire month of August and by July 19th, I put in my two weeks notice at the lab I was working in.  I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.

311 on stage.

I also started planning my 30th Birthday Bash that was set for Saturday, August 3rd.  (How appropriate, my 30th actually falling on a Saturday!)
I don't remember doing anything special for the 4th, I think Philip and I went out for sushi and watched the fireworks at Longwood Gardens from the restaurant parking lot while sitting on the bed of his truck.  (Just now realizing how red neck that sounds.)
Lesson Learned - Your job will not be awesome every day.  But having coworkers that you adore and can have a good time with, even in the worst of situations, makes all the difference in the world.

August
Ahh, my birthday month!  Holy shit!  I'm going to be 30!
The first week of this month I went back to my photography gig and it was like I hadn't skipped a beat.  My boss wasn't the only one happy (and relieved) to have me back.  My schedule went back to the form of normalcy I was accustomed to and I was so much happier.

My & 2 of my best girls.

Saturday, August 3rd, I celebrated my 30th birthday with about 70 of my closest friends and family members right here in my backyard.  I had a band, kegs, and made enough food to feed an army.  (My mother and I are not ones to have events catered if the guest list is under 100 people.)  The menu included meatball sandwiches, sausage and peppers, fried chicken, not to mention homemade dips, fruit, cookies, a huge tray of tomato pie from Serpe's Bakery and other snacks.

Keg stand, anyone?

It was everything I could have hoped for, my birthday celebration, aside from cloudy skies and a sprinkle or two of rain.  Oh well, when it rains, we pour.









The rest of the month was spent soaking up the last days of summer, more barbecues and parties, working relatively normal hours.  I didn't get to the beach as much as I would have liked to during the summer of 2013, but that's okay because my bank account proved that it was worth it.

The annual Papili Family Reunion, August 2013

Lesson Learned - There is nothing better than celebrating milestones with friends and family in the comfort of your own backyard.

September
As summer wound down, my fall season went into full swing and I was busy, busy, busy.  My finances were recovering nicely (I was saving money!  Saving!) and the highlight of this month was celebrating Ma's birthday.  Every year I cook up a mountain of lobster macaroni and cheese for the amazing woman I am proud to call my mother.  Another success down in the books, celebrated with friends and family.  (Duh.)
Philip and I got into our first major fight and, looking back, it was the start of our downhill slide.  I had thought, "Ok, we survived, he's still standing and our relationship can only get stronger from this point on."  Right.  That's what I thought.  Things went back to normal for us for the most part, but again, something was different and I couldn't figure out what it was.
In September, I scored tickets for 311 Day 2014 in New Orleans for my brother and I.  I didn't think I was going to be able to swing it, what with having gone on the cruise back in March, but when I realized I could afford them, I was all over it.  Hence the planning of a trip to NOLA began.
Lesson Learned - Never hold your feelings back.  If someone's actions hurt you, tell them, even if it means screaming at them in the lobby of the bar you frequent as a couple.

To be continued...