20 August 2014

Years have a tendency to sneak past invisibly. Every August I find myself asking, “Didn’t I just have a birthday? I must have, it was just the other day, wasn’t it?”

I don’t feel any older.

I’m still the same Sally who flails her hands excitedly when a new Marvel movie comes out or when JK Rowling releases a new short story on Pottermore. I still collect LEGO mini figures, maintain a Tumblr and my desk is covered in more collectible figurines than most toy shops.

Understandably, some things have changed. As a former music journalist it’s hard to admit, but four times out of ten I can’t name the song playing on the radio. I’ve also been attending fewer and fewer music festivals and nowadays I usually go for seated tickets instead of general standing at concerts. Comfort has become the deal breaker for me.

Plus there’s tax. Tax is the worst.

But growing up can be wonderful too. Years of living like a nomad meant that I could pack up my entire life in a suitcase, except for the boxes of books gathering dust in my old bedroom at my parent’s house. Now I own things, like couches and cookware and shelves and an awesome baby-blue art deco fridge.

All this means I can do something I haven’t been able to before; throw dinner parties.

But before you start imagining elaborate affairs with name cards and candelabra, bear in mind that I’m a geek. And by geek I mean the cosplaying, comic-book collecting and Star Wars-obsessed type of geek.

So my dinner parties work slightly differently.

For example, my first do had a murder mystery theme and everyone had to come dressed as a character from Cluedo.

It’s no surprise then that I chose a theme very close to my heart to celebrate my thirty-second year on this planet.

Harry Potter.

Happily, all my friends are geeks too, so it was awesome.

I’ve already started brainstorming new theme ideas for future parties. I can’t help it. I love dressing up and bringing out my geeky side. And that’s what growing up is all about – having fun and enjoying being yourself – two traits of every happy creative.