Dopp Juice Archive

Age is a silly thing. I work with someone who claims to play with his age the same way I play with my gender, and I think it’s a fair analogy. Age is a biologically-based number with lots of social constructions built up around it. I don’t really get to change my age. But I get to play with it.

Today I turn 25, and I’m not being quiet about it. Thanks to the beauty of social networking websites, hundreds of people are aware that it’s my birthday and are taking the 30 seconds out of their day to congratulate me on it. I’m being ambushed with text messages, emails, direct messages, and facebook wall notes. (Thank god I’m not getting that many phone calls.) I’m over the phase of trying to pretend it’s not my birthday and feeling neglected when people don’t magically remember it. I have no problem telling you. IT’S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY. I don’t want gifts. Just acknowledgment. Just jump up and down with me for a second. Help me make it a little more real. Help me convince my subconscious to make a shift in self-image. Help me close the door on age 24.

What’s the difference between today and yesterday? Not a year, that’s for sure. The difference is a social construction. “25” means something different than “24”. It means a quarter of a century. It means I can rent a car without paying the Irresponsible Driver Penalty. It means I’m in my “mid-twenties” instead of my “early twenties.” It means I’m three years older than the average age of college graduation, which means I could, legitimately, based on mainstream standards, reasonably do the jobs I do now.

At some point in my life, I fell under the impression that I wouldn’t be taken seriously until I turned 25. I called bullshit on that notion a long time ago, but I still noticed the raised eyebrows. Now that I’ve hit the number, I’m done with the eyebrows.

I’m 25 years old with 11 years experience building websites and reading poetry at microphones, and four years of self-employment in the tech industry. I’ve never lied about my age, but I’m done with trying to walk like I’m older than I am. I get to be 25 now. And all of the middle fingers I’ve been giving social constructions for the last handful of years can relax. I made it. So there.

My weekend! Let me show you it!

(photos by emchy and liz henry… cuz my own camera’s battery died.)

Tomorrow morning I’m climbing into a bumper-sticker-covered car with Liz Henry and Cindy Emch and driving to Portland, Oregon by way of the redwood forests. Once we arrive we’ll jump out of the car, run around the city, party like we’ve joined the circus, sleep like rocks, wake up like birds, jump back into the car, and keep driving until we’ve made it to Seattle.

Then we’ll all scramble onto a stage with some other fantastic writers and read stories about childhood trauma to an eager paying audience of “Can I Sit With You?” fans. If you’ll be anywhere near Seattle on Friday night (April 25), you seriously need to get a ticket and come to this. It’s going to be amazing. (And you can see my story here.)

Several days, a whole lot of partying, and a decent number of hours in a hot tub later, I’ll catch a red eye flight to Boston and then grab a bus up to New Hampshire, where I’ll hang out with my family for a few days. During this time, I’ll turn 25. This will be celebrated in a manner that will rival Christmas.

After I revel in the legitimacy of my new age bracket for a day, I’ll head over to the UNH region for the Annual Writ Summit with the rest of the site‘s core staff. It will be a loosely-organized weekend of meetings, arts events, reconnecting, and brainstorming about what to do next with this brilliant grassroots website monster that refuses to die. I’ve heard rumors about a reunion poetry slam and open mic that Friday night, which would be crazy fun. If you’re in the area and you want to join in on the festivities, ping me and I’ll send you more details.

I’ll fly back to San Francisco on Tuesday, May 6th, where I will promptly find a large rock and hide under it for a week. I’ll come out from under that rock only for a few hours on Friday, May 9th, to celebrate my birthday at the Queer Open Mic and with a drinks outing afterward. You’re all invited.

The best way to keep track of me right now is by watching my Twitter feed. The best way to contact me is through telepathy (if that doesn’t work, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to settle for less reliable alternatives).

Any questions?