Birthday!
(I'm actually working on a totally different post, but this one occurred to me today, and Sid has been hassling me for some new content, so here you go!)

So. I’m turning 30 this year. And Melissa’s birthday extravaganza in Iceland got me to thinking – I’m a grown-up, with a paycheck. I don’t need excuses to travel. I can just go somewhere that sounds fun and interesting and because I want to! Ok peanut gallery – where should I go for my birthday? I’m flexible on the definition of ‘for my birthday.’ I may still, happily, spend the actual day here in SF. But the trip would be my gift to myself. Here’s what’s on my list so far – feel free to comment or add:

1) Germany – I am way overdue on some visits, and I now have three friends living in various German towns, so I could bounce around the country for a week and a half or so for relatively cheap.
2) Boston – Similar story – I have reached critical mass in terms of friends in Boston, several of whom I haven’t seen in years! ☹
3) The Bahamas – PC’s sister owns a house in the Bahamas, so we could stay for free
4) Hawaii – because I live on the west coast, so if the Bahamas are on the list, shouldn’t Hawaii be too?
5) Las Vegas – because I’ve never been, and what could be more fun than a ridiculous birthday weekend in sin city?
6) Dublin – I loved it when Mom and I were there a couple of years ago and I’ll be in Belfast for work in Oct. so I could tack a few days on one side or the other and head south…
7) Cartegena – I’ve heard it’s beautiful, and the odds that I’ll be back in Bog sometime this year are pretty much certain, so why not take a few vacation days and head to the coast?

Obviously each of these has pros and cons, not least of which is whether or not I would be surrounding myself with friends or traveling alone. I don't really have a favorite idea yet, so now's your chance to sway me!

Update - I'm not really marking Boston off the list, but I completely forgot that I'm already committed to being there in Sept for a friend's wedding! So no need to factor it into a potential birthday-trip list. Yay!