Today is my birthday, and maybe it's just coincidence that it's also Election Day. . .but I think it's a trial run for when my birthday becomes a national holiday.
Of course, not everyone is thrilled when another birthday rolls around. My BFF would rather ignore hers, and we have to be pretty creative to find ways to celebrate that wondrous day she was born.
I, on the other hand, LOVE my birthday. I love it so much I celebrate the WHOLE MONTH. It's not that I need presents, which would be nice, especially books and money and money and books. But how can you not love a day that's set aside just for you? (Although I remember in high school there were four other girls with the same birthday as mine, and boy did it feel crowded.)
I'll try to keep my eyes squeezed shut while you're all passing around my birthday card, making sure everyone gets to sign it without me seeing it . . .
Wait. I've got a better idea! I love comments almost as much as my birthday.
So leave a comment telling me how YOU feel about birthdays. Are you a lover or a hater? And what's your favorite birthday gift?
Happy Birthday, Donna!! I send you plenty of good wishes, hugs, and virtual chocolate cake! Enjoy! :-)
Posted by: Liz Fichera | November 02, 2010 at 10:55 AM
Happy Birthday!!! Though I don't really have birthdays anymore, I do use it as an excuse to be taken out to dinner.
Posted by: deegarretson | November 02, 2010 at 10:58 AM
Liz, thank you so much! Those are lovely gifts. You're getting an invite EVERY year now! LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 11:01 AM
I'm a birthday lover! Mine is on Christmas day so i'm used to sharing :)
Enjoy your day/month! You deserve it!
Tracy
Posted by: Tracy Roper | November 02, 2010 at 11:01 AM
Dee, I love your philosophy -- that's why I have a birthday month, so I can keep having lunches and dinners and whatever. LOL It's hard to get all of that done in one day!
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 11:02 AM
Tracy, thanks! My mom's birthday was on Christmas and I always felt like she got shortchanged -- everyone tried to COMBINE her presents! I'm sure it's the same for you. At least everyone decorates for your day! LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 11:03 AM
Happy Birthday, Donna. I fall into the "love birthdays" variety and like you, celebrate longer than one day.
I have a group of Bunko friends that celebrate my December birthday in November because I am so impatient and can't wait. I tell them I don't want to horn in on Baby Jesus' birthday, but they know me better. This Friday is my official UnBirthday celebration.
Hope this day brings you much happiness and maybe even "the call." One can dream, right?
Enjoy your birthday.
Posted by: Liz Lipperman | November 02, 2010 at 11:05 AM
Donna: What fun! Enjoy, enjoy. I too love my birthday. I remember one of the saddest birthdays I had was when my two daughters were small. My wonderful husband was about to leave for two weeks in Malaysia. His gift to me was to take the girls out for the day and let me have a whole day to myself (before he got on a plane that night). I wandered around the house feeling lonely. I wanted noise, silliness, busy children.
My poor dears came home to a grumpy wife/mom. They thought my having quiet time would be a gift. We all have our preferences!
Posted by: Cassy Pickard | November 02, 2010 at 11:07 AM
Liz, you are a gal after my own heart! Starting a month early -- I may have to adopt that strategy too! LOL I'll lift a glass in honor of your UnBirthday celebration on Friday (until we can celebrate in person soon!)
I think I would faint dead away if I got "the call" today. Maybe I should start practicing so I don't crack my head open if Christine calls with great news. LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 11:09 AM
Cassy, that is too funny! It's so sweet that they tried to give you what you wanted, even if it WASN'T what you wanted. LOL Maybe asking for quiet time on a different day is the answer.
Because you're right -- birthdays need noise and silliness and raucous celebrations (I edited that last part -- LOL).
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 11:11 AM
I lost someone very near and dear to me who shared my birthday. So it's always a day of remembrance, not so much sad as poignant. I don't celebrate, but in his honor, I do try to focus all the happy times we spent celebrating together.
Posted by: VR Barkowski | November 02, 2010 at 11:28 AM
Ah, Viva, I'm sorry to hear that. One reason I go overboard about my birthday is because my mom passed away a few days before mine -- her funeral was the day after my birthday. So I like to exchange those memories for happier ones. I think you have a similar method. I hope your birthday can be more joyous in the future. Hugs to you.
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 11:31 AM
Happy Birthday, Crazy Lady!
I don't hate birthdays, but I tend to either forget or downplay them out of habit. I loved them as a kid, because mine is in October, and my mom would just move it toward the end of the month, and go all out for a Halloween-themed party with six or ten friends.
As an adult, I started hating the work parties, where people you don't even talk to felt obliged to give you something, and then you had to do the same to be polite, and someone thought it was funny to single you out on the loudspeaker (hermit! hermit!) so I just started letting it glide by without mention. And that's how people started treating it.
I'd love to be made a fuss of by the hubs or friends, in theory, but the whole Waiters Singing at Restaurant type thing would mortify me. So, haha, I guess I'm too picky to celebrate? Seems that way, huh?
But I love spoiling other people!!! Happy Birthday, to one of the funniest ladies I know!
Posted by: Clovia | November 02, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Clovia! YOU are one of the funniest ladies *I* know, so I feel like I've won a prize, having you say that about me. *blushes*
And thanks for the reminder about the singing waiters thing. *dials BFF* "Uh, ix-nay on the aiters-way." LOL
You're so right about that whole reciprocation thing getting out of hand, so I can agree with the stealth mode being the right choice when it comes to folks you kinda sorta know.
Wow -- birthdays ARE a lot of work! And I haven't even really gotten started yet. Thank goodness I do the birthday month! The more I think about it, the more I realize what an inspired bit of genius it was. LOL
Thanks again for stopping by, Ms. Clovia -- don't be such a stranger. LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 12:46 PM
Happy Birthday, Donna!
I love birthdays! I figure any birthday of mine that I'm here to celebrate is a good one! ;-)
Favorite birthday presents? Books! Gift Cards to book stores! Money to buy books!
Hope you have a fabulously wonderful day!
Posted by: pjpuppymom | November 02, 2010 at 12:51 PM
Happy Birthday, Donna! Have a swinging, singing day!
I love birthdays, but I ignore the numbers. As for gifts, although I enjoy the chocolates, flowers, books, bookcards, and angels that come my way (I have a great family and wonderful friends), my favorite thing about birthdays is the cards with messages. I confess I'm a sentimentalist.
Posted by: Janga | November 02, 2010 at 12:53 PM
I agree, PJ--as long as we're here, we might as well celebrate!
I have a feeling I will be acquiring some "birthday books" after lunch today. LOL I know I have a zillion waiting their turn to be read, but I might NEED just a few more!
Thanks for the birthday wishes. :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 01:03 PM
Happy Birthday, Donnaroo!!! This taking the month sounds like an excellent idea. My birthday is New Year's Eve so there's always a party, just never for me. :)
I'd love for someone - anyone! - to make a big deal out of my birthday just once. But no one ever does. Can't remember the last time I had candles to blow out. Heck, a couple years ago, even my own mother didn't remember!
I'm calling dibs on all of December.
Posted by: Terri Osburn | November 02, 2010 at 01:03 PM
Janga, those are lovely wishes! Every day should be a swinging, singing day. :)
And I'm getting a little distracted about the actual number anymore -- there's a few of them to keep track of! LOL
I know what you mean about cards with messages. I used to make cards all the time, and I feel bad that I've let that slide. Tell me when YOUR birthday is and I'll make you one!
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 01:04 PM
Terri, thanks so much! And I think you have gotten totally shafted in the birthday department. I suggest you take half of January, in addition to all of December -- you've got lots of birthdays to make up for!
We'll have a big celebration at Nationals, how about that? :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 01:07 PM
Happy Birthday, Donna! Wishing you many more years of yummy cake. :}
Posted by: Kathryne Kennedy | November 02, 2010 at 02:11 PM
I try as hard as possible to forget birthdays now (my own, that is - never forget the wife's!). I wrote a song for my 50th (The Big-Five-Oh) and another for my 55th (Fifty-five And Still Alive), but no celebration to speak of.
Posted by: Pete | November 02, 2010 at 02:11 PM
Happy birthday, Donna! I love birthdays, too, though now that I'm getting older, I'd rather skip them :-)) Hope you have a great one.
Posted by: Kari Townsend | November 02, 2010 at 02:27 PM
Happy Birthday Donna! I wish you a flow of comments, send you warm wishes, and hope the coming year is memorable in the best possible way.
I love my birthday too and I celebrate the entire month (February). Mine is the day after Valentine's Day and I consider Valentine's Day the warm-up to my big day. I always buy myself gifts - one for the adult me, the inner child, the writer, the athlete, etc. etc.
Treat yourself well!
Posted by: Rochelle Staab | November 02, 2010 at 02:32 PM
Happy Birthday, Donna. Sorry to show up late to the party, but it looks like you've got plenty of friends here :)
Posted by: Clarissa Southwick | November 02, 2010 at 02:40 PM
Happy Birthday, Donna. I love birthdays, because I view them as a celebration of life. And yes, I celebrate for a good week before and after, usually by dragging my husband to the opera, meeting up with friends for drinks, tea, or dinner, and treating myself to mani/pedi's and massages. One of these years I'd like to celebrate by getting published!
You enjoy your day and your month!
Posted by: Mary Moreno | November 02, 2010 at 03:36 PM
Oh, my! Look at all the birthday wishes! I'm late to the party and I wasn't even doing anything fun (darn that chemistry lab report). LOL
Happy, happy birthday, Donna! You and I share the same birthday month so I guess that shows good taste by...somebody. Our parents I guess? LOL
But no, I would much rather forget the birthdays rolling around!
Posted by: Melissa | November 02, 2010 at 03:49 PM
Happy Birthday MONTH to you! Thinking about you today. My laptop crashed and I don't have your email again!!! CRAP!
It is a glorious day here in the NW. I'm sure it is because it is your day. Miss you!
Posted by: Pammy | November 02, 2010 at 04:29 PM
Kathryne, thanks so much. I got some cake at lunch and couldn't finish it -- LOL -- so I know what's for dinner!
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 04:41 PM
Pete, excellent strategy on remembering your wife's birthday. I may have you serenade me with one of your songs. . .while pretending I'm WAY too young for them. LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | November 02, 2010 at 04:42 PM