Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008 - 10:29 pm

I LOVE birthdays. Yours. Mine. All of them.

I looked ahead a couple of years and got excited when I found out my 40th birthday will be on a Friday.

I put birthdays in my planner and reminders in my Outlook calendar (at home and at work). It makes me happy.

I miss sharing my birthday with my Mom. Her day was two days after mine and we always celebrated them together. She would always call me at work at the exact time I was born to wish me happy birthday. When I worked at JCI everyone would yell "IT'S MAMA PAT" when the phone would ring at 11:25am on my birthday.

Last week my friend Darryl sent me a 'Happy Birthday' e-mail. I wasn't going to tell him that he had gotten the date wrong, but he went and asked me. He swears that next year he will get it right. I adore Darryl and in the 17 years I've known him...he's never gotten my birthday right and I don't care one single bit. I just love that he thinks of me.

Two of my former coworkers contacted me today because they both thought today was my day. Pam e-mailed me and said she was sure she had missed it because she had it on the calendar for the 15th, but it just didn't seem right to her. When I worked with her, she would bake something special for me every year. Johnny T called me today, probably after speaking to Pam, to wish me a happy day as well. Johnny might not have gotten my birthday just right, but he NEVER fails to call me on Halloween. Why? Just because he knows it's my favorite day of the year. With such sweet thoughtfulness, who could pick on them for forgetting the exact day my birthday lands on? Certainly not me. I'm a very fortunate old girl who gets special wishes throughout the entire month from people who care about her.

My friend Heidi knows, without a doubt, when my birthday is. She never forgets because it is two days after hers. Her card came in the mail three days ago because she is very efficient. I won't open it until Tuesday. I feel bad because I didn't get her one but I will call her on Sunday like I always do to let her know I'm thinking of her on her day. If she doesn't answer I will sing in a purposefully off key little kid voice to her voicemail. Sometimes I sing 'Happy Birthday' and other times I sing a rousing rendition of 'You Are My Sunshine'.

Laura asked me what I wanted for my birthday. I told her I want her to come see me...and soon. I think we both need that. 

Laine told me to decide where I want to go for lunch.

Cindy told me to decide where I want to go for dinner.

Flea just wants me to make up my mind about where/when I'd like to celebrate.

I might even break out the purple birthday tiara Meg got me last year and wear it around just because it makes me laugh. That was the year she decorated my office with purple crepe paper, baked goodies and there were presents. That was her idea of keeping my birthday 'low-key and just between us' at work. I'm terrified of what she might do if I said I really wanted to make a big to do.

I love my friends and I love birthdays.

Where I've Been. - What's Next.