Selfish Birthday post!!

So I want to take a moment and thank the following people who remembered my birthday:

My Family and Friends: Mom and Dad, My brother Bryant; Alessandra, Mark, Patricia, Michelle B. and Michelle R., Robert, Yolanda, Rich S. and Rich W., Stephanie B. (both of you), Lynne, Merilee, Karen, Justine, Kim, Allison, Lisa S., April, Todd, Pam S. (both of you), Kit-Kat, John, Tarshene, Sue, Butchy, Dominique, Troy, Kelly, Michael, Nigel, Barry, Aunt Jan., Father Louie, Linda, the girls at Dukes, the staff at Beacon, Trump Plaza bar and DelFriscos.

Thanks to you all for remembering and for making this day (even though a non-birthday as some of you reminded me) special.

How can I be sad because the 1 person that should have remembered, didn't, when I have so many people that did?

Life is good right??

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

You know what... I'm way too sensitive. I just have to laugh at my self because I am a true Pisces. I have the expectation of romance, love in the air, and everyone thinking things like...birthdays are a big deal.

What I've come to realize as I hung up the phone with my dad (as today really is HIS birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!) the people that love you make it special, even when it's not.

What?? How can I say it's my birthday...but it's not really?? Well being born on Leap Year means that I only have one every 4 years. As a kid - it sucked (some days still does) as I was constantly made fun of and told that "you don't have a real birthday". I learned to deal with it because my dad and I celebrated together. Both my parents made it fun. As I got older, I made it special by traveling the world and being with family and friends. Turning 40 (or leap year 10) was a BLAST. But now...the off-year, when it's not like I'm turning a true milestone year, it's just...well...off.



I know cry me a river. There's massive unemployment and people are losing everything and all I have to do is cry about a birthday? Well, you know what it's important to me. I do have a few friends like Barry who threw me a wonderful dinner party the other night. Besides the fact that he is a dear friend (and reads this faithfully), he is one of the kindest most considerate people in my life. I've had a few people I've not heard from for YEARS, send me cards or call. I think when it's someone you've lost touch with, but they STILL take the time to remember you, on your day - that means the most. Of course mom and dad called me just after the crack of dawn, and we did our strange, LOUD and screeching birthday sing-a-long. I'm sure if you discovered a crack in your mirror - we did it. My brother called shortly there after. It's still early and if you want to be 'technical' my birthday isn't really until tomorrow (if there was a 29th) so people can still reach out and wish me a good year right??

Yes I know I'm splitting hairs. I know...I know, no expectations just hope this year right? Well then, I HOPE when you have a reason to celebrate with someone - your family or people you consider family, make it special for you. Mine do :-)

How about those New Year's Resolutions???

Have you taken a look around and realized that those ‘golden resolutions’ are in the golden garbage can?? I think that’s why I decided to lay off the pressure on myself this year. I’ve put myself under enough pressure just to get my life in general back to normal…I’m not trying to make myself nuts.

I did want to take this month to offer a months worth of things I’ve been seeing in magazines and hearing on the news as possible things to help you get through the rest of the shortest month in the year. Hey no pressure – just some things to think about.

1 – Since there are only three weekends in February, your recession budget for fun and frolic will go a little further.
2- Valentines Day is past so you have yet another 365 days to worry about buying that box of chocolate
3 – This is President’s Day Weekend – so you have a three-day weekend and a short week – what a double bonus.
4 – If you live where there is tons of snow, you can burn up to 400 calories per hour (good to know if you ate the entire box of chocolate)
5 – If you live in NY like I do, during this month because it is still so cold, you don’t have to battle the crazy cyclists and the cabs at the same time and the line at TXTS (the outdoor discount Broadway ticket center) is much shorter.
6 - The trees are still bare so all of those really beautiful estates in Long Island, you know the ones with the long driveways, you can see from the road without going up the driveway (not that you could get in anyway)
7- Turtlenecks hide many a mistake.
8- If you didn’t get expensive chocolate for yourself, you can buy it yourself and say it’s from someone else. (oh come on…you never sent your self flowers and they played coy about who sent them??).
9 – We are getting closer to spring each and every day. That’s something to smile about.
10 – There are at least 300-plus days until you have to battle those holiday shops again (or at least 200 until you start seeing cards and decorations in the shops).
11 – If you live in a beautiful tree-lined block where there are apartments that connect (some places call them brownstones like in Brooklyn) without the air conditioning units hanging in the windows you can see just how beautiful the buildings actually are.
12 – There are still at least 4 months until you have to get into that bikini, but sales for them are right now, so shop early.
14 – No guest visiting you in their right mind wants to go on one of those open-air tour buses now – still too cold.
15 – You can actually leave your groceries in your car for an hour if you need to stop into another shop without fear that they will spoil too quickly. I don’t recommend it, but hey your trunk can act as a mini-fridge.
16 – You don’t have to rake, mow, prune, or weed for a few more weeks.
17 – We have just 3 whole months until Memorial Day and the beginning of summer. Oh, that may put a bit of panic with numbers 4 and 7.
18 - It’s easier to be a Good Samaritan; if you’re in a car, let people walking cross the street before you make the turn. Knowing you helped their frostbitten bodies get to their destination faster should provide you with a warm fuzzy.
19 – If you love Peeps (a marshmallow candy)– get Peeps valentines and hold them until Easter to greet your Peeps bunnies.
20 – If you are a college basketball fan…It’s almost MARCH MADDNESS.
21 – There are shorter lines at just about - well everywhere.
22 – The streets aren’t nearly as crowded so it’s easier to get by and if you choose to, it’s ok to do a Sunday stroll even if it’s Tuesday.
23 – There are still 6 months until we have to worry who will take Bret Farve’s place for the Jets.
24 – When all else fails – there’s always Facebook.
25 – Because of the recession this year’s vineyards should have some of their best bottles at reduced prices.
26 – It’s still cold enough for fireplaces, blankets and good books with out feeling like you HAVE TO be outside.
27 – President Obama plans to sign $787 billion stimulus plan which will hopefully begin to turn the economy around.
28 – It’s the last day of the coldest month of the year – that’s reason enough right.

…29 – It’s only 1,126 more days until my Birthday (Feb 29th – yes it’s a real day/reason to celebrate the BEST DAY of the month). I’ll be 12. ☺

5 Days until I Celebrate!!!

Yes, this is exciting for me!!! YIPPIE!!! I get a birthday...finally on Friday. I know you're saying...HUH??!?!?

Well being born on Leap Year hasn't always been easy.

As a child, my parents made it special and the years I didn't have my own day, I celebrated with my Dad who is Feb 28. Maybe that's why we're so close...nah...he's (they both are) good people.

As I grew, I met a few other people who shared the day. We have the same stories of people not appreciating their day, and constantly saying to us..."so does that make you 4 in dog years?" or "You don't have a birthday anyway, so I didn't get you a card/gift." or.."So when do you celebrate?" or my personal favorite..."That's so weird!!"

Makes a person kind of sensitive ya think??

Well here are some of my favorite birthdays...

I think I was turning 8 (32 yrs old) NPR a local NYC Radio station had a birthday party for leap year babies. The party was at the NY Plaza Hotel one of the penthouses. It was amazing!! There were news crews, a huge cake, and our gift was spending a night at the Plaza hotel. OH MY GOD!! As a New Yorker I've often passed by, but never stayed there. It was definitely old world charm, and the folks couldn't have been nicer. In the end we got a robe that says "NY Plaza", I still have it.

When I turned "10" (40yrs old), I had a great birthday party. I had really close friends, family meet at a restaurant here in the city on Park South (it's no longer there). In order to create a theme I choose my favorite things from being 10. So I went to a candy store and bought candy that I remembered from the 70's. There were Pixy Stix, Wonka Tart N Tiny, Sweetarts, Laffy Taffy, Bubble Gum Cigarettes, Candy Cigarettes, Apple Heads, Cherry Heads, Lemon Heads, Charms Sweet & Sour Pops, Double Bubble Gum, Sugar Daddy Pops, and put them all in a clear candy bag with my baby picture on it. I had my BFF place a 'candy' gift bag on every place setting so everyone got a take-a-way from my party. Just like kids parties do. That year I also ran in "More" magazine's 1st over 40 marathon with my BFF, and then had 3 additional small parties (Fla, Amsterdam, NC).

So what will I be doing this year - turning 11? Well Martha Stewart is doing a "Leap Year Birthday Party Show" so I'll be there - can't wait!!! Right after her show, I get on a plane and head to St. Thomas where I'm going to celebrate with my BFF drinking in the sun (and I'm sure some other equally pretty colored cocktails), and having the fun I deserve. Then I have with promises from friends in Italy, Amsterdam to have a small party for me when I visit, and I'll probably have another small family party in N.C. My dream however is to visit Marrakesh. If I got to Marrakesh that would really make turning 11 a dream come true. Last year I was dealing with a lot of health issues so I feel like I lost the entire year, so I'm really looking forward to making this year a great one. I've tried this my last birthday, and am doing it again this year. I took the self-imposed challenge to read 40 books the year I turned 40. This year it will be 44 - so far I have read 10.

My hope is if you know someone born on Feb 29, do what you can to make it special for them. I'm sure they remember your birthday year after year...so THIS YEAR, do the same for them. Believe me...it IS important.