Tuesday, August 02, 2005

FIVE THINGS TO DO ON YOUR BIRTHDAY


Balloons on summer house
Originally uploaded by dancityofsound.
1. Buy someone else a present, preferably the person who makes you most happy to be alive.

2. Eat cake if you're under 18 or over 75.
If you're in between, these are your years of discipline and clarity. Look at that pretty mass of sludge and goo for what it is.

3. Ask yourself where you came from and where you're going. If the answer is, "I don't know," spoken with marvel and wonder, you're on the right track.

4. Thank your mother. Chances are the occasion you're celebrating was a pretty arduous day for her.

5. Be a child. Hang balloons outside your door. Announce to random strangers that it's your birthday. Okay, even eat the artery clogging, blood sugar elevating, thigh thickening cake if you have to. And if there aren't any random strangers around, announce it on your blog: Hey, it's my birthday! Aren't I cool?

66 comments:

Martin said...

Happy birthday :-)

Nice list! Carry on with the "Be a child." Hey, why stop having fun?

Best Wishes
- Martin

PS: Thanks for the comment on my site.

Patry Francis said...

Thanks, luz and finnegan...and well, if the cake is chocolate, I might have to succumb to Marie Antoinette's advice.

Perfect Virgo said...

Happy birthday dear Patry, happy birthday to you. I had to sing since Finnegan stole my Mary Antoinette reference :(

I like your list - especially number 1, it appeals to me greatly. Number 3 is problematic at present because as you know I can't truthfully say "I don't know." My passport is being scrutinised at Immigration in an unpleasant land where I hope not to be detained for long.

Yep, you're cool alright!

Melly said...

Happy birthday Patry :)

Leora Skolkin-Smith said...

Hey, there! Happy Birthday, Patry!

Clifford Duffy said...

I wrote 4 poems on my birthday posted them to takingthebrim.blogspot.come

we sent you an invite to join us and sadly you dont seem to have replied.

boohoo.

hahah.

our good old caspar is dead.

cheers

gulnaz said...

Happy Birthday!!! :)
I hope your dreams come true and i am going to follow your suggestions on mine. thanks! ;)

Sharon Hurlbut said...

Happy Birthday! I like number 4 - we often forget it's a special day for her too. And cake is a MUST, no matter your age. Hope your day is filled with child-like wonder and magic!

robin andrea said...

Hey-- I missed your birthday yesterday. Belated good wishes to you.
Lovely list. I will remember that.
Hope you had a wonderful and celebratory day.

Patty said...

Sorry I got to the party late, the traffic was awful.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

And which way to the cake?

Patry Francis said...

Thanks for the good wishes. They amaze and delight! If I'd known that all I had to do was hang a few virtual balloons in the window and you'd all show up, I would have done it years ago.

And to Diana: yes, I read A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. It was as wonderful as I knew it would be.

Patry Francis said...

Thanks for the good wishes. They amaze and delight! If I'd known that all I had to do was hang a few virtual balloons in the window and you'd all show up, I would have done it years ago.

And to Diana: yes, I read A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. It was as wonderful as I knew it would be.

To C. Duffy: I visited and enjoyed your blogs. Though I very much appreciate the invitation to join, I've always been pretty much a solitary flute.

Nick said...

A belated Happy Birthday, Patry!

Patry Francis said...

Thanks, Nick. I've been enjoying the poems and photographs on your site.

And thanks, too, to Irina. I like your counter-list--especially #1. I don't think I'm that evolved yet; maybe by next year.

rdl said...

A much belated Happy Birthday Leo! Just got back from vaca.

Vickie said...

Sorry I missed your birthday. I hope it was great.

Patry Francis said...

Thanks R. and Vickie.

Anonymous said...

OMG it's my birthday today!!!

Anonymous said...

hay hay its my birthday soon aren't i so cool but i have no idea wat 2 do help help !!!!!

Anonymous said...

if its my birthday at any age I will eat birthday cake because when you go to peoples birthday you ethier eat their cake or you dont but this is YOUR celabratory cake and you have every write to eat it big or small pieace IT'S YOUR DAY!!!:P- enjoy it

SBlo said...

hey, i just came across this list because IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, and I really love the first one/all of them. the second and fifth rule are sort of incongruent though, no?

Drew said...

that is the dumbest thing i've ever read, thanks for ruining my life.

Anonymous said...

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I REALLY NEEDED THAT BECAUSE I WAS CLUE LESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!HAHA

Susan Martin Spar said...

Hey...Many Happy returns! Today's my birthday too and I punched into Google "things to do on a birthday" and up came your site. Gonna buy some presents today!

Anonymous said...

happy birthday you have the best ideas i am going to use them for my birthday

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Hea, Canton Ohio, Its my BIRTHDAY I'm 32 years old and absolutely fabulous!!! A surpreme DIVA mother and a wife. I love my life and I'm truly BLESSED to be here!!

Anonymous said...

It's my birthday!!!!

Waahooo

Anonymous said...

ITSSSSSS MYYYYYYYYY BIRRTHHHHHHDAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY TIME TO EAT THIGH THICKING CAKE YUMMYYYYY

Anonymous said...

hey
its my birthday.
should i buy my mom a present? haha

Anonymous said...

worst advice ever.

exactly.

Anonymous said...

ITS MY BIRTHDAY TOO :D
I just dont know what to do.. :$
There are a lot of people arround me, im in the library of my university but everyone is busy.
I want a girl now :P
I wish a was a good player, im good looking but im fkn insecure.
peace

Anonymous said...

I also punched "things to do on your birthday" into google and found your blog.

I really like your advice (not sure about not eating cake though!) and it has certainly given me some ideas.

Also, love the comment about buying your worst enemy a present! Now, does a loaded mousetrap count as a present?

Anonymous said...

Yo ma bday@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Anonymous said...

heh nice :)

Prince said...

hi this is 5th september 2009 its my b'day i was born on5thseptember1992 i'm sad,feeling booring no friends nothing blah blah plz make me happy my email sachin_majhee@yahoo.co.in thanks in advance

Patry Francis said...

sachin: I tried to email you a birthday wish, but it was returned so here it is:

My prayer for you is that this will be the year that you go out and find all the friendship, joy and purpose you are crying out for, and that you surely deserve.

Happy birthday!

Anonymous said...

tomorrow is my birthday. im turning 16. I dont know, im not going to try to say something special, its just 16 and i know im young and dont know shit about life or anything really. i've only been around for 16 years! thats so little! But i also realize thats more than a lot of people get. anyway, your #1 on the list made me cry. It means a lot to me, thank you.

Patry Francis said...

anonymous: Happy, happy birthday! I wish you a wonderful birthday, and a wonderful world in which to grow and give, and many people in your life who inspire you to give the gift of yourself. LOVE to you.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to me.And i am heading out to buy something for all the people i love.

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Unknown said...

i love this blog.it's my birthday today and it is also a snow day today.So, I looked up what to do on your 11th birthday.

Unknown said...

hey,ann arbor, michagan it is my birthday and i am turning 11.It is so amazing.last time i remember, i was 5 yrs.old.anyways,i noticed that the time was different.this blog must have been done in a different time zone so just to let all of you know,where i live,it is 9:37a.m.On my name,it says mark but i am a girl and MY REAL NAME IS Charlotte Pardo

Patry Francis said...

Happy birthday, Charlotte Pardo!!! Isn't the snow great? I wish I was eleven, too!

Anonymous said...

im gonna b 11 soon n i wanna have a really really awesome party cause my last party stunk!!! im nt alowed 2 have a sleepover so thts out iv done da makeup/facial thing b4!!! wat shud i do help my mum suggested goninbg 2 da ballet EEEEWWWKKKK iv gotta think of sumthin good fast (i dont wanna hold da party at home)

ps. its in july, im brits

Ricky said...

im 21 today so i guess... "Happy Birthday To Me"!

finally legal and in college. life couldn't be more stoned!

abhishek sharma said...

Hey Guys,
Truely speaking hats off for mother on birthday.The way she carried u so long befor and after ur birth.mother is always more exicted abut ur birthday than u.I was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday everyyear until she left us but memories always delight and I have tears in my eyes when I think of my greatest mamma ever.So today is my birthday..but who knows it really is.I am praying for my mother's wellness.Hats off again for her as she so boldly and strongly fought with cancer until her last breath.I want to prove to the world that I am a son of a great mother..may i fulfill her dream for whatever she wanteg\d for me.May GOD bless her and comfort her wherever she is.I also pray today to take very good care of my dad and make him happy.OM SAI RAM..JAI MATA DI.My # is 9990227699 and let me tell everybody there is nothing greater than mother..Abhishek.

Gabriella said...

AWESOME LIST! (: I love the "Be a child" part! + that's what I DO! I actually go up to people and say that. It is so much fun. Except when they give you freaky looks. Anyways, nice list. Happy Birthday!
(My birthday is in 3 days! and I'm turning 13.. -.-)

Best WISHES!
Gabby!

Patry Francis said...

Happy birthday, Gabby! With your wonderful spirit, I don't think anyone could STOP you from having a great day, great year, or great life. xx

Büyü said...

Thanks, luz and finnegan...and well, if the cake is chocolate, I might have to succumb to Marie Antoinette's advice.

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Anonymous said...

These are pretty much the worst ideas I've ever read.

Anonymous said...

Is everyone above joking, these are awful awful awful ideas.

kenaz Mathew said...

cute….. :) God bless you. :)

Abhishek Sharma said...

Hi that's Abhishek again I got a call from a person who really felt touchy by my the words.Thanks a looooot dear.I really really appreciate her cause somewhere she may also had prayed for my mom.Hey if i get my words then I want to tell u I am overwheamed by ur reaction to that cause u r also soooooooo different from other's.I would had loved to talk to u again and share my heartly things about my greatest mother.I lost my mobile yesterday somewhere otherwise would have called to say so much of thanks as it was for my Mother whom I had loved so much.My e-mail id is satyasai_abhishek@rediffmail.com ..If somebody would like to share this pain with me I may feel more relieved.Love u Mamma..May GOD bless u forever and U bless me upthere from heaven and may u get all fruits of things I have ever done goooood in my life so far and I will do.........I miss her so much and dear may you also be blessed as you have made me revive all the best moments with my mother.

Anonymous said...

Today is my birthday :)

Anonymous said...

Today is my birthday :)

Tanmay Taunk said...

And its my time now! My 23rd :)

Patry Francis said...

Happy 23rd Tanmay!

ryguy87 said...

visit nachobirthday.com it a cool birthday party site

Anonymous said...

happy wala bdy

Prat said...

i have my birthday tomo and im so alone i havent spoke a word since morning i m so sad

Patry Francis said...

Prat: But now you have spoken here to a distant stranger. Know that I hear you and am sorry for your sadness. Sometimes birthdays are hard because we expect to feel something we simply can't at that moment in time. I hope you can find some sweetness in your day.

Anonymous said...

My mother was an abuser. And i thanked dad every yr before his passing i never got much but dad tried to give me at least one smile on my birthday till he died in march 05. I miss him. It's a little to cold in November in north east Indiana to go around telling people on street it's your birthday. But maybe next year i will buy self balloon and tape it to the door.

Patry Francis said...

Anon: I'm glad you had a wonderful dad who is always with you in spirit. It's cold here, too, but I'm imagining that balloon on your door, and sending you out a birthday wish!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.