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TMI Tuesday… Another year older…
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Congratulations, Elyssa!!!
You’re the random winner of the brand-a-thon sweepstakes. Snail-mail me, and I’ll hook you up with some books. Thank you so much to everyone who brainstormed such fabulous ideas. I’m going to think them all over a bit, but you’ll know when I pick one for sure.
It’s birthday time! The Romance Vagabonds are celebrating their one-year birthday all this week, and FanLit Forever is coming up on theirs. They have a huge birthday celebration planned, from Oct. 29th to November… 7th, I believe? The party keeps getting longer, because they keep getting more fabulous guest bloggers! Who, you ask? Oh, just some amazing authors like Eloisa James. Toni Blake, Anna Campbell, Jenna Peterson, Michelle Willingham, Victoria Alexander, Harris Channing, Ericka Scott, Larissa Ione, and Sherry Thomas. I get to wrap up the whole to-do on the 7th – I’m so honored.
Anyhow, happy birthday to both groups! My own birthday is fast approaching, too. So today I got to thinking about age.
Here in the US, we get prickly about admitting to our real age. When I lived overseas for a bit, I experienced a culture where “How old are you?” was one of the first questions inquisitive strangers would just up and ask me. Along with “Are you married?”, “How many siblings do you have?”, and “What is your religion?” And then they might compliment me by saying, “I think you’re getting fat.”
At first, I was shocked to be asked such “personal” questions by complete strangers, but once I got used to it, I started to wonder why we get so hung up about these things, anyhow. Why shouldn’t everyone know I’m turning 32?
When people ask you how old you are, do you tell them honestly? Lie? Deflect the question and change the topic to, say, geometry?
Do you look forward to birthdays, or dread them?
What’s the best birthday present you ever gave yourself?
October 23rd, 2007 at 4:18 am · Link
I always used to be the youngest (I skipped two grades). Now, I think I’m the oldest! I also recently had a birthday, and am finding it easier and easier to knock off a few years…lie, if you want to be technical. I am going straight to Hell. But not for a while, I hope.
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:05 am · Link
Birthdays are a time of assessment; a personal ‘new years’, as opposed to the start of school being the family ‘new year’.
I do enjoy them. And if at ALL possible, I take the day off.
This year I ordered a pile of books from Amazon. It worked for me!
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:37 am · Link
Happy Birthday everyone! Funny how we start out being really proud of our age – I can remember insisting that I wasn’t just four, I was four and a half. I’m not sure twenty-eight and a half has the same ring to it.
On my 20th birthday, I wrote a letter to myself at 25. After five years I was a little nervous to open it – I was afraid it would seem silly – but it ended up being the best gift ever. It was funny and poignant and totally me. I’m a little sorry I didn’t do another to myself at 30, but I’m not sure I could have duplicated the experience.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:08 am · Link
Happy Birthday to the Vagabonds and to FanLit Forever!! My how the time flies when you are having fun and this has been a fun year!! I am at the point where I have decided that getting older beats the alternative!! Of course I do tell people that I am celebrating the anniversary of my 29th birthday ever year. This year I will celebrate the 20th anniversary of my 29th Birthday. That’s my story and I am sticking with it. Tessa, you are very right about Europeans asking very personal questions when introduced. I eventually got used to it! I like Gillian’s approach – take the day off, order a pile of books. That sounds like a plan! My brothers always give me money for my birthday which I spent last year and intend to spend this year on research books for my writing!
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:04 am · Link
Happy Birthday all!!!! Birthdays aren’t a big deal here. I typically get gifts only from my parents and they forgot this year. 🙂 But that is okay, it was a wonderful year. As far as my age, well when everyone finds out I have a 17 year old, they tend to tell me I don’t look old enough to have one that age.
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:07 am · Link
OMG!!! I am late to the party- you got the call!!!! Yay!!!! I am so excited! I can’t wait to get the trilogy. Wow- three book deal. Wooohooo!!!
October 23rd, 2007 at 12:13 pm · Link
Birthdays fly by way too fast! I always admit my age although it helps when I get a lot of comments that I don’t look it. 😉
It’s not my birthday that I hate, it’s the month. January has the be the worst month of the year. It’s cold, dark, and endless. If I could take it out of the calendar, I would. Or even hibernate through it! (Bears obviously know what they’re doing).
The best present I give myself is books (After all, I’ve got to have something to hibernate with!).
Happy Birthday to the Vagabonds and happy upcoming birthday to you, Tessa!
We are so excited that you’re joining us at Fanlit Forever to help us celebrate our 1st Birthday! It’s going to be a blast!
October 23rd, 2007 at 2:16 pm · Link
Happy Birthday to the Vagabonds!!!!!!
As far as age goes, I always tell the truth. I don’t get the hoopla over being shy about it. I am what I am, at least in years. 🙂
Gillian, I, too, go through the introspection bit on birthdays.
October 23rd, 2007 at 2:48 pm · Link
Congrats to the Vagabonds!
Squeee with the FanLitters.
I love geometry 😀
October 23rd, 2007 at 3:03 pm · Link
Happy Birthday Vagabonds, Fanlit Forever, and Tessa!
I just celebrated my 30th, but I don’t really mind birthdays any longer. I thought 25 was rough, but after that, I think things have been better.
It’d be weird to have people ask me about it all the time though. I try not to let my age define me so I think it’d be weird to have people wanting to know that above all else.
October 23rd, 2007 at 4:30 pm · Link
I don’t have a problem with my age–yet. I don’t actually know how old I am. I thought I was 32, but then I added and subtracted and realized I was only a 31.
But since I judge how good a year will be on the basis of how cool the number is geometrically, I have to say that I do both geometry and ages. 30 was not a good number; 30 was not a good year. 27 was 3^3, and 27 was a fabulous year.
31 is a Mersenne Prime, and 32 is 2^5, and so I expect I will have two good years in a row.
October 23rd, 2007 at 4:48 pm · Link
Happy Birthday, everyone!
I don’t have a problem telling people how old I am. I turned 44 on April 8th. Woohoo!
My 20s sucked. Of course, I didn’t realize it at the time, having no real experience as a basis for comparison. What can I say — I led a sheltered life. 😛 My 30s were much better, and my 40s have been the best yet.
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:13 pm · Link
Happy Birthday Everyone!!
Well, I think one of my best gifts to myself was last year’s. I planned a long trip with my daughter and son to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, then capped it off by hiking/climbing Notch Mountain in Colorado for a breathtaking view of Mount of the Holy Cross. Awesome birthday- and challenging.
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:15 pm · Link
Oh wait! That was year before last! Does that hint at my age?
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:10 pm · Link
Some great presents listed here. 🙂 I think the best birthday present I’ve ever given myself I’ve done a few times over the years. I’ve broken down and gotten myself a few horses over the years. Can’t afford ’em, can’t seem to stand being without them.
Sarah
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:05 pm · Link
Oh, I forgot to say what my best present to myself was! I just joined RWA as a 30th birthday present.
And that’s the best so far! Go me.
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:16 pm · Link
What wonderful ideas you all have! Now I’m torn… I’d been thinking I’d splurge on some sort of techno gadget for my birthday – an Iphone, maybe, or a new laptop. But now Skirbo may have inspired me to get a pony. 😉
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 pm · Link
Happy Birthday Vagabonds and FanLitters! Congrats to Elyssa! You lucky duck!
I have never been fussy about my age. Everyone says I look at least five years younger than I am. However, I’ve always felt like an old soul and tell people I was born a five year old. I have no idea how CM would work her mathematical magic with those numbers!
Best birthday present to myself was going away last year with my sister-friend to a spa. It was glorious.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:53 pm · Link
CM, I’m not an expert but I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works…
Is the branding game still on?
And btw, Tessa, you were a FABULOUS Guest Maven!
October 24th, 2007 at 12:48 am · Link
Happy Birthday Fanlit Forever and Vagabonds (I should go visit the Vagabonds, I don’t know much about y’all).
I’m one of those weak-willed women who sort of avoid the question of age. I think it’s because I pass for so much younger than I am without even trying, so I don’t want to startle people out of their assumptions. I never outright lie though.
I always give myself a big thrift store shopping spree on my birthday and fortune always smiles on me. This year I found midnight blue cowboy boots, a never-been-used red leather purse from the 1950’s, and a white lace 1960’s mini dress. All for $10! I heart shopping.
October 24th, 2007 at 6:48 am · Link
Nonsense, Lacey.
It works precisely like that. Just look–I was 30 last year, and 30 is a very boring year. Not prime. Not even an odd number. Not a power of anything. Very, very blah. Nothin’ interesting to say about 30.
And year #30 was not a good year.
What more proof could you possibly need?
October 24th, 2007 at 7:37 am · Link
But 30 was a great year for me!
Am I just an outlier?
October 24th, 2007 at 9:46 am · Link
Late again! I need to mark Tuesdays on my calendar. Wait, I be they’re on there.
I’ve never lied about my age but the older I get the more I don’t like to talk about it. I’ll be 36 in about two months and that means 40 is getting closer. Not sure why this bothers me. Probably shouldn’t think about it too hard. Might learn something about myself I’d rather not know. LOL!
Happy birthday to all! Vagabonds, Fanlitters and Tessa too. Here’s to many, many more for everyone!
October 24th, 2007 at 9:48 am · Link
Forgot to answer the present Q. I never do anything for myself for my birthday. It’s NYE and you’d think I’d at least throw a party. Nope.
But a friend took me to Beale St. in Memphis a few years ago and that was probably the best birthday ever!
October 24th, 2007 at 5:12 pm · Link
Tessa, the year thing only works for me. I’m the outlier.
October 24th, 2007 at 5:18 pm · Link
WOO-HOO!!!
Thanks randomizer!
I think this year is going to be a lot better than last and hopefully it continues.
October 24th, 2007 at 5:34 pm · Link
But CM, 33 is a pretty cool number, isn’t it? And I think 33 is going to be my bestest year yet.
Congrats, Elyssa!
October 25th, 2007 at 10:08 am · Link
33 is a good number. It’s odd, which is always a good start (even numbers, except when powers of two, cannot be trusted.) And it’s 3 times 11. Any number that contains 11 as one of its factors must be a good year.
And that holds true for you as well as me, because we both have an 11 in our birthdate!
October 25th, 2007 at 11:01 pm · Link
I just had my own birthday last week, and this one struck me in a strange way. I turned 28, which is the same age my parents were when I was born. Yet here I am, single, childless, and still trying to figure out what I want out of life.
Logically, I know I’m on a different timeline than my parents were. But somehow, I still feel like I’m behind schedule.
And the best birthday present I ever got was not one I gave myself, but one that was thrust upon me. The day before I turned 6, I became a big sister. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but it’s been the gift that keeps on giving.
Happy Birthday Vagabonds and FF!
October 26th, 2007 at 6:58 pm · Link
I have to say that birthdays don’t really faze me, but then again, I’ve only reached 28 of them so far, so I don’t have much to be concerned about…yet. 🙂 As for the best birthday gift, I’ve got you all beat. I gave myself my daughter- exactly 7 days before my birthday. Best present ever- not that I recommend anymore for you Tessa. You’ve got your hands full already!