With my birthday a mere 23 shopping days away, I’ve been reflecting on some of my favorite June 27s past. Even though I apparently look like crap to everyone but gas station attendants, I am still very much looking forward to my birthday. I’ve had some great celebrations in the past – well, except that one where I almost got arrested – and I feel pretty lucky.
I had another blog before this one, and I did a good job of documenting my birthdays. I’ve had lots of fun parties, but you guys don’t really give a crap about those. You should care more about the presents. I have great friends who have given me presents that are so ME it’s amazing. Like the cotton candy machine Matt, Leslie, and Christi gave me. Or the water balloons and sidewalk chalk Dana gave me (we had so much fun throwing balloons off my balcony, and the cops only came a couple times). But really, one of the best presents I ever received was from my old roommate, Bella.
Some back story – I am obsessed with curly hair. I don’t have it, but my brother Kyle is blessed with gorgeous curls that I have coveted for as long as I can remember. In 2003, my obsession reached a fever pitch, and I wrote about it on my blog.
My birthday is just days away
A day that’s all for me.
I plan to eat and drink and skip
And maybe climb a tree.What do I want? My friends all ask
(They’re sweet to want to know).
Well, nothing too unusual:
A giant blonde afro.I think the ‘fros are glorious
All curly, thick, and high.
If I were to posses one it
Would make me supa fly.My ‘fro and I could do it all
Stop crime, kick ass, take names,
Yet still find time to grab a drink
And go dance with the dames.So as I blow my candles out
I wish this for my mane
Please work into a ‘fro for me!
The world we then will reign.
On my birthday, I came home to a large box on my bed with a card from Bella. Inside it was this:
Best. Present. Ever.
Alright, I want to hear ’em – what is the best gift you ever received*? And if you say your child or your health or something mushy like that, prepare to be mocked. I want to know the creative gift, or the really thoughtful gift, or the gift you always wanted. Do it for Mike – he needs ideas.
*Bonus points if you say something with diamonds, SLR cameras, or trips to Fiji.
Danielle says:
TOTALLY my SLR that he got me in February! I’m addicted!! It has changed.my.life.
And for that birthday he also surprised me by having my favorite cake delivered to the restaurant we were at(Whole Foods Strawberries and Cream – to dah for!)
Good luck…. {No Whammies, no whammies….}
Dana says:
I’m gonna cry because, seriously, no one has done anything creative for me ever. I’m lucky if I get a present. Good thing I’m not really into birthdays or I’d have to bury my face in a package of Hostess raspberry-filled donuts.
Frozen Star says:
My best friend is totally lazy, and didn’t get me a birthday present one year, but since I absolutely adore Christmas, she decided to make it up to me then, and bought me a huge present. Well, several little presents really, but anyway… She even had a theme: things to do when you’re bored. She got me the first season of House on DVD, because I’d wanted to buy that for months, a copy of Dubliners, because I’d said I wanted to be one of those people who can say they’ve read Joyce (why, yes, I am a pretentious literature person…), a Newton’s cradle, because I absolutely love to play with those things and two other presents that can’t have been that memorable, because I can’t remember what they were.
She had also promised to get me Wentworth Miller, but to my huge disappointment, he was busy and couldn’t make it on time. He would have fit in nicely with the rest of the things to do while I’m bored…
Mom24 says:
Best gift ever? This would be obnoxious if it was the kind of thing that happened regularly at our house, but it was so special because in 24 years, it only happened this ONCE, once–that’s it. Also, it wasn’t birthday, anniversary, make-up, anything. It was “just because”. My hubs ordered an indoor seafood bake–lobster, clams, mussels, potatoes, corn, the works, from a local gourmet grocery–fancy bottle of wine, bread, you name it. He called my parents, who live two hours away and asked them to come take our three out for the evening, and surprised me with all of it–I knew NOTHING. Not even that my parents were coming or that the kids were going out. It was a wonderful evening. My mother was convinced he was telling me he was leaving me–yeah, she’s special like that. That’s the only part of that memory that is marred. Still, best gift ever, that’s a top contender.
Anna Marie says:
My best gift ever was a spa day from my hubs. Facial, hot rock massage, pedicure, lunch with wine…it was divine. Mostly because I was ALL BY MYSELF. No kids, no phone, no nothin’. Just me and the lovely people pampering me.
Danielle says:
Dana – until that birthday, my husband managed to blow it on every birthday, Mother’s Day, marriage proposal – everything.
This year’s birthday was truly the only event that he put a lot of thought in to and surprised me.
Guess he was finally tired of my freaking out after a shoddy attempt…. (so high maintanence)
Danes says:
My golden retriever, Noel. That was when I was 9 though so I think it’s time for another record-breaking gift. Oh wait! It’s my 30th in December – what timing!! (Heather, that’s your cue to tell my husband).
BUT!!! My SLR camera was the best gift I ever gave myself. Talk about looove.
Aunt Becky says:
My Movado Ono Sapphire and diamond necklace. Hands down.
Heather says:
C’mon, hasn’t anybody been whisked off to Fiji, only to be presented with a diamond-encrusted SLR camera upon arrival?
Danielle says:
Now that you mention it…
I HAVE!
And Mike should totally do that.
Um-hum.
With the spa package and travel along Nanny…
(I’m a little stalkerish today. Sorry!)
Z says:
LOVE the wig!
Found you through AllMediocre, and have been reading ever since (I’ve just been bad about commenting… oops) – so LOVE the blog as well!
As for my best present ever… hmmm… A toothbrush. Really. My birthday was 10 days after I started dating my now-husband, and I told him I wasn’t a big b-day person and didn’t expect anything. And so… he got me a toothbrush (and tied a bow on it) and I guess you just had to be there, but it was priceless – and perfect. So us. And so for our 1 year (marriage) anniversary, I found a card with toothbrushes on it. And it was perfect
Though the camera I got for this past birthday wasn’t too shabby, either
Kristin.... says:
My 30th birthday….my husband conspired with my friends and family to throw me a surprise party. I had no idea. It was so unexpected and was so much fun.
I don’t own a SLR camera…..yet.
Fiji….can I take the 4 kids there!
Natalie says:
one of the best gifts ever was a organizer for my scrapbook stuff that i looked at one time when i was in a craft store. a month later my hubby gave it to me for valentines day. i was totally shocked. now i must say that i no longer scrapbook, and haven’t for a good 5 years. at the time i thought it was great.
my other best gift ever was a book. my best friend loved the book the prince of tides. i had never read it so as a surprise she sent me her well worn copy that she had read several times. made me cry!
of course the book and the scrapbooking trolley were coated with diamonds so that made them even better!
i’m having a give-away on my blog for the first time ever! come see.
Gemini Girl says:
h- fro’s are not all they are cracked up to be. I have one. It’s actually called a Jew-Fro. It’s hard to tame, blowdrying is a mofo and costs way too much money and time. I really should find that picture of me as a child with my afro sitting in a garden. I look like one of those feed the starving children ads.
Al_Pal says:
Ah, great poem & photo!
Dig it.