The Friday Five, Birthday Edition

Sitting up late tonight, listening to a hard rock on the radio (All Along the Watch Tower by Jimmy Hendrix, at the moment), waiting until Dan is deeply asleep to join him, because my coughing keeps him up. He's very kind and sweet about it, and he insists it doesn't bother him. But it does, and he needs his rest.

 

Jimmy Hendrix, All Along the Watch Tower  

I'm still pretty darned sick (but slowly getting better). I had plans (characters developed, plot outlines, everything) to take part in NaNoWriMo (aka National Novel Writing Month^), which encompasses the entire month of November, but I've been too sick to hold my head up for most of the month so far, much less write anything coherent. So instead, I'll be postponing NANOWRIMO until I feel better and trying to blog more often during the month of November.

 

NaNoWriMo^

Today's Birthday-themed blog assist (my addled brain needs it) comes from:

The Friday Five^

1. Do you really make wishes when you blow out the candles on your cake?
   
   Always. I don't know why, because I'm not superstitious, but I always do.
   
   
   The cats love this stuff whenever anyone has a birthday.
   Used with permission, by cohdra, from Morguefile^
   
   
2. Have any of the wishes ever come true, if yes?
   I can't think of any that have. Ever since I was a kid, I've mostly wished for intangible things like "world peace". Maybe I'd have a better chance if I wished for more material things? I probably won't, though. How awesome would it be if some of the intangible wishes actually happened?
   
   
   
   My cake has waaaaay more candles than this.
   Used with permission, by lorettaflame from Morguefile^
   
   
3. How do you feel about birthdays? (e.g. love the attention, just another day, don't want anyone to know my real age, etc.)
   
   As long as people continue to tell me that I don't look my age, I'm okay with my age. As soon as that changes, I'll probably be more sensitive about it. Although honestly, when you look at the alternative to aging, all of a sudden another birthday sounds pretty good.
   As for attention, it's okay as long as its from people I know... I don't ever want to go out to a restaurant where the staff sings to you or anything like that.
   
   

   Time marches on, doesn't it? 
   It's better than the alternative, I guess.
   used with permission, by grafixar from Morguefile^
   
   
4. Tell us a favorite gift you've received, or something you'd really like for your next birthday.
   
   Three things I've received over the years really stand out.
   
   My oldest daughter spilled all of my favorite perfume once, and I was really disappointed and a bit angry. The next Christmas, there was a bottle under the tree from her to me. She paid for it herself and I've never forgotten how she remembered, long after I'd forgotten. I felt so privileged to have such a wonderful daughter (and I still do). 
   
   My middle daughter once gave me a figure from my favorite video game. It struck me as incredibly thoughtful. She'd gotten me something she'd observed that I enjoyed. I still have it on a shelf and smile every time I see it.
   
   Again, I felt privileged to be a part of such a wonderful, sensitive, thoughtful person's life. I'm endlessly and happily amazed at what wonderful daughters I have. I don't know what I ever did to deserve them, but I am humbled to be in their presence.
   
   Finally, my husband gave me a very pretty  fáinne Chladaigh (a Claddagh ring) a few years ago. I love it. I should wear it more.
   
   
   A Claddagh symbol
   

   
   

   If I could have any one thing, it would be a Blythe doll^, which is totally silly and frivolous and not like me at all, yet... A full sized Blythe is about a foot tall (minis are much smaller), frighteningly thin, with huge heads, and their eyes change colors when you pull a string. Pretty in an ugly way. Or maybe ugly in a pretty way. I have no idea why I want one, since I don't collect dolls. I've just always wanted one (like, since the 1970's).
   
   I want a full-sized Blythe^, and it would almost certainly have to be a reproduction. Reproductions aren't that much, but originals are outlandishly expensive.
   
   

   

   Used with permission, by cohdra, from Morguefile^
   

   
   Like I said, silly and frivolous.
   
   Speaking of which, Blue Öyster Cult's Don't Fear The Reaper is playing on the radio now. It's not a frivolous song - it's rather depressing when you get right down to it. But the Saturday Night Live skit about the making of the song totally ruined it for me and now all I can thing of is Christopher Walken. And every time I hear it, I hear cowbell. Nothing but cowbell. They took a perfectly depressing song and made it silly and frivolous. 
   
   Blue Öyster Cult, Don't Fear the Reaper
   
   
   
   

                                                                  
See? Nothing but cowbell now.
5. What flavor cake?
   
   Gluten-free cake tends to be a bit dry, so I prefer cupcakes because they have a smaller surface area when cooking and don't dry out as much. As for flavor, a basic white or yellow cake with lots of pure vanilla and butter-cream icing.
   
   
   What a cupcake might look like
   Used with permission, by mconnors from Morguefile^

Finally, and speaking of birthdays, Dan's birthday is in a little less than two weeks. I've made plans, which I can't share here for obvious reasons, but I'm really pleased with what I've managed to come up with so far. I have an awesome cake planned and two spiffy gifts I know he'll love. I'm usually so bad with this sort of thing, but I've put a lot of thought into this and I'm so excited!

Until later...

Namaste.