To celebrate a birthday or not?

I had been stumped by this prompt, and was just going to share 'my best birthday ever' post but someone posted on twitter 'is it wrong to celebrate your birthday over 30?'. I thought this was such a weird and sad attitude. My response was along the lines of 'There's so much wrong in the world and difficulties in life will amass to an at times overwhelming rate, you should celebrate every little thing you can'.

My 50th party, I had the best time partying with all my friends, but a lot of my friends also had the best time (I'm sure there were some that didn't but there was much dancing and merriment & people stayed late, so that's got to be a sign).

My kids have parties for their birthday and people swarm the house and sleep over (the young not being able to afford ubers) so the dusty crowd littered in the lounge room are smiles when they wake.

I think we think celebrating a birthday is about us, but it's about having a good time with those we love. Or indulging some money in doing something that you love - tickets to a show or doing something else you wouldn't normally spend the money on. It's a justifiable excuse, that's all!

And let's face it, given the state of the world and the myriad of health issues that might appear at any time, surviving a year is something to celebrate - and if it's been a bad year? Celebrate the new year to come! It's daft to think only children should celebrate their birth. The older you get, the more you've achieved just to be alive, the harder life has been for you and your friends - so offer some solace, a brief moment of fun and frivolity. You don't need gifts or cause anyone expense, it just needs to be a celebration - whatever form that takes - tea and cake, bowling, a dinner, a party. Whatever is a rare but good time for you all!  (Or just for you, if the expense is too much to extend to others - I went to WOMAD one year for my birthday present to see my favourite band from Europe, who I'd never seen before - it was one of the most magical days for me & still makes me smile, but with the kids and the cost, my husband stayed home).

So think of your birthday celebration as merely making more memories, for that is indeed exactly what it is!

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate". Oprah Winfrey

Linking with #TellUsAbout 

Exam Season - HSC

 

84, 000 kids sit the HSC this month, starting Tuesday.

This is just a reminder to all those kids (and the parents of those kids) that it really only matters for the three or so months after you finish school. It doesn't change your life, just the very next step. Do you go straight into the course you want at the Uni of your choice or do you take a more scenic route? Or in the case of one of my friend's kids, do you scramble to get into a course that you thought wouldn't be an option for you, when your mark exceeded the predictions of your life long learning difficulties?

The HSC doesn't measure smartness, just persistence and application. The ATAR is merely the cut off due to demand of places in a course (Not how smart you have to be to do the course). If you miss out on your dream, most Universities have a day in Dec or Jan where you tell them your mark and they build a pathway to get into your course eventually.

A reminder to parents to celebrate the child that has finished school, and the world opening doors for their shiny adult life that awaits.

To the kids, whatever you do next, further learning, apprenticeship, training or working - enjoy it. Your life is going to change in so many ways - speak up when it's scary or overwhelming, well adjusted adults do that, but mostly, appreciate this exciting time. Opportunities, new responsibilities, new friends or meeting new people, maybe even a new home. 

This is a sparkling time in your life when the world is your oyster. Don't let exam stress (or societal pressure) take that away from you.

The photo is from the Archibald, Sulman and Wynn exhibition - if you know the artist, please let me know so I can credit it. But kids, you now follow the sign posts of your making.

Good luck, do your best and remember it's not the be all and end all, it's just the beginning!

#Allseasons linky runs from Thursday to Wednesday each week. 

Link one post that shows something seasonal. Traditional weather wise, a seasonal nature marker or a seasonal celebration or event.  Please link relevant posts only.

Make sure you link back to this #AllSeasons post. 

Please comment on the post before yours and the host. Don't dump and run.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Remembrance is a form of meeting. Khalil Gibran

I was sitting on the steps in the backyard, catching some sunshine while I ate my lunch the other day. I noticed the flowers were blooming again for another year on the Today, Tomorrow and Yesterday plant, named so as the flowers change colour while in bloom, as the days progress.

We were given this tiny plant in a pot when we moved in from friends (parents of friends) and we planted it and it's enormous. Those friends are now dead, but I thought how lovely it was to be reminded of them each year. When the plant blooms, I always think about some of our lovely times together. It keeps them front of mind. As Thomas Campbell said "To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die." 

Next to this plant is a Japanese Maple, given to us by my parents who went to a wedding and were told to plant a tree rather than give a gift. My dad has since died, and I realised I had a little corner of the garden which is full of memorial plants, so to speak.

There is also a bougainvillea from my sister and while she is alive, in time, it may also become one. Out the front we have gardenias from my sister in law. 

None of these plants were given as something to remember them by, it's just what they become as they flourish over years.

I guess it's a reason to give people plants. Sturdy plants that will survive with little care. Like the relationships they represent - just loved and tended from time to time, not work or difficult, which over the years adds up to a lot.

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of  us". Helen Keller.

Linking with #TalkaboutitTuesday #SeniorSalonPitstop #NaturesNotes and a strange one for #HappyNow because while it is about loss, it did make me happy to look around and remember some wonderful times and feel a closeness to those people now gone.

Make Art

 This is in Nantes. It's lovely - simple yet artistic. And good advice....

Linking with #WordlessWednesday #MuralMondays

A little story

Patter of feet unheard.

A ghost cry echoes.

Grief.

Linking with #WordlessWednesday #PictorialTuesday #SundayShadowShot #WordlessWednesday

Note, this was just in reply to a twitter prompt to write a story in less than 10 words. All good here.

 

October Reading

 It's a long weekend - I've been reading in the sunshine which is lovely...just about to watch the F1 as I'm not an NRL person. But will rush these through....

I have not really got into the other Matt Haig book I read - but I did enjoy this. A friend put it up so I thought I'd give it a go. I listened on Borrowbox. It is the second book set in Ibiza that has environmental themes, and having just been there, I could really flesh it all out. I thought it captured the environment and the little details well - my favourite bit was the taxi drivers being tour guides, as I did find that to be the case. They were lovely. It's a sort of mystical realism mystery. With a bit of finding your way, finding your way back after loss and all the usual Haig themes.

(Review for The Comfort Book here)

I was so delighted to get this from the library that I tweeted this and started immediately.

I listened to this on Borrowbox as well, read by the author. I'm a huge fan, and as I said, I excitedly started it, only to be devastated when he announced it was his last book. As always, he's smart, funny and engaging. Even on this topic. I think as a book I liked Nothing to be Frightened Of more...but I still like this one. I just really don't want it to be his last...You really can't go wrong with any of his work. Not any I've read, at least. This as a tale within a tale, so there's something for those who are new to Barnes. I loved the discussion on memory, and of course on Proust. 

28 minutes from the first tweet to the next....I listened to the book non stop, in part hoping he would say 'it's not really my last book' but he didn't.

I also followed up with this interview.

(My Review for The Noise of Time is here  & The Man in the Red Coat here)

I am getting rid of books to feed the street library and ebay, to rehome them. I got this book because I like John Marsden (Tomorrow When the War Began and many other titles) and I liked the format - bullet points with a 1 page explanation on each point. So while I wasn't a single parent, I figured raising boys was raising boys. 

Anyway, I reread it out of curiosity before putting it out. I liked it still - only 2 points have maybe dated a little. I did do most of it, whether from the book or innately I don't know.

This H+ was in a street library on my dog walk so I grabbed it, read it and then put it out in mine. It's a little book on happiness and mental health, sort of, dressed as way of living. The first half, I thought 'this is just existentialism dressed up without the depressing part'. Your actions are what matter, and doing good actions are what add up. Helping others and so on, will make you feel better. However, towards the end, about fines and sending money to the headquarters, I couldn't tell if he was joking or a bit kooky. A lot of it is common sense I think, but it was an interesting read until the end.

This was in the library, a little board book with numbers, colours and even fuzzy tactile and shiny dots. Just had to include it as I love her work. Even on this level....

This is part of my AI and chatbot obsession, which prompted these posts on companion bots and dating. This book makes the interesting point that tech companies are owning or storing your data and using your therapy chats or companion chats to train other AI. And more.  She tries not to be judgemental, having used it for a sounding board in her grief, so she understands it. I also liked that a lot of the people found real life love in the reddit groups for people with companion bots - that was an unexpected consequence to me but I like the symmetry of it. 

I said awhile back that I was going to read more poetry, and I am failing at that. I did read the little poem that came in the Lush bath bombs. That's lovely.

And I did finally start The Odyssey. For everyone that complained about the movie, I can say the movie is the only thing that makes me understand it and keep going. It's not that it's hard, it's just not grabbing me. I've only read book one so will keep going a bit more, but I doubt I will make it to the end. One blogger said it was her favourite poem and a cousin is MAD for it, so I am bearing that in mind and will persist.

I did get this from the library - we have a half booked trip but due to all the illness and other problems at the moment, I'm not sure we'll go. Have another month to make the call. However, will read a bit just incase we go....

Linking with #TalkaboutitTuesday #Bookdate #TuesdayTwirl #IMWAYR #AcupofTeaandaGoodBook #SundayPost #MonthlyBookWorms #StackingtheShelves & #SundaySalon

Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it. Ernest Holmes

 I really need to update my phone but for now, this has to do. Just pretend my camera is sharper. And with better zoom.

Linking with #WordlessWednesday #WaterThursday  #WildbirdWednesday #AwwMondays #SundayBest #WeeklyWonder #SaturdayCritters and #GardenAffair