Yikes, it’s me!!! 🙂
Well, ok, such an event requires a contest – a contest that encompasses Chaos’ third birthday (since he was sick at the time), my 40th birthday, and my first blogiversary on November 22… Leave me a comment with the most useful piece of information/advice you’ve ever received. The information you wished you’d known when. The information that you think we’d all be better off knowing.
Leave your comment by 7 pm CST Wednesday, November 22, and I will use the magical random number generator to select the winners. There will be at least three prizes and possibly more: knitterly prizes for knitters and other prizes for non-knitters. Knitterly prizes will include the autumnal skein of laceweight I dyed at Deb’s on my vacation and skeins of Socks that Rock from the 2006 Rockin’ Socks Club.
Happy Birthday Wishes for a GRAND foray into the 40’s!
Oh, I should read the WHOLE post before I go.
A friend had this up on his wall – attributed to Alvin Ailey, if I remember correctly – “If you’re not going further than yesterday, then what’s the point? What are you waiting for?” I temper that for myself by muttering “one thing…if I’ve done one thing, that’s progress….”
Happy Birthday! to you and Chaos!
Most helpful from mom, that I can think of and remember…
Everybody drops their drawers to poop. Meaning nobody is more important than anybody else (you), presidents, kings, whatever.
Happy Birthday!!!
My best advice? Look smug. You have cats, yarn, books, and adoring blogreaders. And you deserve it!!
Happy Birthday (a day late, I know)! 🙂
As far as the best advice I’ve ever been given goes…..
Live every day for the adventure, big or small.
But I know you already do that!! 😉
Happy, Happy, Happy for all three big events. 40 is a nice round number – enjoy your year! As for advice, hmm. Oh, I know, never buy a used car without having it checked by a professional first. And if the seller won’t let you – run, don’t walk, away.
Not necessarily advice per se, but I had a friend in college to had leukemia and he was very sick and yet, he still planned to study abroad the next summer and what he was going to do after that. It really stuck with me and I always have a plan and something to look forward to. His courage lent me courage to do things that I would not have otherwise done. Even now, when I feel like Chickening out of something I think to myself “That’s chickening out…what would John say…” and I go forward and do it.
Happy Birthday!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
You’re just a baby!
Happy (belated) birthday to you and Chaos, and happy blogiversary.
Advice… hmm… I’ve received a lot of good advice from people (although I haven’t always followed it). One piece I’ve found useful is “always remember that somebody has it worse than you do,” which helps keep me from wallowing in misery over little things.
And another one for good measure, courtesy of Red Green: “Keep your stick on the ice.”
Happy belated birthday!! I can’t think of any good advice right now. Hmmm… I guess just that when you’re thinking that the good stuff will start to happen later, remember that this isn’t a dress rehearsal — this is the real show.
And cast on loosely for sock cuffs. And remember that babies really do have enormous heads, so make those tiny sweater necks reeeeeally stretchy!
happy, happy birthday Chris.
thank you so much for your support and friendship, always.
Happy Birthday, Chris!!
Two things come to mind. First, and personally, it was a big thing when my best friend told me to “wear a little color.” It’s amazing what red or pink (or whatever works) can do for your attitude. My closet is still 99% earthtones, but there’s a little bit of color in there, too. Second, “Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.” I learned that one a little late, but it’s the best thing I ever read on the bumper of a car!
Happy Birthday Chris!You’ll love your 40’s!
Best piece of advise came from my dad during a long hard day taking care of the kids: You know life is like a never ending play. Last time it was showing you were the child. The child is a fun part. This time around you are the parent. It’s the most difficult part because you think you are supose to know the lines but you never do. The parent is a demanding role with a lot of critics. Don’t worry. Do your best. Next time around you’ll be the grandparent and trust me, it’s like being the child again.
He was right. It’s all a cycle wrapped in love.
happy birthday! i’m a little late to the party. My advice: be fluent in at least two languages.
Hope you had a great birthday, Chris! I didn’t realize our days were so close – mine was the 15th. Scorpios are so cool 😉
The best advice that I have ever received?
“Treat others as you would want to be treated.”
It’s that simple, and it’s done me well over the year.
Happy 40th!
Happy “Special” Birthday!
Since I’ve had lots of advice over the years, and also given lots of it, it is impossible to say just one is “BEST.”
But, I’ll limit it to three. First, spiritally- “Love the Lord with all your heart.”
2nd – Regarding marriage – “never go to bed angry with each other” – we stayed up late many nights, but we worked out a compromise or agreement before retiring. It’s worked for 46-1/2 years of marriage so far.
3rd – Regarding children – “Spend lots of time with them enjoying the awesomeness of nature and little pleasures of life – like splashing in a rain puddle.
Happy Birthday! I turned 43 the week before you, and the 40s are pretty good so far.
As for advice, advice that I didn’t see above. The piece of advice that helped me most was what my mom told me when my first PhD thesis advisor died at the end of my third year of graduate school:
Things will be different, but that doesn’t mean that they will be worse.
I held onto that throughout the grieving and all the red tape of changing labs in the midst of grad school. My mom was told that advice by someone when her father died when she was 21. It’s very hopeful advice when life takes a very bad turn.
Best wishes for a great year to you, Chaos and May.
Mom really is (almost) always right. I fought the idea that my mother could know more than me for years and years, but now she’s the first person I go to when life has me crazed or confused. I guess life experience counts after all!
I asked a professor once how she managed to balance having a child with being super productive as an academic. Her answer? Marry the right guy.
Funny thing is, she was divorced.
Wish I could be more helpful, but that’s all I’ve got today. It’s been that kind of a week.
Happy birthday to both of you!!!!
happy birthday/blogaversary! 🙂
from my mentor, who passed away in august: “there is no such thing as a stupid question.”
1. If you have to swallow a frog, don’t stand around and look at it; do it quick.
2. Pick your battles.
3. It is what it is.
The first two courtesy of my Mom who was always right and the last from my husband who is always happy.
Happiest to all the family and many happy returns!
I’m sorry to have missed such a momentous celebration!
No one is perfect.
So simple, but so true.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Belated Birthday – have a 40 and fabulous year!
The best advice I have ever received – and I wish I had applied this advice so much earlier in my life – would that I had been a bit smarter, is this:
Live in the moment – tomorrow will come, and if it does not – living in the moment is all that matters.
My words of wisdom: Buy it when you see it. Indecisiveness is for cowards.
Happy 40th! My mom said when she turned 40 she felt the best she ever had. But then she said it again when she turned 50!
I’m not very good with advice: “neither a borrower nor a lender be” is the best I could come up with!
ok, here is my advice that I am still learning. Attitude is everything, you chose how your day is going to be. Wake up, say today is going to be great and it will be. Say your day is going to be awful and it will be. It’s all your choice.
Happy Birthday! Are you sure you’re forty? ‘Cause I’ve seen pictures of you, and I thought maybe early thirties, late twenties.
Oh, the shawl you made for Socks for Sheep is going to be a Christmas Gift for the wife of our Senior Pastor. He had me put it aside for her. Isn’t that neat? 🙂
Best advice I was ever given… “High School does not last forever.”
I don’t remember who said it, but “don’t sweat the small stuff” has been my mantra lately.
From an attorney I used to work with who passed away recently, “Every morning you wake up and draw breath is a good day.”
We both worked a lot of hours. I’ve never met someone who was more peaceful and optimistic and thankful for all that life had given him.
From a manager I worked with:
When you are confronted with someone who appears to be absolutely furious with you ask them “What would you like to see happen?”
You’ll be amazed at how often they come back with a very modest request, or say “I just wanted to vent.”
Happy birthday again.
My best piece of advice?
Be yourself. By all means listen to advice from others but in the end the decision (what ever it is) is up to you.
On my 40th birthday I dyed my hair crimson. On my 42nd birthday I got my navel pierced and on my 46th (last birthday) I got purple streaks put into my now natural dark brown hair. Goodness knows what I will do for my 48th! You are only as old as you feel 🙂
Happy birthday Chris and Chaos!
Sock sends a lick or two and then a good *grab and shake love bite*
The best advice I’ve been given is to remember that when one door closes another one opens. You may not know it right away but time will reveal all.
When you’re having troubles, take time to step back and say, “This too shall pass.”
Happy birthday(s) and blogiversary!
Happy Birthday!
Best advice: “You are capable of more than you know. Strive for what’s beyond your reach and you may surprise yourself.”
Birthday greetings, on time, or late!
My advice: cut out the “shoulds.” Don’t think someone else “should” have done something, and never, ever torture yourself with “I should have…” –
Hello and Happy Birthday to you, Chaos and your lovely blog. Today happens to be my birthday too. I’m 29 today and my piece of advice that I need to remember myself is “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”. I think taking heed of this will keep us all a bit younger by banishing some unnecessary worry from our lives. Have a great day!
Happy Birthday! Turning 40 is wonderful, it is freeing, liberating, amazing, full of chocolate ( don’t worry about weight), the baggers at the grocery store call you mame and offer to help you to your car ( which really is a good thing cause who wants to haul all that shit 4 times), but most of all you can say exactly what you want cause they (younger generation) excuse you because they think you are senile lol. Have a wonderful day and eat cake and smile cause then everyone wonders what you are up too.
OK, must admit I’m a bad friend. Not only do I no longer have people’s birthday’s written down, I’ve been so busy this last week or two I’ve barely (meaning not) gotten to your blog. But we’ve been through this before, unfortunately.
Happy belated. I’ll come back and enter the contest.
oxox
Happy (belated) Birthday!!!
Sagey advice: Be thankful for what you have more than worrying about what you don’t.
What I have to keep reminding myself, but maybe this is still for 30-somethings: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” I hear it in voice.
Oh, Happy Birthday Chris (feeling sheepish for being so totally out of the loop for the last several days *sigh*)
Advice??? Enjoy you; don’t apologize, defend or explain yourself. You’ve earned the right to your own thoughts, feelings and opinions; be confident.
And grin everytime you get carded 🙂
Do not look at others to make you happy. There’s only one person who can make you happy and that is yourself. You have to find happiness within yourself to be able to make others happy too.
and then there’s a few more, but they’re for mothers… neither of us is concerned there are we 🙂
Happy bday, bloggyversary and thanks giving 🙂
Cheers Eva
I hated this piece of advice when i got it… but I think it helps me stay relatively grounded.
There’s a difference between need and want, and you don’t need everything you want.
(as told to me by my mother as I was throwing a temper tantrum about the EZ bake oven that I wanted… when I was 8.)
Happy birthday! You get 2 pieces of advice. Both are from my mom. The first is that “common sense isn’t all that common”. The second she embroidered on a wall hanging for me decades ago, and I still have it hanging in my closet. “After clouds, sunshine.”
Happy (belated) Birthday!! 🙂
Hmmm…as for advice, I’ll go for something I wrote in my weblog a couple of days ago; “Don’t waste a moment of your time worrying about how other people see you, only worry about how YOU see you. All the rest will fall into place.”
Happy Belated birthday! I hope it was a great one.
OK, I have another one.
Go through your mail on a daily basis, this eliminates pesky piles.
Hey! Happy birthday! It was my birthday yesterday, and my sister’s birthday today. I’ve just entered my third decade, so I thought I should drop by and wish a near-birthday twin well! My friend tells me that twenties weren’t so good, thirties were great, but forties are much more fun. So, remember to have fun this decade!
I know I missed the deadline but I won’t miss the opportunity to share my pearl: What doesn’t kill you makes you throw up.
Enjoy and happy birthday. It doesn’t really suck until you get close to the next one. And it goes slow from here to there.
No really.
::snort.::