Wednesday, November 26, 2008

I don't know why so many people close to me have this birthday.

On the road this morning -- hello from Pennsauken, NJ, where Dizzy and I spent the night with my former roommate, Leigh -- and pressed for time, so I'll just say "Happy Birthday" to Chris, Ed, Peggy, Susan and Doyle, four of whom are my blood relatives and all of whom are dear to me.

Do you have these birthday clusters in your life? I have other friends who share birthdays, but this is an extreme case -- helped, of course, by the fact that my sisters Peggy and Susan are twins. It makes me both skeptical about astrology -- because these five people don't have that much in common -- and a little credulous, because what they have in common is their importance to Me (which is all that really matters).

So for all of you today, happy birthday, and here's your birthday horoscope from that paragon of journalistic integrity, the New York Post:

IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY Something you start over the next few months will grow very big, very fast and before you know it you will be a bit of a celebrity. Enjoy the applause and the rewards but don't allow yourself to be distracted. Staying at the top is even harder than getting there.


I am looking forward to knowing so many celebrities in the year ahead.

Five Random Songs

"Volcano," Damien Rice. Wouldn't you expect a song called "Volcano" to be -- well, explosive? I would, too. This song is the opposite.

"Let's Go Away for a While," The Beach Boys. A bonus instrumental track off iTunes' version of Pet Sounds. Lots of vibraphone, which I like.

"To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament," Sufjian Stevens. More instrumental music, off Illinois. Weirdly appropriate, given that our President-Elect is holding his third straight daily press conference on the economy today.

"It's All Been Done," Barenaked Ladies. A collection of pop cliches whose power you cannot deny. You are helpless against the Barenaked Ladies. Just admit it.

"Peron's Latest Flame," Mandy Patinkin and company, from the Evita soundtrack. Did you know that the original title of Evita was Dangerous Jade? It's my favorite line in this song.

8 comments:

Peggy & Scott said...

Thanks for the b-day shout out. The only thing I find myself at the top of lately is my "to-do" list. I hear fame is over rated anyway. See you tomorrow. Tell Chris have a happy day!

Anonymous said...

My mom's birthday was 2/13; mine is 2/9. My therapist/surrogate mom (it's not as dysfunctional as it sounds) is 2/5. Tim's mom's is early Feb, as is one sister. One of my most significant boyfriends (before Tim, naturally) was 2/11.

Aquarians are known for getting along best with other Aquarians. Hmm...

Linda

Ellen Clair Lamb said...

That February week is another one of my own birthday clusters: two of my best friends from high school are 2/6 (Laura) and 2/12 (Adrienne), you're 2/9, my friend Buz is 2/10, my brother James is 2/13, and Eileen, one of my best friends from college, is 2/14.

I have another birthday cluster the third week of April, and one more the end of May/beginning of June. Weird.

Anonymous said...

The end of May was big in our family. The 22nd has my sister, my cousin and his son, and a stepcousin, my grandmother on the 25th, then another cousin on the 31st.

July is a crazy month too. We have my cousin's anniversary on the 1st, birthdays on the 12th (grandma), the 14th (cousin), the 16 (uncle), my parent's anniversary on the 22nd, and then my mom's birthday on the 29th. Add in the 4th of July and we pretty much spend the whole month celebrating.

After all that, I'm happy to be the only August birthday.

Jen Jordan said...

I was rather obsessed with Damien Rice when that album first came out. Couldn't get to a damn show because they all sold out. Got a bootleg of him playing on his birthday - he was quite polluted.

Yep.

Karen Olson said...

We've got an October cluster: my husband is the 4th, my dad the 6th, my brother in law the 15th, my sister the 18th, my niece the 20th and my mom the 31st. And I've got two friends with birthdays in October as well. It's like Christmas.

Anonymous said...

It is January for me. Mom 1/23, sister 1/23/ daughter of sister (niece) 1/19, Sarah 1/25, Sam
Sarah's husband 1/26, Gracie
Maroon (gd) 1/20 and Mara McClung(gd) 1/26 Grandpa Gawne was 1/29 and then into February with Kathleen 2/14 and my Dad was 2/16.
James belongs in my group and Mary 11/19 in yours!
Sally

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to all of you! I think you are all wonderful and I am blessed to know you.
Sally