I have a weird thing about my birthday.
Because I want to be the kind of person who doesn’t care about her birthday, doesn’t mind when friends don’t call or email to wish me a happy one, doesn’t even notice when there are no gifts of Macbooks and jewels, but I’m not.
I think it’s because I’m not a liar and am in touch with my feelings. And a tiny bit shallow.
I want cake. I want champagne. I want to, as an adult, to feel like it’s okay to celebrate my birthday.
Because I know too many people who don’t have birthdays anymore. You know, because they’re dead.
I’ll never lie about my age and I’ll never feel uncomfortable telling people my age.
This Thursday, I’ll be 44. Which is Methuselah in mommy-blogger years.
But I choose to look on the bright side. Why, 44 is hardly old enough to be Hugh Hefner’s mother-in-law!
And this is the part that you knew was coming.
I want something from you.
I’m trying to get the courage to do something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It’s something for me only, to the exclusion of everyone else, including my family. Especially my family. And as a birthday gift, I need you to give me a nudge. Not by a “you can do it!” comment, but by showing me.
Between today and Thursday (reminder: MY BIRTHDAY), please do something that is for you only. Not for your child. Or your spouse, or your partner, or the cat. You and you alone. Completely selfish. Indulgent.
And then leave me a comment telling me about it.
Because maybe that will give me strength to do what I want to do for myself.
You can’t refuse me. It’s my birthweek.
{ 78 comments… read them below or add one }
HAPPY ALMOST BIRTHDAY MARINKA!
Ok, fine. My gift to you…I joined Weight Watchers about two weeks ago. Today, I will sit at lunch (tomorrow is our first meeting at work for WW) and talk to the other woman that is joining with me. Not just chat, but I will tell her about fears of my health and my fears of all the things that my now out of porportion body is doing.
That may not seem like something, but I don’t talk to my friends about this stuff. Ever. I only joke about my weight and never express my fears of what I have done to myself.
My friend that is joining with me is amazing…and I know that she will be one of the best encourage-ers ever!
And if I can think of anything else awesome to do for me, I will letcha know! 🙂
Good for you! Good luck with Weight Watchers. They have great snacks.
i got a mammogram today. i had breast cancer and it was clear! yay me!
happy birthday honey.
smiles, bee
xxoxoxoxoox
Congrats on the great news, empress bee! And Happy birthweel, Marinka! I’ll try to honor your request.
That’s the best news! I’m celebrating with you.
pedicures. really good ones, once a month. I leave work and sit in a massage chair for the better part of an hour and then sometimes get a shoulder massage while my freshly painted toesies dry. And sometimes, I don’t go back to work after. I go home and watch TV, and then get the baby from daycare after 5:00, as if I had just put in a full day at work.
And I like it. And I have pink toenails.
Hooray for pedicures and hooky!
Twitter: byklynstacy
March 28, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Oh dear. Well, first, let’s just start with the best part: Happy Birthday Week! Second-best part: I am buying you champagne, for sure.
But I cannot support your good wish–and your good wish is a really good one. Because I am one of those terrible women who does things for me all the time. I work really hard on deadlines, and then I go get a manicure. I get through a difficult meeting with my ex-husband and my son’s teacher, and then I buy a nice Chianti to share with my boyfriend. I get furious at life for being so unforgivably hard sometimes, and then I meditate for a few minutes on the nice ikat cushion I bought for myself to make meditation even more appealing. I still have many regular bouts of self-doubt and self-loathing, but I’m doing my best. So know that I can’t do more for myself in honor of your birthday, but what I want to do is help YOU do what you want to do, whatever it is. Thank you for reminding us all to keep swinging to reach the cheap seats and give life everything we’ve got. Namaste, Miss Marinka. xx
You are lovely. I aspire to be you. But not in a Single White Female way.
Twitter: mommanech
March 28, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Happy birthweek! I desperately hope that I can do this for you, but I’m not sure, because I’m lacking the courage… This may be your birthweek gift to me! I’ll keep you posted…
I hope you can too! (What is it?!)
What a wonderfully awesome idea! But what else would we expect from wonderfully awesome YOU??
I bought myself a gorgeous and phenomenally expensive outfit for a wedding we’re attending this weekend. I NEVER spend big money on clothes for me (since motherhood). Did I say never? Because, NEVER. I usually shop Target or maybe Kohl’s. Don’t laugh. I’ve lost almost 30 pounds in the last 5 months and nothing fits. I had no idea what to wear to this wedding. Shopped at Target & Kohl’s & found nothing that worked or that I felt beautiful in. Happened to go into a small, expensive boutique to pick up a gift, and started browsing their clothes. I found the most perfect outfit that made me feel gorgeous. I haven’t felt gorgeous for…….far too long. I bought the whole outfit, including shrug (what a weird name), shoes, and earrings. Almost fainted while paying for it, and only felt a smidge guilty later. I know it’s just clothes, but feeling beautiful & sexy again, is pretty priceless.
Do something wonderfully indulgent for YOU, too! I can’t wait to read a post about it. Happy, happy birthday week to one of the loveliest, funniest women I (virtually) know. xox
Wow this made me a little sad, because I thought hmm what could I do for myself THIS week and NOTHING and I mean NOTHING came to mind immediately. Ugh. I need to think more – I hate that. Thinking. Ugh.
But you!~ I love this idea! Happy birthweek! Happy Birthday! Happy celebration of you! I may not comment all the time, but I read all the time and just love your blog and am so happy to be bloggy friends with you!
Aww. You’re sweet. For your birthday, I promise to book myself another full body massage becuase I am SORE. And for your birthday, I should mail you those oven mitts I’ve had since before BlogHer, but forgot to bring you…
Twitter: mommyshorts
March 28, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Happy Birthday on Thursday! I am not going to gym today just for you.
I just scheduled a spa pedi for Wednesday and threatened my Mother with bodily harm if she doesn’t show up to sit my daughter. For you, Marinka! 😉
PS: want to choose the polish color?!
First of all: Happy Birthday !!!
I read blogs (including yours) and novels just for my own pleasure. I watch the baby eagle webcam at http://www.wvec.com/marketplace/microsite-content/eagle-cam.html just for my own pleasure. Yesterday, I made chocolate chip cookes just because I wanted them (a bad habit to get into, but OK to do once). I read the comics in the Washington Post every day just because I enjoy them.
Uh, Marinka? Have you just met me?! I do something for myself every single day. It may take 2 minutes it may take a few hours. It may happen coincidentally while my kids are at school and Tony is working, it may not. I explained this to someone the other day, when asked why I spend more on my articles than my kids. For starters, it takes effort to look decent. My kids, and every mother would agree that theirs as well, are flawlessly adorable, with little effort. But mainly, because if I don’t show my kids how to treat to, they would never know. And hopefully grow to do the same for themselves. A bath in complete solitude, a quick (and inexpensive) shoulder massage while my nails dry at the salon or just turning the phone/computer/tv off for a full hour to sleep.
Now, what do I win for being the most self indulgent reader you have?
Twitter: SheSuggests
March 28, 2011 at 5:40 pm
It’s my birthday on Thursday! Aren’t you honored to be sharing your birthweek with moi?
This weekend I finally bought pants that fit, no more of this “I’ have to wait til I lose the baby weight to buy clothes” bullshit…I have finally realized that steadily climbing double digit pant sizes are not as scary as either muffin tops or saggy diaper butt.
Twitter: PhoenixRising73
March 28, 2011 at 6:06 pm
I just made a hair appointment for MYSELF! This is huge because I used to get my hair done all the time. And then I had a baby. And my hubby’s job took a nose dive. And so then I had to decide “diapers? Or hide the grey?” and I *always* picked the diapers. And now I have a lot of grey and hair that’s been ignored for the past 2 years. But I was all “I HAVE to do this for Marinka!” Appointment scheduled for April 6th at 5:30pm. 🙂 I’m so glad it’s your birthday!
Twitter: hokgardner
March 28, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Last year for my birthday, I gave myself the gift of running the NYC Marathon (our medal is still hanging in a prominent place in my living room), and this year I’m giving myself the gift of running the Austin Marathon. Running is the one thing that I do that is purely for me.
And many happy returns on the day.
Good on you! I’ve done two half-marathons now, but am not ready for a full. Maybe someday.
Already you gave yourself a birth’week’ rather than what you started with, which was a birth’day’. That’s a start, but not near good enough. I am giving myself Paris. For a whole week. Without my family. None of us have ever been to Europe, but I am going. Without them. In 34 days.
Twitter: scarymommy
March 28, 2011 at 6:15 pm
For YOU, I shall get a massage this week. I was going to anyway, but now I don’t have to feel all guilty and shit. Thank you. And, happy, happy birthday. I wish I could give you a big, fat birthday hug.
Twitter: noshoppingliz
March 28, 2011 at 6:24 pm
I finally grew enough balls to go back to hometown…so I’m going this week, by myself. I’ll be staying in a hotel by myself, eating by myself, renting a car by myself, driving around and exploring my old neighborhood by myself.
I’m doing this because I want to conquer a past that almost ate me alive. This is just for me. And I’m thrilled beyond words.
Courageous! Good luck and be safe.
Twitter: Goodgirlgonered
March 28, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Sadly, I cannot think of what I can do for myself between today and Thursday. I am home with my daughter each day and not really getting much opportunity for an escape or me-time. But if the weather gets better I promise to take a walk with her and the dog. Maybe more than one. As for just me, I promise to hide upstairs and read a little bit when my husband gets home. I think that can work. But maybe next week I can come up w/something better!
Have a wonderful birthday!
Twitter: Goodgirlgonered
March 28, 2011 at 6:37 pm
Oh, wait! My nails. I can try to polish my nails. Which means I’ll have to do hers, too, but it should at least count as a half-way success, right? 😉
Happy Birthweek Marinka!!! First let me say I LOVE your blog! I have been reading for a little while, but this is my first time commenting… This might not seem like much, but I am getting my hair cut and having a day of shopping with my brothers girlfriend! It’s the first time I will be leaving my 6 month old twins with anyone…
Twitter: NorthWestMommy
March 28, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Well I hope you get spoiled a bit everyday this week and every other. And summon the courage by Thursday to spoil yourself too.
My sons favorite number is 4, so you are getting his dream age this week! Envy of a three year old, enjoy. As for something for myself: I will read your blog. I only started following you a few weeks ago and I have been looking forward to reading your archives. So until Thursday it will be my mission to sit down when the house is quiet and catch up. Kinda freaky maybe, but hey you appreciate honesty?
Twitter: neilochka
March 28, 2011 at 6:54 pm
I’m seeing you.
Twitter: Mamabirddiaries
March 28, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Wow. At first Neil’s comment seemed spooky like he was in your closet but now I realize that u guys have plans to see each other. Phew.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Awesome gift you are giving us.
done.
happy day, my friend.
Twitter: mannahattamamma
March 28, 2011 at 7:37 pm
FORTY-FOUR? Girl, you got nuthin. I see your 44 and raise you. You’re barely even dating 50; I’m totally necking with 50 in the back seat of the chevy. We’ll be going all the way soon. I beat you to the selfish thing except does it count if my selfish thing doesn’t happen until May? Bc in May, I am leaving husband and children and going to San Francisco to visit my oldest friend for FIVE DAYS. Okay, I fly on Monday come home on Friday, but still, that’s five days solo. Flying alone on an airplane? Whooeee. It almost doesn’t matter if I leave the airport. But if it doesn’t count that my selfish is happening in May then in your honor I will this week go to yoga and get a pedicure. And thanks for the permission.
And happy birthday!!
Going to the old neighborhood to reface old fears and failures sounds very therapeutic.
The fact that big majority of the people do not have Birthdays at all is a great observation, knowing that there are much more dead people then ones who are alive.
And, the age, the birthdays, success and failure are illusions only.
Happy Birthday Illusion to come.
And do not be concerned with the number; it is not how long one lives but how.
Twitter: kobiANDlaelsmom
March 28, 2011 at 8:12 pm
Happy Birthday gorgeous! I’m so excited to figure out something to do for myself! Best present ever.
It won’t be by Thursday, so I hope this still counts. I am spending this weekend training to become a Spin instructor. I will be 40 in less than 3 months, and I am doing this because I want to. Not for any other reason. Which makes me just a little crazy 😉 So, on Thursday, I will go to REI and buy all of my protein bars and electrolyte replacers, and dedicate them to YOU!
Happy Birthday Week,
Kelly
In honor of satisfying my own cravings to watch Mildred Pierce – we don’t have HBO – I literally spent 45 minutes searching for ways to watch it for free online. Yes, I’m a cheapskate. And technically challenged. To counteract, I have just started doing yoga, once a week, all by myself and FOR myself. It’s turned into a weekly dose of sanity. I plan to continue. Other than that, I’ll probably cut my toenails.
Twitter: BrittanyVandy
March 28, 2011 at 9:59 pm
I just hired a babysitter for tomorrow afternoon. I have no idea what I will do but it will be all for me and a luxury I have not had in some time. I will feel no guilt and at some point will sing you Happy Birthday. Enjoy!
Twitter: homschlr4ever
March 28, 2011 at 10:11 pm
Happy Birthday, you youngster. You can do what I do and have a birthday week. It’s the only way I get my daughters to actually work. I’ll try and think up something I can do for myself, alone, besides drinking vodka.
Enjoy your day.
Twitter: grandemocha
March 28, 2011 at 10:35 pm
I’m doing my thing on Saturday. Hair cut (it has been 3 months) at 2:30, lets me sleep in, and have jammie time. There will probably be Starbucks. Maybe a bath. I will be kid free all day. I’m so excited! Happy Birthday!
Twitter: gdrpempress
March 28, 2011 at 10:48 pm
We celebrate birthdays, but not numbers. My grandmother said we celebrated the day we were born but nothing else was important.
Just that we were born. She’d say, “This world demanded your presence in it.”
I never got that as a kid.
But she’d say it every year.
And now, I write it in my childrens’ birthday cards every year.
I hope they grow up and automatically hear that phrase in their head, when they celebrate their adult birthdays.
Marinka: Happy Birthday. This world demanded your presence in it.
It’s made a huge difference in my world – Thank you.
It’s my birthweek, too! Today as a matter of fact. I had the loveliest reunion with my best friend from 6th grade–we spent the afternoon on Laguna Beach reminiscing and enjoy majorly delicious food.
Twitter: houseofgirls3
March 28, 2011 at 11:56 pm
Happy happy birthday!! I don’t know why … but your request brought immediate tears. Something for me? The “giving me permission” to think of “myself” was an amazing gesture … and one completely needed for sanity these days.
So this Wednesday I’m going to sit IN Starbucks after I drop the kids off at school. I’m going to savor a triple grande caramel macchiatto. I’m going to people watch (which is quite fun in Newport Beach). And I’m not going to feel guilty. At least for an hour …
Twitter: sellabitmum
March 29, 2011 at 12:01 am
Yay for your birthweek and that now I know there is a blogger who is a year older than me. YAY me – that is what I am giving myself – you, a blogger one year older than me. That totally counts, oui?
Hope your week is fabulous. Go find yourself an older blogger. It really is a great feeling.
Twitter: theflyingchlupa
March 29, 2011 at 12:04 am
Utterly selfless Marinka, and on your birthweek! But like you, I pretend not to care (because that’s the way my husband thinks) when all I want is lavish attention and thoughtful gifts! Is that too damn much to ask for? NO! I’m forwarding this to him.
And yes, I think I can do something for myself. For you.
I really love you, Marinka. You know what’s right.
Today is my first real day off since July or something. No kids. No baby-puke stained shirt. Dangly earrings and long necklaces.
I’m off to Tel Aviv port in half an hour. Going to eat good food not cooked by me, sit on the beach with a book that doesn’t have a single drawing inside, especially of curious little monkeys, might even get a glass of wine.
You totally deserve cake, you awesome woman!!!
I’m back. It was wonderful. I got sun, I got sea, I ate fish for breakfast and for lunch, and I didn’t have to share!
Came home with a copy of “green eggs and ham”. For me, of course 😀
I went shopping by myself on Sunday and bought three new shirts and a pair a jeans. I swear I’m going to prove homeschooling moms are hot and stylish too.
I am printing this post and so that when my husband aks why I bought that Lonchamps bag that I have been coveting I can prove that you forced me.
Happy birthday!
I am going Scrapbooking on Saturday…all day. A sort of Girls Day with a caterer, and a lot of middle aged women playing with paper and old photos.
OK, it’s not white water rafting or curing cancer and some women, smart ones probably, would rather eat sand…but it will be fun, for me.
I will have spent 16 days of the last month keeping a teenager company in hospital as she recovers from serious surgery.
The thing for me is not the scrapbooking….my gift to you is that I will not feel guilty, and that’s a promise.
Happy birthday!…and yes I know Saturday comes after Thursday. So?
Twitter: wendiaarons
March 29, 2011 at 8:41 am
I do lots of things for me, but they’re not always the toughest things. So this week I will spend two hours working on my book. For you.
This past Sunday I ran my second half marathon and knocked 11 minutes off my time. The marathon was at the beach so I went by myself and stayed in a hotel. Running is something I do for myself. It takes time and I feel like that is time stolen from my family, but it is important to me so I do it.
Happy nearly birthday, you beautiful woman with a lovely face/soul. Okay, you’ve inspired me, I think I’m going to get the pedicure today that I’ve been needing since 2009. I’ll let you know if I actually follow through or just decide to wear socks with my sandals for another summer. Love you!
I’ve bought new blinds for the Kitchen and the dinning room. I’ve been wanting them for a couple of years now but hubby would be quite happy to stick old newspapers over the windows. Anyway, they’re bought now so he’s going to have to put them up for me!
Twitter: adhocmom
March 29, 2011 at 10:19 am
I read an entire book yesterday until 3 am. It was fabulous. I’m paying for it now though. I should take a nap…that would also be for me!!
Twitter: adhocmom
March 29, 2011 at 10:20 am
Oh and Happy Birthday!!! Your jewels are in the mail.
Tonight I will push aside the laundry that has been threatening to overtake me unless confronted. I’ll take full advantage of the weather and plant some lovely flowers. Then I’ll get myself lost in the delicious little book I’ve been neglecting. And if the mood strikes? I’ll totally crank up the musica and work on my new salsa/bachata moves.
Happy Birthday!
My birthday was Friday, I changed my name to Cake Hole for the day.
ps: your Dad is freakishly wise 🙂
Well…last week I had liposuction surgery on three areas of my body.
I know, right?!?
Purely selfish and I’m still having a hard time with it. The cost, the recovery, the help I have needed from everyone around me. I have never done anything like this and while I am looking forward to the results, the guilt of doing something selfish is hard to overcome. Good luck with whatever you are contemplating!
Twitter: vboykis
March 29, 2011 at 3:49 pm
I went to McDonald’s on Sunday and ate whatever the fuck I wanted.
S’nastupayeshim 🙂
Twitter: peaceloveguac
March 29, 2011 at 3:52 pm
I sure wish I could get a boob job this week, but crazy logistics and all…
Seriously, I love reading everyone’s inspiring comments. I’m going to schedule a facial and massage. I’ve had a gift certificate for months but haven’t made the time to actually cash it in. Thanks for the nudge.
Happy happy birthday Marinka! I so agree it matters to celebrate. I’m celebrating your birthday with a long-overdue massage, haircut & some new clothes. oh, & maybe an extra cup or 2 of hot chocolate too. I hope you have an amazing week & that you go ahead & jump into whatever it is you’ve been wanting to do (& I hope we get to hear about it too!). L’chaim!
I’m going to get a bikini wax this week. Although… I don’t know if that’s really for me. I’m going for an embryo transplant next week (surrogate pregnancy #3!) and the baby-to-be’s parents will be there and I really don’t think I should subject them to my unspruced-up crotch area. So I guess really the bikini wax is for their benefit. Maybe I’ll get a mani-pedi for myself.
Mine is kind of a weird one…I’m 9 weeks pregnant and have been hit pretty hard by the nausea. I’m more likely to go to bed at 8:00 pm than do anything fun these days, but last night I gave into it instead of trying to push through. I was honest with my husband about not being able to eat what he prepared, instead of trying to nibble a few bites to spare his feelings, and instead of feeding the cat or washing the dishes, I took an extra long shower, and climbed into bed. Any other day I would have felt super guilty about not helping around the house or not being able to connect with my husband. It felt great to ignore the guilt and be completely self-indulgent by watching the Simpsons from my bed.
Happy Birthday!!!
For the record, I absolutely love my birthday—I sing a little song that goes, Birthday, Birthday, Birthday, pay attention to me! and dance around the house. And if I want to drink champagne straight from the bottle while eating cheese-lover’s pizza, I totally do. I am completely self-absorbed for that entire day (ok, fine, week) and I love it. Holidays are for families and togetherness, but my birthday is just for me.
I’ve been painting my nails all sorts of colors. This is a huge thing because it means I have to wear gloves when I garden. And do dishes (or that I actually have to do the dishes). And I have to be alone long enough to not need to pick up a child and mess up the nails. Today my nails are pearl pink. Before that they were bronze (it doesn’t look good on my skin). And before that vampire red, which husband hates but I love, especially with black. A throwback to my NYC days.
Happy Birthday dear!
Twitter: gonnakillhim
March 30, 2011 at 11:44 pm
God, this is a bad week for self-indulgence with the husband out of town. I don’t think you’re too interested in freebasing Caramel Delights in a locked bathroom.
Have a great day, Marinka. And I feel the same way about my birthday – on the surface, it’s “please, ignore this unremarkable day” while inwardly hoping that a ticker tape parade has been organized in a European city.
Let us know what you do! I’ll be thinking of you!
I’ve been doing an energy work seminar that’s supposed to help me find my soul’s purpose. So far all it’s doing is making me want to smack my husband. Hey, maybe I’m on to something!
Oh, and happy birthday!
Twitter: debontherocks
March 31, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I am the poster child for me time. Perhaps because I am older (2 whole years) and wiser than you. It is essential to survival. Also, my children are older. It gets easier.
This weekend after a crazed month of work including 3 business trips, I added a weekend in San Francisco to my stay. I wandered around Chinatown and the Wharf. I ate ridiculously expensive, beautiful food while commanding my children at home to finish up the pasta and apples and whatnot and not to order pizza. I bought books. Made of paper! I bought a rouge-colored pashmina, decided I hated it, and gave it to a homeless man. I ate salted caramel cookies in a hotel bed. I used ALL of the towels. I did not buy my children gifts, but I did supervise their yard work long distance. I taught an airport bartender how to make saki bombs. Using all of HIS towels. That kind of thing.
Happiest of birthdays Marinkita. DO IT!
Happy birthday, Marinkita.
Happy Birthday! In your honor, I will stop waffling and actually take the overnight trip to New Orleans and enjoy. Cheers!
Twitter: Issascrazyworld
April 1, 2011 at 12:41 pm
I’ve been too busy to do anything for myself. However, tomorrow…for you, I will go shoe shopping and get my first pedicure of Spring.
I hope your birthday was wonderful. xoxo
Sorry, Hugh goes after 18 year olds, so at 44 you are way over the age to be their mother (and his MIL)
I just sat in the sunshine and read a book. Quiet time.
It’s my birthweek, too. I turn 35 on Sunday. Not old enough to be Hugh Hefner’s mother in law, either. Huzzah! since it’s my birthweek (I love that we are claiming “weeks” now…) I shall do MANY THINGS for myself. As I usually do. Because I am a selfish bitch.
Read instead of feed the children? Check.
Meditate under steaming hot water while children create crossbows from rubber bands and pencils? (No joke.) Check.
Drink a glass of wine at THREE PM because I damn well feel like it? Check and CHECK.
All for you, Marinka-dinka. Allll for you.
I ordered three shirts from Boden and didn’t even look at Mini-Boden. Does that count?
Twitter: juliryan
April 2, 2011 at 4:52 pm
Happy birthday! 2011 is my year to do more for myself. I hope it is for you too. xx
Twitter: MommysMartini
April 4, 2011 at 7:18 pm
I’m way behind this curve because I was out of town at a conference last week and not reading blogs or anything else social. BUT, even without knowing it, I totally did something for your birthday: got a Big Salon Haircut on Tuesday, with color and highlights and everything. Gorgeous. You’re welcome. 🙂 Also, I love that you are planning a thing just for you. I have found that the thing just for me is the only thing keeping me sane through my own personal mid-life-mini-crisis. It’s ice skating lessons, which I am sure will make you snort with laughter. But I actually love it and am learning how to do jumps and everything. It’s my weekly me time and makes me so much happier, even if I do look silly as a 40-year-old on shiny new skates. I hope you have the courage to pursue yours too! Just do it.
And very very Happy Birthday (a few days late)
On your birthday, I got on a plane and went to Seattle. By myself.
I hope it was good for you.