For my birthday, all I ever really want is a surprise in a pretty package with a nice bow. A Playstation would be cool, but I'm easy to please.

probably because sad pathetic little me got absolutely jack and shit for her birthday last week

My birthday/anniversary is very soon, but I think a CD, a book, or a DVD will do me.

A new goat. My old one is on the fritz.

Happy Belated Birthday, crush-ona.

Actually, I was talking to a friend last night about how we dealt with birthdays when we were kids. I did this heartbreaking ritual involving throwing a tea party for my dolls and stuffed animals alone in my room, rocking in my little rocking chair, and singing "goodbye, five years old, goodbye five years old, goodbye. . .etc." I think I did four five and six like that.

She threw a tantrum on her fourth because she really liked being three.

I think it's time to bring the tantrum thing back. Even though it's still futile, I like the idea of screaming and raging and jumping on my bed to try and freeze my age while time goes on.

Oh, crush, that stinks! I'm so sorry.

Last year, my mother took my sister's family to Hawaii ... on my birthday.

I know, I know: I'm a grown-up, and in fact I threw a nice garden party (emphatically not a birthday party) and had a great time: good friends, good food, good music, and (happily) good weather.

A pound of steamed shrimp, no seasoning at all, and some drawn butter in which to dip & devour.

Speaking of fritz, when my nephew was about 3 he announced to my sister that their TV had fritz on it.

it did rank right up there with worst.birthday.ever; although i did get to spend quality time with very good friends, not even a steeenking card.

My birthday was last week. I got a ukulele instructional DVD, a remote-controlled helicopter (that doesn't work), doughnuts in bed for breakfast, cash from mom, a Dremel saw attachment, a Swedish fire steel, homemade fried chicken and biscuits and gravy for dinner, and a song from my daughter. It was a pretty good one.

Happy belated Mrmoonpie and crush!

I was telling my husband I need more flash in my life. I want a flashy car. My CR-V is so boring and mundane. I want something sporty and fast like an Audi or an Acura. My dark side wants something massive like a Suburban or a Tahoe, but it goes against my sensibilities, and will never happen.

-a new, expensive watch -- need more flash.
-a spa day
-a weekly cleaning service
-send out my laundry for a year
-A 3 day getaway with my husband. Savannah, GA would be ideal. Swank hotel, spa treatments, and fancy dinners a must.

Above list is awfully materialistic. I'll be happy with love and affection, a fistful of handpicked daisies, and a chocolate birthday cake.

Happy belated, crush-onastick and mrmoonpie!

For my birthday I really want a load of new bras. Mine are all old and shabby, and I never get around to buying new ones because as soon as they're on I forget about them.

Also got flowers and candy and a fun day out with my wife and daughter seeing the water-lily festival and a fabulous meal of goat and tongue tacos.

Last year was better, though.

I always ask for computer stuff. Always. This year, though, I think I want some nice girly things... I've just discovered that the original shop (was a homeopathic pharmacy) for this company is quite near my house... they do great on the skindeep ratings for non-toxic, non-harmful, etc., and I hear that they make wonderful things. I'd love to go get a bunch of stuff and not feel guilty, which I always do when I spend money on vanity items.

gaspode, here's an idea: National Wear Your Bra on the Outside Day. If we had this important national holiday, we'd be sure to buy new bras at least once a year.

mrmoonpie's birthday sounds like one I'd have in a dream: ukelele DVDs, fried chicken, and tongue tacos. Mmmm, I was just daydreaming about tongue tacos yesterday, though I almost never eat meat.

Since my mother and my partner have both asked me for a birthday list, I've compiled one:
- a bag of dirt (see above)
- houseplants
- new black cotton tank top
- a cheap bottle of sparkling Shiraz
- a tortilla press

And a birthday dinner planned by someone other than me.

Something wrapped in nice paper with a ribbon on it.

Homegrown flowers.

Homemade cookies.

and probably I wouldn't turn down a surfboard, but they're hundreds, so that just seems greedy.

My worst birthday ever: the last year my husband and I were together he forgot my birthday. He thought it was the following day. Which was his first wife's birthday. And he honestly, truly couldn't understand why I was so upset, after all, he knew it was some wife's birthday, he just got the wrong one, what's the big deal?

My best birthday ever: 2004, in Ohio, my first ever visit to meet George. I'd been there a week and we knew we had something special together. It was Cup Final day, I listened to the game over the internet, my team won. Then George took me off-roading through the woods. He thought I'd bottle out of it, but I loved it, and he was impressed. Then a fantastic dinner and an early night ;-)

I'm not that fussed about birthdays any more. It's good to celebrate them with friends but I don't make a big deal out of them. There's very little I need materially so a cake baked by a friend or a carefully chosen paperback mean more to me than a £50 gift voucher.

I couldn't agree more essexjan. My parents and the rest of the family decided to stop exchanging for Christmas and birthdays a long time ago. It seemed that all we were doing was exchanging gift cards. It was getting silly. We mostly buy what we want, when we want. A wish for a happy birthday and an, "I love you" is all that is needed now on birthdays. We buy for the kids only.

My husband and I still exchange, which is nice. One of my most memorable birthdays is the year my husband and I first started dating. We had only been dating a month or so. I guess he caught on that I liked beauty products. He wrapped a box with Lancome cleanser, Clinique makeup, Estee Lauder perfume, and some other goodies. I thought it was so sweet and brave of him to shop the cosmetic counters.

The setting: In my old town, a few days before my 30th birthday.

J, a casual friend, and I had been trying to schedule an evening at the pub for weeks, and I said offhand, "Is Monday good for you?"

She asked, "Uh, isn't that your birthday? Don't you have something planned?"

I realized with a jolt that yes it was, and no I didn't. All my closest friends and family happened to be out of town, so I had no one to celebrate with. I said, "Hey, it is --- but let's just have a drink! That'd be fun!" We agreed that we'd each mention the night out (but not the birthday) to a few friends, too.

Over the course of the evening, three or four dozen people showed up, some with tiny gifts --- trinkets, sweets, cards, homemade food --- and at the peak of the evening, our bartender (a casual friend and a major crush of mine) came out with the enormous cake my bakery-working friends had provided, decorated with plastic bugs and toy nuns and squeezable rubber frogs.

J had mentioned the plans to a dozen or so friends, who had passed the word around. She admitted to being astonished by the turnout. I was surrounded with friends on my 30th birthday, and I'm tearing up just thinking of it.

A new goat. My old one is on the fritz.

Oh Fritz, you crazy old goat f--er!

Birthday story self-link.

I'd be delighted to get the same as I got last year: a bottle of my favourite scotch, which I savoured, one tiny dram at a time, over the next three months.

My mom forgot to call on my birthday this year. She did call the day after, and gave me a check about ten days before when we were visiting up in Connecticut. Last year she called a day early and sang "Happy Birthday" into the phone; it was mildly surreal. She's 92.

Next year I'd like to spend my birthday topless on a barstool in Key West next to naked Jon with a Rum Runner in my hand.

Switch that around and you got a party:

"...on a barstool in Key West next to a rum runner with a naked Jon in my hand."

Happy birthday, indeed!

Now that's a birthday, indeed! ; )

(where's my paper hat?!)

My birthday is soon. Last year I wanted a party and I gave myself one, which was great. I also got a grat bunch of yellow roses from my parents, which they tend to send. My best friend took me out for afternoon margaritas, shrimp, and beach walks. It was kind of a perfect birthday.

I love gifts a lot, both giving and getting, but lately I feel funny about them. The things I really want are so big and expensive (a house, graduate school, no more debt) that a few books or CDs seem like a silly indulgence. I actually am resisting new books right now anyway - there are about 20 at home that I've acuired and have yet to read.

But there are things I covet. Like, I really want one of those doohickies that would let me play my Shuffle through the car radio. I'd love some new earrings and some surfer-girl clothes. I'd like to go out to dinner at a decent but not stuffy restaurant. I'd like an ice cream cake, with crunchies. I'd like more original art, small pieces like photographs or small paintings or handmade things.


The main thing I want is time. Unbroken, unstructured, unpressured, peaceful, quiet, self-directed time.

Most of the time I like living alone, and I don't mind being a plane trip away from the people I'm close to -- all the more stories to swap.

But there are times when it isn't optimal, like when I come back home after a trip, or on my birthday. It's been a few years since anyone in geographical space did some nice thing for me, live and in person, on the actual day. That'd be lovely.

Miko, as I added my birthday to the wiki, I discovered that it's yours, too!

$20,000 so I can pay off all my debt and have some leftover for savings.

Okay, if we're being realistic, a Nintendo Wii.

My b-day was July 1st, so I have almost a year to wait.

I didn't really want anything for my birthday... I mean, nothing realistic. An end to debt would have been nice, but hey...
I went out with my friends the night before, the day of a bunch of us got a ton of food from all my favorite local restaurants, and we watched hours of simpsons and doctor who episodes while drinking. It was a good time.

Wow, Elsa! Somehow I am not surprised, though. :)