This is Worthwhile: 9/3/75

How many times have I uttered those numbers? 9, 3, 75. They're my bar code. My brand. They're, essentially, ME, in some weird we're-all-registered-somehow way. They're special, damnit!

Charlie Sheen can even attest to the specialness of September 3rd. So can Fritz Pregl. And, surprisingly enough, so can two of my blogging friends, Loukia and Elisa. I mean, what are the freaking odds that there would be THREE of us that know each other that share September 3rd as our most special of days? I'd have to say, "Not very likely."

While loving my numbers and my day, when it's actually here I'm always a little nervous. We all have birthdays so I don't think I have to explain this other than to say there was a time in my life, a very impressionable time, when I had no friends whatsoever and my mother had to scrounge up anyone to come to a birthday party once. It was heartbreaking. Flash forward several years and I've had some extraordinary birthdays and some pretty blah ones, but the nervousness is still there. Maybe it always will be. I dunno.

This year, the birthday plan is as follows:
Birthday breakfast at my moms a la my step-dad (sweet, right??).
9:15 am chiropractic appointment because my sciatic nerve has decided to hold my right buttcheek hostage.
Post-appointment, who knows?? Terry offered to watch Hollis for a couple of hours so I could fart around, but I really don't know what I'll do with myself.
Dinner plans include dinner a la Anthony. I'm thinking ribeye since it's what I'm craving.

Friday morning I'm meeting a friend for birthday coffee since she insisted we do something (so nice of her!).

Saturday night Anthony and I are having a date night at a James Beard-nominated sushi restaurant (the only Beard-nominated restaurant in Austin that I know of).

And that's it. Nice, and low key. I'm really looking forward to it all (especially considering I had my Worst Day As A Mother Ever today - I don't think anyone even needs to hear what happened, suffice it to say I lost my shit completely).

So, without further ado, here are some birthday tidbits to be shared with one and all:

Reason I'm thankful to be another year older: Most simply, because I won't ever repeat the same mistakes I have in the past year. The two biggest being not taking care of my health and painting myself in a "mommy corner." I've started working out regularly and I now realize, with blaring clarity, the error of my "I am an island" ways.

Best birthday memory: If I actually remembered it, I'd say the birth of my little sister. I was three years and one day old. Sadly, I only remember the photos. A birthday I do remember is when I turned 13. I rode every weekend in Napa at Wild Horse Valley Ranch and Piper, my trainer and mentor, gave me a present. I couldn't believe it. She was 23 or so and just the coolest chick you'd ever want to know. I had no idea she even knew it was my birthday, so when she gave me the wrapped box I was over the moon. It was a pink, flowery jewelry box. My first ever. Her card said something to the effect of, "Now you're a teeny-bopper!!" I had that jewelry box for almost 20 years before I decided another little girl needed it.

Reason I like the day/month I was born: I was born on a Wednesday, technically, and to this day it's my favorite day of the week. Also, the number 3 is just cool and September is one of those cool months that has a rhyme about it. Nothing not to like! AND it's the day before my sister's birthday; cool factor doubles because of that.

Why I hate my birthday (sometimes): It's usually around the Labor Day holiday and no matter how far in advance I try to pin my friends down to do something birthday related it inevitably means everyone's out of town. Also, I'm a sensitive mother fucker. I'm easy going, but not laid back, and so I like to have done for me what I do for others. You can say you'd like to take me out to dinner sometime for my birthday and that's cool, but missing it all together or not doing what I did for you stings. At least, it used to. Until recently, like the last 6 or 7 years, I did way too much for my friends... like crazy-girlfriend too much and so no one could ever really reciprocate in kind (especially if they were a healthy, balanced individual). So, I was always "let down." The past decade has taught me restraint and given me truckloads of perspective so I no longer expect anything except my own reflection and that really works for me and makes my birthday a happier day.

So, there you have it. September 3rd and me.

If you want to kill a few more minutes, check out these cool birthday sites. This one starts off with September 3rd, 1939 being the day Britain and France declare war on Germany. And this one goes back to September 3rd, 36 BC - That's right, BC - where in the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, admiral Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompeius, son of Pompey, thus ending Pompeian resistance to the Second Triumvirate. Naturally!

So, today is just your average Thursday, but to me, it's my special day.