Sunday, August 17, 2008

50 - 1 ... Do the Math



Today I am 49, one year short of 50 and I am way okay with it. Happy, Happy birthday to me!!
To some getting older is depressing, but I think I am aging well (thank's to my natural Botox... fat)

I do have crows feet, but I consider those wisdom lines. I also have big ole' laugh lines, but I celebrate those because it means I have found joy in life and have smiled and laughed a lot. My double chin shows that we have always had plenty, for which I am grateful. In the next 50 years I will have grandchildren and great grandchildren, that's a huge bonus for aging!

No, getting closer to 50 is really wonderful, I am excited for the adventure.

I thought I would do a post on 49 wonderful things about me, or 49 things you don't know about me, or 49 of my dreams...to be honest, I couldn't think of 49 of any of those~I can't do one with pictures from each year because this is the one and only picture of me as a child. SO... I am celebrating finishing out the first 1/2 century of my life with a nostalgic look at what happened in the world my first 49 years.

People I share a birthday with...
Robert DeNiro
Mae West
Sean Penn
Davy Crockett
Julie Schindler---my sister friend

Denae (D-Dawg) Harlow

In the past 49 years....


Prices have gone up a bit
America landed a man on the moon
Racial Desegregation in the schools



Color TV
The median family income in 1959 was $5,400, now it is $64,000.
A gallon of gas in 1977 (when I got my first car) was $.88
Woodstock
Vietnam
The Cold War
The Berlin Wall falls, November 9, 1989
Summer of Love, the Beatles, Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, The Who, The Clash, Jay-Z
Birth control pills
The first heart transplant
Betamax and VHS and now, DVD's
Apple computers, PC's
The Internet (thank you Al Gore)

Watergate
Vietnam
West Point admits women, 1976
Three Mile Island Nuclear disaster, Chernobyl
Monday Night Football, ESPN, HBO
First black fashion model on Vogue Magazine's cover, 1974
Walkman, now I-Pod
Cellular telephones
Satellite and Digital TV
Seven Prophets
Pac-Man ignites the video game craze, Nintendo, Wii, X-Box to follow
Prince Charles & Lady Diana Wed, so do Luke and Laura and Byron and Jeni
The Equal Rights Amendment
Roe vs Wade

Bell Bottoms, Dittos, mini, midi, maxi dresses, Spandex, platform shoes, daisy dukes
Flashdance, Grease, The Graduate, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, American Graffitti,
AIDS
Cabbage Patch Dolls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, My little Pony


Drugs, once taboo, become fashionable
Valium, Prozac and Effexor (the happy little pills for women)

Cassette tapes, 8-track tapes, CD's and now, i-Tunes
The Human Genome project
The Soviet Union, once the largest country, splits apart into over 30 separate countries.
Sandra Day O'Connor becomes the first woman Supreme Court Justice
Priesthood blessings extended to all worthy men
I love Lucy, M*A*S*H, Miami Vice, Dallas, Cheers, Fr
iends, Oprah
Dolly the sheep, the first successful cloning
The Impeachment of President Clinto
n
9/11, the attack on the Trade Towers, an attack on America
Red Sox FINALLY win a World Series
MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Blogger explosion

On Line Shopping, World Wide Web
First black Presidential nominee

What a spectacular time to be alive and to see the changes in the world and in the culture of the world! I'm excited for my 50th year celebration...kind of like Disneyland's, it's going to last all year.
I hope Byron got the fireworks ordered.


23 comments:

Paige said...

Happy Birthday! Where was the birthday countdown? What about your birthday week? You need some serious celebration here.

I'll post 4 + 9 things about you:

1. You are extremely generous (with your pool, your food, your time, your resources, etc.), You remembered that my adorable Bea loved the Wizard of Oz and let me win a contest so you could give her Wizard presents! And you barely knew us.
2. You always look cute.
3. You can laugh at yourself
4. You are a saint b/c you: teach seminary.
PLUS
1. And work full time.
2. And manage to parent 5 very different children
3. You can have fun anywhere, anytime.
4. You have one of the best attitudes about life than anyone I know, because your life has been HARD.
5. Even though some are naughty/difficult/annoying at times, you truly appreciate each of your children and love them no matter what.
6. You willingly admit your weakness, and don't try to cover/hide them. People love you because of your genuine-ness (is that a word?)
7. You have serious talent- cooking, sewing, basically anything creative.
8. Even though you just planned and executed the wedding of the year, you were able to enjoy it!
9. You are going to be a fantastic grandma.

Robin said...

Happy Birthday! I'll be joining you in 5 years. You have a wonderful blog!

Annemarie said...

Happy Happy Day!!!!!

Untypically Jia said...

Happy Birthday! The world has accomplished much in your 49 years . . . I would totally take credit for it if I were you!

Hazen5 said...

Happy Birthday my Dearest Friend!!! I can't believe how much your picture as a child looks like Lauren (it could be her baby picture)! I wish I could be with you to celebrate. How about NYC for your big 5-0 for next year!? I love you and admire everything about you- You will always be my MENTOR! It's your day girl, Have fun!

Tristan said...

Happy Birthday Jeni!! I hope that you have a great birthday, because you deserve it! I have grown to admire and look up to you so much as I have gotten to know you more and more! Have a fabulous 49!

Celia Fae said...

Today I was walking through the foyer and I heard your voice over the speakers. What the heck? What kind of joke is that to make you give a talk on your birthday?

I can think of 49 things but I'm not as good as Paige. She wins the prize.

Happy birthday! I hope it is a good one.

heidiram said...

Happy Birthday!

Rochelleht said...

Yeah you! Congratulations and happy birthday. What a great post. Amazing how much the world changes in such a short time. I LOVE getting older.

Jen said...

Happy happy birthday, Jeni dear!

I admire you for your strength and ability to be positive, no matter what the situation may be. Hope you had a great b-day!

Jake said...

Happy Birthday, Jeni! Although I haven't known you long, I can tell that you have lived one amazing life.

If you come to NYC for your 50th, I will meet you for lunch!

Have a great day. So glad you are blogging, because I have learned so much from you...Love, Gabi

Lauren in GA said...

Happy, Happy Birthday!!!!!

I loved this post!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! I think it is great that you are feeling so good about turning 50. Since I am so much older than you; I can attest to the fact that being 50 is great! You got it right.....the grandkids are the bonus of growing older.....hope you have (had) a great birthday.....

Jessica said...

I've been catching up on posts (after Girls camp, etc.) and yours are all so fun. You truly have one of the most entertaining blogs out there.

You know why I'm glad you are 49? Because you have an extra 15 years of wisdom to share with me. Thanks for being out in blog land! Happy Birthday!

Ilene said...

Happy Birthday!

I can't believe your daughter's "Wedding of the half-century" wasn't included in the list!

Lauralee said...

Happy Birthday.. I loved reading paige's comment.. so sweet..
you have done a lot in the last 49 years.. and you are such a wonderful and fun person!
hope your day was fabulous.. and hope your week is too!
Happy DAY!

Lauralee said...

Happy Birthday.. I loved reading paige's comment.. so sweet..
you have done a lot in the last 49 years.. and you are such a wonderful and fun person!
hope your day was fabulous.. and hope your week is too!
Happy DAY!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
the wrath of khandrea said...

ahhh... pacman and birthcontrol. both have made my life worth living.

why do you have me listed as the superhero? i don't get it.

i think you have a great attitude. i feel the same way you do. every laugh line is worth having, because there are plenty of times when there's nothing to laugh about. they are a good reminder.

i like you. happy birthday girlfriend.

Kim Walus said...

Paige put it so eloquently, thanks!

I to want to add my name to the list of birthday well wishers!! Maybe I can talk Mark into letting me meet you in NYC too for the big 50!

I'm just a year behind and I think we're going to celebrate in Disney World.

diane said...

Happy Birthday! Thanks for the walk down memory lane. I wore maxi's and midi's. You are fabulous!

Margaret said...

Jenibelle Happy Birthday!

I was out of town for a week and you have been a busy blogger. I have some catching up to do.

I was laughing so much when I read your comment on Celia Fae's blog about her church speaker post. OhMYbrilliant!

I couldn't be that funny in a poem if I tried. Good job girl!

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