Today I’m doing something a bit different. It’s my birthday month, and as it turns out it’s a lot of other people’s birthday month as well. To celebrate, Stacy Green is hosting a Birthday Book Bash. That’s right, it’s a party, and we’re giving away a Visa gift card, as well as letting you in on a few good books. All you have to do to win the gift card is enter at the end of this post. Stick around, and join me below. You don’t want to miss out on this!
April is a special month for me. Not only is it my birthday month, but it’s my Dad’s, niece’s, cousin’s, nephew’s (well, early May but close enough) and a few good friends birthday month as well. April should be one long, joyous celebration of life. Plus, it’s spring! Warm sun returns, trees grow, flowers bloom, all in time for my birthday. That’s how special I am.
Have you ever noticed that what seems old when you’re young becomes not so old as you get, well, older?
I’m wondering just when “old” happens. What is the magic number? Where is the hidden line that, once crossed, means you are old and there’s simply no getting around it any longer. Is it 70? 80? Will I reach 79 (should I be that lucky) and think 80 ain’t so bad after all?
I’m about to be a number I used to think was amazingly old. Like, near death old. Funny how that perception changes the closer you get to the number you used to think was old. My “old” number keeps going up. I figure after 80 I’ll be unable to re-adjust. Anybody over 80 is just plain old. Right?
When I turned 30, I convinced myself it didn’t matter. I was still young, I told myself. In my prime years. I was just starting to get things figured out, though secretly I still thought I was doing it all wrong. I found the love of my life, I was settled into a career. It was all good. Then those digits crept up, and up, and I found myself cringing when someone would ask my age. New coworkers were an age I could have given birth to. They looked at me like I was too old to be of use anymore. It’s not true, but from their point of view I might as well be put out to pasture.
I’m not even 50 yet.
Notice the use of the word “even”? Because to me, 50 is the new 30, and no matter how old I get, in my head I’m still a confused 20 year old.
Why do we even have to call it “old”? Why not say “I’ve seen 30 years” or something even more futuristic like “I’m 39 revolutions”. I like that. Sounds like I’ve been storming a castle, rather than simply letting time slip by.
What about you? Do you look forward to your birthday? Are they still magical, or are they something you avoid talking about? What’s your favorite year? Let me know in the comments.
As a celebration of birthdays and life, we’ve put together a small blog hop. Each author is featuring a great read, as well as a birthday blog post in celebration of the Birthday Book Blast. There’s debut novels, fantasy worlds, creepy mysteries…everything you need for a few hours of escape and a cure for what ails ya. Visit the blogs, and click the books to read a good story! (Each book is linked to a place to purchase it. Support an author, buy a book today!)
Enter the contest below the book listings. If you don’t see the Rafflecopter widget, simply click the link and it’ll take you right to it. Enter now, the contest ends Sunday!
Blog Hop
Gregory Carrico
Birthday Blog: Missing Child in Gator Infested Swamp. sort of.
Children of the Plague: Can teenage Lanni save her brother, and what’s left of mankind from plague infected mutants in post-apocalyptic Manhattan? $3.99 at Amazon
Catie Rhodes
Birthday Blog: Time’s Ticking Away
Catie’s debut novel, Forever Road, stars Peri Jean, who owes a ghost a favor and must solve a murder to pay it off. $3.99 at Amazon
Julie Day
Birthday Blog: An Aspergirl and Birthday Celebrations, or not
Don’t Get Mad is now available for $1.99 on Smashwords. Book 4 of Geraldine’s Gems romance series. Sandra is sad about her failure of her marriage to control-freak husband, Jim. Until her aunt Geraldine arrives and tells her ‘Don’t Get Mad, Get Even’. So Sandra joins the local gym and meets hunk Troy, and gets fitter and healthier and falls in love. She also gets more confident, and finally stands up to Jim in pubic, and wins.
Kassandra Lamb
Birthday Blog: Of Brothers, Birthdays, and Books!
An Unsaintly Season in St. Augustine, a new novella, is on sale for $.99 at Amazon. And, enjoy Family Fallacies and Celebrity Status for $2.99 at Amazon for a limited time only. Kassandra is a retired psychotherapist turned mystery writer. She writes the Kate Huntington mystery series.
Patricia Sands
Birthday Blog: Look Out! Here Comes Another One!
New release, The Promise of Provence: Is home exchange in the south of France a remedy for heartbreak? $3.99 at Amazon
Stacy Green
Birthday Blog: It’s my birthday, and I’ll cry if I want to!
Stacy’s second novel, TIN GOD, is an Amazon Hot New Release at just $3.99. Black Market Adoption, Two Dead Women, and a Demented Killer. How far would you go to bring justice?
Anna Erishkigal
Birthday Blog: Happy Taxirthday
Sword of the Gods: The Chosen One is available for FREE for all e-readers. At the dawn of time, two ancient adversaries battled for control of Earth. One man rose to stand at humanity’s side. A soldier whose name we still remember today. Visit Anna’s blog for a link to all free downloads!
Oh yeah, and me!
Melinda VanLone
My debut urban fantasy, Stronger Than Magic, is just $2.99 on Amazon. Tarian Xannon fights demons, like the rest of us. This time, just happens to be real.
Old is a state of mind. Did you see the one about the 86 year old gymnast who competed in Germany? Having three kids who compete plus what I do myself, this routine is pretty demanding. Here’s the link if you want a redefinition of deciding for YOURSELF what is young 🙂
OK, I can’t even do most of that stuff now! LOL. Amazing, and kudos to her for not giving in to the “I’m too old for that” mentality. There’s a lot to learn from this woman! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
This really looks nice, Melinda.
As for your post…I feel every minute of my age. I’ve lived life on full throttle, and it’s starting to catch up with me. I find myself having more confidence, more willingness to tell people what I think, and am quicker to declare something not worth my time and move on.
I am fond, however, of telling my husband that youth is wasted on the young. If I had only known when I was 18 what I know now….
I think the same thing! If only….and it’s so funny to look at young people and realize they think YOU are the one full of crap. They don’t know that they don’t know…the scariest part but also the part that lets them venture forth and explore new things.
The age for ‘officially old’ keeps shifting later and later for me. I may be a certain age, but I still think of myself as being about a decade younger… at least mentally! Thanks for this great post!
I also put 33 on any survey that asks for my age 😀
I like that – I think I’m going to start using revolutions! 🙂
hehe. I can’t wait to answer someone that way. “I’ve experienced 33 revolutions.” Just to see them stare at me :-D. (And no, I’m not 33…I just like saying that.)
I’ll never make it to the Olympics but I’m planning on being just as energetic when I’m 86 as that athlete is! I mean, why not? There’s just so much to do on this planet, why should we let the years get in the way? Thanks for the fab banner you made for the bash!
Oh, you’re very welcome 🙂 I won’t be making it to the Olympics either, but maybe I can use this as motivation for dragging my behind to the gym!
Hi Melinda,
Well, before I begin. Let me wish you a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Now you didn’t reveal the date, so I guess that means you get to celebrate each day in April.
When I turned 30, I thought my life was over. When I turned 40, I had a new spring in my step. When I turned 50, I was thrilled that I had an ounce of wisdom to match the gray hairs that popped up like weeds in my garden. And now that I’m almost 54…well, I’m learning to enjoy each moment of every day.
And thank you, Melinda for stopping by my blog today and commenting on Marcy’s wonderful story about Diesel.
Hope you’ll be back.
Tracy 🙂
awww Thanks! It’s coming up fast…way too fast really. 🙂 And Diesel is a cutie. Who can resist a cute kitteh!