April 10

So it’s my birthday next Thursday and I was musing about birthdays and their meanings, both to the birthday boy/girl and to other people. People are supposed to celebrate your birthday because they are glad you had a birth. But why do we celebrate our own birthdays? For the same reason, obviously, but also I think we should recognize WHY we’re glad we had a birth and cast some appreciate on the things that make life good, despite how bad it can be or seem sometimes. Some people only give thanks on Thanksgiving, but I think our birthdays should definitely be days of reflection on the goodness of life and all that’s in it.

So without further adieu, here is:

Sarah’s Fantastic Stupendous 26th Birthday List of Things I am Grateful For
1) The required number one entry- my family and friends
2) Coffee. And it is a close second, let me tell you
3) Myspace
4) Wine
5) 24 hour delis
6) 24 hour anything
7) Postsecret.com for making me feel good that I’m not the only one who feels those ways sometimes
8) The fact that I can send stuff from my computer to the copier to print so I actually have to get up to get it and pass by my boss’s office so I look busy
9) Mojitos
10) Neatorama.com
11) T.S. Eliot
12) AMNY (when reading Eliot is too daunting in the morning)
13) People who appreciate my loud laugh
14) People who don’t appreciate it but don’t shush me
15) The Opera
16) Free wireless internet (although I think it gave me a virus)
17) When my co-workers slack off and/or mess up and I look good. (this isn’t mean- you know you do it, too)
18) Guys who give me their seat on the subway. I don’t need it, but it’s so nice to know that chivalry isn’t dead.
19) The fact that my parents taught me to give my seat up to people who need it and not to be selfish
20) That I’ve made it on my own since the age of 21 without ever balancing a check book and my credit card has never been declined.
21) People who give you the benefit of the doubt even when you don’t deserve it
22) People who give you the benefit of the doubt when you DO deserve it
23) Nice cab drivers
24) Hygienic cab drivers
25) Oral contraceptives (this is not related to 24)
26) When my boss calls me into his office and doesn’t fire me. (I hate the "come to my office, please" call- don’t you?)
27) People who understand when it’s time to end a conversation/phone call/handshake/joke
28) People who remember what you’ve told them. Ok little things get forgotten but when I’ve told you at least 10 times that I live in Harlem and you still for some reason ask me all the time how Williamsburg is, it bugs me (it’s in a whole other borough!)
29) People who remember birthdays
30) People who enquire about my family, even if they’ve never met them
31) Strawberry (both the store and the fruit)
32) Esprit (although I can’t afford to shop there anymore)
33) The fact that I have a guy who, when I ask "what have you done for me lately?" could honestly say "Bloody hell, Sarah, I’m still here, aren’t I?", but doesn’t. J
34) Bruce Willis movies
35) Birds (ok that’s a bit sappy, but I like the sound of birds)
36) NYC Transit. (people complain, but it’s still better, faster and cheaper than driving…)
37) Mp3 players
38) Diet Mountain Dew
39) British Air
40) The little tea sandwiches and free wine they serve you on BA
41) Northwest Air (the only airline that flies to ND)
42) The fact that even though you have to pay for it, they do have alcohol on Northwest
43) The fact that I can count to 10 in Spanish because of Sesame Street and I think I’m really cool because of that fact
44) Walt Disney
45) Mr. Phone II
46) Second chances
47) Third chances
48) Daffodils
49) My red coat
50) The fact that I don’t want kids and that’s ok. And don’t tell me it’s my duty as a human, I didn’t sign any contract when I was conceived.
51) Guys who can fix my computer
52) Guys who can fix anything (men look sexy when they fix stuff)
53) Compliments
54) Mozart
55) Britain
56) Fireplaces
57) My grandparents
58) People whose smiles make me smile
59) North Dakota (it’s really not that bad. It’s great for completely relaxing and decompressing, especially when you live in NYC)
60) Darryl and George and Darryl’s brother Leroy who drove me up to Washington Heights in a prison bus to get my stuff out of crazy roommate’s house
61) Tourists who ask me directions because I like being able to show them that New Yorkers can be nice
62) Good things that come out of really shitty situations (and no I’m not talking about lessons learned/experience, I’m talking about actual good things)
63) Mae West quotes
64) Britpop
65) The fact that despite all odds, I’ve gotten into 3 good colleges. Don’t ask me how the hell I’ve done that..
66) Screen doors
67) Butterflies
68) Beer
69) Hotdogs
70) Treadmills
71) George Carlin
72) People who recognize the fact that just because you have a different opinion, it doesn’t make anyone right or wrong, just different.
73) Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
74) People who actually help you when you drop something/trip/get hit by a bus
75) Sushi
76) When neither of my bosses are here
77) When they’re both here but they leave me alone
78) DC
79) TurboTax
And finally-(I’ll stop at 80..)
80) Yankee games

So even if it isn’t your birthday, what are YOU grateful for? Take the time to think of 10 things. If any of them include people- tell them. It’ll make their day. And if it includes me, then you’re more awesome than I thought. xo