Happy Birthday to Me


Today is my 39th birthday. I enter my 40th year with a new vision and a clarity I've rarely experienced. I can honestly say that I have never felt as good as I do today, 10th June 2004. The main reason is this.. after 15 years, of which a large latter proportion were spent unhappily, I find myself single again (the first birthday I've had single since 1989) and I'm enjoying the liberation. That in itself is no reason, but I have had the support of my friends and family throughout this period. They saw me through the shock, the confusion, the anger, the regret and now they are all cheering for me from the touchline as brush myself down and head off to seek my dreams. Today I've received countless messages, e-mails, txt's and well wishes. This is a first for me and largely due to the fact that after one particularly life changing event, that ended 16 months ago, I realised I had to change.

This last year I've learnt
1. Always find time to see your friends and family... no more excuses
2. Seize the opportunity to travel, its a small world, full of interesting people
3. Order something different off the menu, you may like it
4. Big risks are worth taking, if the goal demands
5. Life is too short to eat bad steak, drink bad red wine (or bad champagne) and to accept compromise.
6. The only thing you can shape is the future
7. Be patient, there is nothing to say things have to occur at your pace.
8. If you can afford it, buy the best, quality beats quantity everytime
9. Laugh Loud, Laugh Hard
10. Play music loud, dance to it, don't care if you look an idiot
11. Try a different radio station, with different music at least once a week
12. Go to that gallery you've always promised to visit
13. Don't be afraid of the Number 13
14. Read.
15. Write
16. and lastly... In hell there will be accordion music... and celery, and Chris de Burgh, and Sarah Kennedy.

Thank you my friends. You know who you are.