Friday, November 14, 2008

Early Happy Birthday to me: a photo montage

Welcome to my party. I have brought some photos together. They aren't necessarily in any order.
This is me, at 19, riding a bike. I taught myself (again) how to ride in a nearby parking lot. This is on a field trip outside Vienna, Austria. This is one of my favorite pictures because it is me triumphing over something that dogged me for some time. I'm riding a bike!!

These are the fountains outside the Cheesecake Factory at the Southside Works, a shopping area that used to be a steel works. These two pictures are from May of 2006. For a while, I had a standing date: church, in the morning, then lunch at Cheesecake Factory, then a movie and a walk around.
This sign was speaking my language.

This rock was outside a store in Ft. Ligonier, one of my favorite small shopping towns.

This rose was on the table at what I thought was my sister's graduation party. Turned out, it was a graduation party for all three of us, my brother who had graduated in December, my graduation from Library School the previous year. (I don't have the years straight, for when my brother graduated.) I got $50 from the neighbors! It was a very fun party, with all my parent's friends who are by default mine.

My good friend Babelbabe took this picture. I no longer own the skirt or the shirt, but the attitude, the purse, they are still mine. I love this picture. It's from June of 2006.

This is also from 2006. Apparently it was a banner year. This picture was my Facebook profile for a long time. This was a day when I helped out at the Union Project and got a tulip painted on my face. Red tulips are my favorite.

These shoes are from this August, that is 2008. And that's a good place to end. Thanks for sharing these moments in time with me.

I can't wait to see what poems or quotes or book recommendations you have for me.

11 comments:

Badger said...

Happy birthday! I hope I'm not late; I overslept a bit this morning.

First, a quote:
"Age is of no importance unless you are a cheese." -- Billie Burke.

And now, a book rec (or two): If you haven't read Madeleine L'Engle's A Ring of Endless Light, you MUST! And if you have, then I recommend Amanda Eyre Ward's How To Be Lost.

And now, a poem!

They tell me that euphoria is the feeling of feeling wonderful,
well, today I feel euphorian,
Today I have the agility of a Greek god and the appetitite of a
Victorian.
Yes, today I may even go forth without my galoshes,
Today I am a swashbuckler, would anybody like me to buckle
any swashes?
This is my euphorian day,
I will ring welkins and before anybody answers I will run away.
I will tame me a caribou
And bedeck it with marabou.
I will pen me my memoirs.
Ah youth, youth! What euphorian days them was!
I wasn't much of a hand for the boudoirs,
I was generally to be found where the food was.
Does anybody want any flotsam?
I've gotsam.
Does anybody want any jetsam?
I can getsam.
I can play chopsticks on the Wurlitzer,
I can speak Portuguese like a Berlitzer.
I can don or doff my shoes without tying or untying the laces because
I am wearing moccasins,
And I practically know the difference between serums and antitoccasins.
Kind people, don't think me purse-proud, don't set me down as
vainglorious,
I'm just a little euphorious.

- Ogden Nash

I hope you have a euphoric day, dear SL!

Sarah Louise said...

oooh, what a fun poem. I've actually read BOTH of those books, which just goes to show we both have excellent taste.

And no, you're not late, you're the first one here!

xo,
SL

Dani said...

Happy Almost-Your-Birthday! :)

I've come with some calorie-free cyber cupcakes in lieu of book stuff. Cuz if it isn't online, I don't read it any more. ;)

Pictures! Of YOU! A face! OMG!

And now, a birthday poem:

Birthday Blessings

Instead of counting candles,
Or tallying the years,
Contemplate your blessings,
As your birthday nears.

Consider special people
Who love you, and who care,
And others who’ve enriched your life
Just by being there.

Think about the memories
Passing years can never mar,
Experiences great and small
That have made you who you are.

Another year is a happy gift,
So cut your cake, and say,
"Instead of counting birthdays,
I count blessings every day!"

By Joanna Fuchs

KitchenKiki said...

Happy Birthday! I'm a late comer, I know. I had to go shopping this morning, but that kept getting pushed back.

Your quote:

"To be happy, you must have taken the measure of your powers, tasted the fruits of your passion and learned your place in the world"
George Santayana

I'm not sure why that appeals to me so, but I know that I have an ongoing search for my place in the world.

Hugs to you!

PS. Thanksgiving is on at my house. Am going to call your folks after I start dinner. The Girl is hoping that Bird can join us.

Sarah Louise said...

Thank you all!

@dani--ha! I forgot you hadn't seen a picture of me. I do post them occasionally. Thanks for the cyber-cupcakes, nom, nom, nom. I like the poem too.

@Kiki--woot! I'll send you an email about Turkey day.

xo,
SL

Erin said...

Happy Birthday!! :)
It's still Saturday...

How about a song? I'm in love with this tune from Bono and the New Voices of Freedom just now. May the joy in this video... the love and respect... be the mark of your your year. May you find peace and rest and beauty in abundance.

http://u2sermons.blogspot.com/2008/11/youtube-r-outtake-with-new-voices-of.html

xo

Elan Morgan said...

I'm sorry that I'm so late.
Happy belated birthday!

bibliophile81 said...

Happy Birthday!

I'm always late, but I think this sets a new record.

Now, let's see; you asked for book recommendations and quotes... I have both!

I'm not sure yet what you really like to read, so I'm just going to throw out a few authors: Haven Kimmel (but DO NOT start with Iodine), Sarah Addison Allen & Patricia Wood, who only has one book so far-- Lottery.

Now quotes:
John A. Wheeler is physicist, but I believe this applies to library work as well.

"If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day."

:)

Sarah Louise said...

@schmutzie and @bibliophile81: Thank you for stopping by! You are not late, that's the great thing about a virtual party. Plus, I always have my party two weeks before my actual birthday because who has a party the week of Thanksgiving? I don't plan to share the attention with a turkey!!

xo,
SL

Holly said...

Oh, what fun this post is. :) Happy Birthday to you, Mme. Sarah Louise!

My offerings:

"Don't for heaven's sake, be afraid of talking nonsense! But you must pay attention to your nonsense."
-Ludwig Wittgenstein

I love the permission that he grants there! The freedom to talk nonsense is one of my favorite liberties. I hope you enjoy exercising it too. :)

And I'm going to recommend Honeymoon in Purdah, by Alison Wearing. It is by far the most beautiful specimen of travel lit. I have read, and certainly one of my favorite books.

I hope your actual birthday and your non-virtual celebrations are lovely, SL!

~ej said...

happy belated birthday....great photos! :) love your pink sneaks....