Post-Birthday

I turned 30 a week ago today and haven't yet reported on how my birthday went!

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I am no longer taking a french course this summer, and therefore had my birthday off from school. I normally would have my Hindi Film (Bollywood) class the next day, a Thursday, but because of the Canada Day holiday, I got it off...and had a nice, 6 day weekend!

One of my gifts was a 'treasure chest' filled, in part, with a gift card for the Sony store to use towards some e-books for my Sony e-book reader, and a card listing the activities we will be enjoying during our mini-break in September! I will talk about budget and planning for that trip on one or some of my Travel Thursday posts. Basically, we will be using up some expiring-soon and other travel points to stay in hotels for free and taking an over-night cruise from Vancouver to Seattle (only 29$ or so!), for a trip to Seattle and down to Portland for a few days. I am so excited, as I had been wanting to go down to Portland for a long time, and I love Seattle.

Since the weather for the entire (mostly) month of June was wretched (muggy and grey), I didn't do much for my birthday outside, like I had wanted to.This picture is from last year, when we went to Victoria, on Vancouver Island (the provincial capital of B.C.) for 2 days.

And I had a picture of the Tardis cake that Greg made me but he made me take it down.

It was a (vegan) Tardis cake made with buttercream frosting, lemon cake and chocolate cake layers. It was delicious! If you don't know, I am a huge Doctor Who (new series, starting in 2005 onwards) fan! No pictures of my birthday party, because I didn't have one. G and I spent the time together and I was served delicious food all weekend!

Golden Birthday & the End of 30th Birthday Month

Today is my golden birthday. That is, I am the same age today as the day of the month that I was born. It means just about as much (to me) as 8/8/88 (for August 8th 1988) or similar, I think.

I've had a lot of fun meeting new people through the 30 days of giveaways and birthday-themed posts. Thank you readers for celebrating my 30th birthday month with me! 

Here is a bad photo from one of my birthdays at my mom's montessori that she owned. I am in the middle with my mom and dad.

A huge thank you to all the wonderful (and talented!!) sponsors who provided items for the giveaways. Many of the giveaways are still up, so if you haven't entered to win, you still have time! Here is the list of sponsors so that you can go visit their shops, and enter their giveaways if they are still up:

• Kimbas Critters (Multimedia Cat Tile ends tonight at midnight 6/30 worldwide)
• Sass & Peril (Choice of Print & Plush Keychain ends 7/1 worldwide)
• Pikithins
• Storm One
• The May Flower (Handmade gift pack with Pikithins and Storm One ends 7/2 worldwide)
• Nevita
• Bhang-Tiez (Handmade gift pack #2 with Nevita ends 7/3 worldwide)
• Spirals (Mother of Pearl Headband ends 7/4 worldwide)
• N.O.W. Creations (Oven Rack Helper ends 7/5 US/Canada - low entries!!!)
• Industrie (Washer Earrings and $5 GC ends 7/6 worldwide)
• Lovegrant (Silver Cuff Bracelet ends 7/6 worldwide)
• Foxes and Robbers (Gift Tags as part of stationary prize pack ends 7/7 worldwide)
• Parami Panda (2 crochet patterns ends 7/8 worldwide)
• Studioahimsa  (Choice between 2 prints ends 7/9 worldwide)

Other amazing sponsors who have also provided items for giveaway:

• Eventually Cottage
• Just Sew Sassy
• Ugabugabowls
• SSheilah
• Sarah Wong Jewelry
• Once Upon a Peony
• Nature Sweetie
• Yanni's Creations
• Cabbing Rough
• Kim Rose
• Pieces of Me Pendants

If you haven't had a chance to read my birthday month posts, here they are:

Milestone Birthdays - What do they Mean?

I tend to regret not doing things. Lately, I have tried to do more in my life and with my time, including celebrating more and more often. . .basically, in order to not let life pass by uneventfully. I don't do these things to please other people, but just for me. Because of this, and because I am trying to be less of a cynic and curmudgeon as I get older, I wanted to celebrate my upcoming 30th birthday this past month. I don't really think that anything will change when I turn 30 tomorrow, but I am interested in life-reflexion. I enjoy looking back and forward twice a year - New Year's Day and mid-year around my birthday. 

 My mom turned 65 this year, which, for those of you who care about 'milestones', is a big milestone. My mom was excited to be able to get senior discounts! :) 

She claimed that she didn't want to do anything for her birthday but I know that she was happy when I said that I was visiting her, flying over for a few days. I gathered a bunch of family members at my uncle's house and tried to throw a nice party. Due to lack of money and the fact that my family isn't into that sort of thing, it ended up being a family gathering with some good food. She told me later how much she loved it and appreciated it. Mostly, I know that I would have felt bad if I hadn't done anything. My brother's 30th birthday was 2 years ago and I couldn't make it out to Calgary. I feel really bad about it. I feel bad that I can't go to Calgary for my own 30th birthday - mostly because I always want to spend my birthday with my family, especially this year. It wouldn't need to be fancy, I would just love to see them (it has been about a year now) for a few days and maybe eat some of my mom's yummy food. . .

I should say that I don't do much of anything for Christmas or Halloween or any other holiday where one would normally feel obligated to celebrate in some way, and sometimes I regret that, too. Am I too boring? Maybe I am just too cheap. Halloween parties and costumes and all that costs money! There are always too many crowds on Canada Day (July 1st), so that is usually out as well. I definitely love to be travelling or at home the most. Tomorrow I will be in French class.

What is your opinion on milestone birthdays and birthdays generally?

30 Life-Changing Moments Part 2

Now to continue with my '30 Life-Changing Moments' series, started here. . .

Party - Purple Themed

I've been asking readers to send me pictures of their ideal birthday party look to fit in with my 30th birthday month theme. Cymbelly's ideal birthday party look is all about the colour purple! She describes it here:
"I love the color purple, so when I get to decorate a place for my 30th birthday party, I'd love to apply these ideas. The food would be light like a refreshing salad for starters, some seafood for the main course like fish fillet or shrimp with pilaf rice, a bit of potato salad, then some taro ice cream or blueberry cheesecake. Grape juice would be great to go with the purple theme." 
Cymbelly, who writes the blog Cazzapoeia,  says that party would be a purple Mardi Gras party - what fun! 

source

source

source

This cake looks too good to eat, don't you think? I think the 3 tiers would be perfect for someone turning 30!

source

Please email me if you'd like to have your ideal party pictures posted! 

To be sure not to miss any Being Tazim updates subscribe via Rss Reader

Inspirational Interview With Eliza from Silver and Grace

What does a 47 year old think of turning 30, milestones, and aging? That is exactly what I wanted to find out when I interviewed Eliza, who writes the blog Silver and Grace: Guiding Graceful Women into Beautiful Aging. 

Even though Eliza's blog is primarily geared towards women who are over 40 years of age, there are many articles that people who are younger will find helpful, too. While there are articles specifically geared towards her target audience, like "Stylish Dressing After Age 40" her most recent post is "20 Ways in 7 Days to be a Super Woman" a guest post by Danna Flannery, offers advice for women of any age. 

1. How do you feel about people hiding their age?

 I don’t get it. I didn’t understand it when I was younger, and I still don’t understand it now that I am older. “Eliza, how old are you?” “Forty-seven.” See, that wasn’t hard at all. Actually, “Forty-seven, and proud of it. Can’t wait to be forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one…”

 I have met a few men who keep their age to themselves, but it is mainly women who feel the need to be vague. “Twenty-nine and holding.” Uh-huh. I like to think that being coy about your age is antiquated, but I am continually shocked by the number of women who refuse to state their age. I can only think it suggests a fear associated with aging. A fear of mortality? A fear of no longer being considered sexy? A fear of no longer being useful to society?

 It really bothers me when I hear a woman hide her age. I want to wrap her in a hug then give her a little shake, and shout “You deserve your age! Own it!”

 2. How did you celebrate your 30th birthday?

 Okay, you are asking me to cast my mind back seventeen years. Did I have a blow out Turning Thirty birthday? No, because I have never put milestones to age. Turning thirty was like turning three or thirteen or twenty-three. I think it is safe to say it was a quiet and small family dinner with my children, my partner at the time, and his parents.

 3. Did you have goals for yourself  - things you wanted to accomplish by the age of 30?

 Hard core feminists are going to shudder at this response, but I had one answer and one answer only to the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I was going to be a mom. I never even envisioned my wedding or what married life would be like. I simply wanted to be a mom.

 I married at age 21 and had my first daughter at age 22, my second daughter at age 23, and my son at age 24. By 28 I was divorced. Hardly surprising since I skipped the whole thought process about married life. But I was a mom and ultimately that’s all that mattered.

 But to answer your question if I wanted to accomplish something by the age of 30, the answer is no. Again, because I did not hold age 30 up as a milestone.

Fantastic Party Idea: Hula Hoop Fun!

What better way to celebrate a birthday than spinning and whirling around with giant plastic rings being shifted around your waist? 
Kylie Timmons of Flying Ducks (such a great name for a blog, no?) certainly doesn't think so! She sent me this photo and a description of her ideal birthday party:

photo via The SpinsterzIt's a hula hoop party! I've recently started hula hoop classes (an early birthday present from my husband!), so I think it's fitting to celebrate my birthday that way! I'd have lots of neon hula hoops for people to play with, and lots of bright rainbow colors. 
For food people would be able to eat fruity ice cream that is all the colors of the rainbow - strawberry, orange, lemon, green apple, blueberry and grape. And chocolate, of course. 

Birthday Party - Your Ideal Look? Mini Giveaway

Big or small, birthday parties are fun because they are all about you! You've seen 2 of my birthday party posts so far this month. There was the Bombay Bling party and the Summer Outdoor party. 

Now tell me: what sort of decor would you have for a party celebrating some big milestone birthday? What would you serve for food/drink? 
So...please email me at least 1 picture (but not more than 5) of your ideal birthday party (30th or otherwise) with a brief description. I will post up the photos and information with a link to your blog if you have one, in the next few days and. . . a winner (possibly winners) will be chosen to receive a special prize from me!  

Guest Post - Happy Birthday? You Decide.

Happy Birthday?Why is it as children we can’t wait for our birthdays to roll around?  Oh, that’s right, WE WERE YOUNG! 
  
source: Pyza

The older I get the more I buy into the slogan of…”40 is the new 20.”  (Yeah, right tell that to my thighs).  I hate the fact that gravity is Mother Nature’s cruel joke to women – hey we’re suppose to be on the same side.  

 

source: Tamelyn 

I really noticed a change in my body at about 30.  Things that were once firm and, uhum, higher, get more saggy and baggy as the sadistic hand of time marches on. 

With each year I put under my ever-expanding belt, birthdays become more and more of a reminder that I’m not twenty-something anymore.  And, it doesn’t matter how many mantras I recite in my head, the fact is I’m getting older.  Now I guess there’s only the wiser part to look forward to – when exactly does that kick in? 

The truth is. . .age is only a number. . .we are as young as we feel…40 IS the new 20.  And perhaps, if I tell myself this enough, my thighs will eventually catch on too.

Happy Birthday?  You decide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BIO

Sandie Lee is a freelance writer.  She currently works for Imagination-Café  and is Blog Editor for Imagination-Café Blog.

To be sure not to miss any Being Tazim updates subscribe via Rss Reader

Outdoor Summer Party

June is generally a great month to have an outdoor party. Last year, we had a heat wave in Vancouver, but this year, the evenings have been quite cool. Still, a nice outdoor setting would be ideal for a 30th birthday celebration, don't you think? The party decor below is quite different from the Bollywood Bling Party! Which do you prefer?

photos via  notyouraverageordinary.com| sayyestohoboken.com | nicolehill.blogspot.com|  designspongeonline.com |  teaforjoy.blogspot.com 

30 Life-Changing Moments Part 1

I've heard that we both are and aren't (just/merely) the sum of all our experiences.  What do you think? To what extent are we defined by life experiences, both by ourselves and by others? 

Inside Memory - Part 1 - I Remember

Inspired by Timothy Findley's book Inside Memory: Pages from a Writer's Workbook, this is post #1 in a series of 4 based on memory, relating to my 30th Birthday Month.  

The above quote (on the right) is from the Timothy Findley book. The section in that book that most speaks to me is the first one: Remembrance. It is the section which I will be pulling quotes from for this series. 

In Timothy Findley's book, he discusses the work of Anton Chekhov (a Russian playwright, short-story writer and physician):

 "Chekhov discovered the dramatic value of memory  - that a woman in tears remembers happiness; that a smiling, laughing man remembers pain. This gives you two views in one: depth and contrast. But, there's more to it than that. Memory, Chekhov also discovered, is the means by which most of us retain our sanity. The act of remembrance is good for people. Cathartic. Memory is the purgative by which we rid ourselves of the present."

Bombay Bling Party Decor

During this, my 30th birthday month, I thought that it would be fun to show some great party decor. I am celebrating my birthday with my best friend and no one else. My family live in Calgary, and I will still be taking some courses this Summer, so I can't leave to go see them...therefore, I won't be having a birthday 'party' rather, a birthday get-together. I'm not complaining, I'm not really one for big social events, but. . .I do love party decor! One day, (maybe for my graduation in November) I will have a party with actual guests, decor and invitations. . .until that day comes, I can only dream through the pictures I see online!

This Bollywood Bling Party would suit me just fine! The walls are pretty much the same colour as mine are in my main room/entrance/hallway, and I love bright colours!

All photos from Bird Crafts. You can now purchase the above decorations on the Etsy site. 

The food looks incredible and it would be easy to serve all vegan food, too. I should mention this to my mom!

Lots more party decor posts to come, so be sure to subscribe via Rss Reader

Share

Age Just a Number?

Hello and welcome to the 1st day of June. This month is the month when I turn 30. What does it mean? It is one of those milestone birthdays in life, and I feel as though it should mean something. What does age mean to you? This month as I have the 30 Giveaways Event I'll be exploring issues around ageing, milestone birthdays, life events and more, so be sure to subscribe (via Rss Reader) to my feed and come back each day to enter the giveaways. If you have anything to contribute to this broad topic, do contact me for guest posting.

sources: threepotatofourshop.com | bkids.typepad.com | blogdelanine.blogspot.com | flickr