40

[vaneramos]

Urk. Ack. Gaaak. Gurgle. Choke.

Okay I got that out of the way.

Happy 40th birthday to jeff2001 also.

Now I am going to try to think of 40 good things I'm thankful about on turning 40. This is inspired by apel.

1. I have completely recovered from abdominal surgery a year ago.


2. I have good health.


3. My daughters are healthy.


4. We spend time together semi-regularly.


5. We enjoy one another's company.


6. They are here today.


7. A year after chemotherapy and a mastectomy, my mother is cancer free.


8. Dad is in great health.


9. My parents gave me a beautiful Regulator wall clock yesterday. I love clocks. I started to cry when I opened it.


10. I am much happier with my social life and circle of friends than I was three years ago.


11. I joined LJ in the past year.


12. I had a fun party a couple weeks ago.


13. It was the first dinner party I had ever held in the apartment and my friends enjoyed it.


14. My friendship with Jon seems to be growing stronger now that we're both dating.


15. I sing in a great choir.


16. I might have made some new friends in London this week.


17. I finally bought Louis Armstrong's CD: What A Wonderful World.


18. Dad bought me a CD of Judy Garland favourites this week.


19. I like how I look.


20. I enjoy having a long beard for the first time and get nice compliments on it.


21. I'm more satisfied with my sex life than I have been in several years.


22. I have the nicest boyfriend ever.


23. He is handsome.


24. He is also very cuddly.


25. He knit me a lovely hat.


26. He likes to please me and encourages me to reciprocate.


27. My skill at oral sex is satisfactory and improving.


28. I am still a great fuck.


29. I finally bought myself 50' of soft rope as a self-birthday gift, along with some hardware for fastening it to my bed posts.


30. I learned how to tie myself in a rope harness this week.


31. The sun is shining.


32. I have a beautiful river where I can walk whenever I want to.


33. I have recovered my love of photography this year.


34. I started identifying as polyamorous this year.


35. My gay friends in Canada can get married if they want to.


36. I look forward to a trip to Montreal this July.


37. I completed a draft of my first novel this year.


38. My apartment is reasonably tidy.


39. I am attracted to beauty and kindness.


40. The universe is fascinating and wonderful.

Comments

[ruralrob.livejournal.com]

Hey Van. Happy birthday. And you do know the 40's are good, don't you? Now the fifties I'm not so sure about, but the 40's may just be the best.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Robby. I would rather be more settled by now, but perhaps the best is yet to come.

[melanie.livejournal.com]

my husband is a big rope fanatic, also.

me, i like to tie interesting knots.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Well you would be fun to have around!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It wasn't too hard, really. I could have gone on. :-)

[art-thirst.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday! Every day of life should be joyous and, we should be thankful of life no matter what age we are. *wink*

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I believe that, too. Sometimes the practice is harder. :-)

[dakoopst.livejournal.com]

Hey, I did remember after all!

Happy Birthday, Van. :)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

So what are ya gonna give me. Oh, I'll wait patiently! ;-)

[noveldevice.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday, Van!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[fabulist.livejournal.com]

Happy happy. 40 is a perfectly lovely thing to be.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I like how it looks better than how it feels. ;-)

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday, sweet man. I love your list and I'm very happy to see all the good things on it.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Pete. In fact I could have gone on. I might have to, to get over the feeling of creeping dread. ;-)

[leafshimmer.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday, you beautiful man!

I love your list of 40 lovely things in your life. That's a wonderful start to a new year for you that sounds as if it is going to be your best ever!

hugs, kisses & spanks,

Shimmer

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Here's to that!

[susandennis]

Happy Happy Happy Birthday!!!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks Susan. :)

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday, Van! Have a nice one, and many more.

You can add to your list the remark my mother made to me approximately 18 years ago: "Forty's not so bad -- you're relieved of the obligation to be young."

[I'll add, editorially, that the option to be young remains available.)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

That's a good one. :-)

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

w00t :)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

hugs.

Congrats, sir!

[stealthpup.livejournal.com]

Now that you have your "nice" list, time for you to concoct a "naughty" list of 40 things that you want done to you for your birthday. }:-)

Re: Congrats, sir!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

That sounds like fun. But weren't the rope bits a little bit naughty? That's where I'll start!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

And here's hoping we get to meet this year!

[lotuspoet.livejournal.com]

happy birthday and congrats on all of the wonderful things in your life and the abililty to recognize them!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks sweetie. I'm also thankful that, for the most part, I like myself. A lot of people don't have that.

[ahira.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful birthday list! Happy Birthday! Milestones are fun :)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I wasn't looking forward to this one, but I did my best to have fun with it.

[ranger1.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday, Van, and many more.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm counting on it!

[robearal.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday, sexy man.
40 isn't so bad. It's the anticipation up to the day that's the worst.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, sexy. :-) Yeah, the anticipation was rough. I had a hard time with 39. Planning a small party for myself made a lot of difference, turned it into fun.

[jeff2001.livejournal.com]

Happy 40th birthday to jeff2001 also.

Hey, right back atcha, soul brother. Actually I won't be 40 until 11:10 p.m. PST I don't mind putting it off until then. And Spring starts at 10:49 p.m. PST, which makes it the first time I can recall spring started BEFORE our birthday.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

You're luckier than me (see my next post). ;-)

Anyway, I hope you're having a good one.

[trospero.livejournal.com]

Forty is the portal to pure magic and the best that self-actualization has to offer. Greet it with enthusiasm.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Paul. I have an undercurrent of anxiety that I'll never "get my act together," and turning 40 has accentuated it. But I appreciate the advice, seriously. And I will do my best.

[bluedevilsf.livejournal.com]

My best wishes for your next 40 years!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm counting on living to at least 86. :-)

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

happy 40th Van! his mom was right! you're
no longer obligated to be young, but
as he says, the option is still open.~paul

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Paul. Whether old or young, I try to enjoy the present moment. That is my goal. Keeping fear at bay is my challenge.

[trinker.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[twillhead.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday, Van! You're the type of person who will just keep getting better and better with age. I'm really glad and honored to know you.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

And you have such a charming way with words; that's just about the nicest thing I have heard all day. I wish I could give you a big smooch.

Thanks too for the sweet card this morning. Fortunately my daughters were here to tell me that was Spongebob Squarepants!

Re: Happy Birthday!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks Gary. I have my daughters for March Break, so I won't get to see Danny et al until Sunday afternoon, but I'm looking forward to it.