The Question of the Day

~ Laura

On Northern Exposure, when Maggie turned 30, she wrote letters to all of her ex-boyfriends and threw the notes into the river.

I’m turning 40 this summer. I haven’t decided if I should do something dramatic like Maggie or something silly (like buy a pair of leather pants while my ass is still in the right place) or something conventional (like a weekend in NYC without the children).

What did you do when you hit a major, milestone birthday in the past?

Published by Laura

19 thoughts on “The Question of the Day”

  1. We’d planned to go to Las Vegas when I turned 40 and just be silly. But money was tight, as was time, and we couldn’t get anyone to watch the kids, so we just didn’t go.
    I think my colleagues took me out to a mediocre local restaurant along with another prof who was turning forty two weeks after me.

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  3. I was training for the NYC marathon when I turned 30, so I got up that morning and did a 13-mile run through Arlington, across the bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, along the reflecting pond, around the Mall, and back. It was the first time I’d ever managed the distance, and it concretized that whole “better and better” cliche for a little while.
    And then I got a massage, and saw a movie, and had a fabulous sushi dinner. It was an amazing day.

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  4. I turned 30 in the midst of the pleasant period when I realized that academy had no use for me. Those months are a bit fuzzy, but I’d have to guess that was drinking heavily on my birthday.

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  5. My husband took my 6 year old and myself skiing for 4 days for my 40th. I was so sore and tired but relaxing in the hot tub helped! I hadn’t been skiing since I was 14!

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  8. Do all three. Wear the leather pants to NYC for the weekend and throw your notes in the river there. Add a few more fun things to your list. Do it up.
    LOL, geekymom. Never thought of the purple hair thing for my 40th, but I am planning to shave my head for my 50th in 3 years.

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  9. Putting in my vote for the leather pants. But, yeah – pamper yourself as well. As for the notes: sounds like something you do before committing suicide, not something to celebrate a b-day.

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  10. When I turned 30 a couple of years ago I was depressed about it and ate a quart or two of ice cream while watching a Lifetime TV marathon…
    I dont think this is the kind of celebrateing you’re wanting to do though. *giggle*.
    Happy Mothers Day!

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  11. Laura (geeky mom) I will help you do your hair purple, now that I have done Daughter #1’s, I think I am some kind of expert.
    My 40th birthday my husband through me a surprise party. He did it a month early, so I didn’t suspect anything. It was fun, it had an 80’s theme. Everyone had big hair and shoulder pads. We listened to Van Halen and Prince.
    For my 30th birthday I was 6 months pregnant, so I had to settle for a lobster dinner.

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  12. My best friend and my sisters came into town and we went out dancing, but it kind of sucked, since I had no idea where to go. My sister is turning 40 this year, and we’re supposed to go to Vegas, but if I get the job, I will probably have to bail out…

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  13. Had a big party and only invited people I liked–which, to my surprise, turned out to be about 50 people! Let the kids dress up and stay for the first hour, then sent them off to the babysitter’s house to spend the night. Japanese lanterns in the backyard, TWO cakes from our favorite bakery because I couldn’t choose between chocolate and fruit, and lots and lots of alchohol. We had to send the last guest home at 3:30 in the morning. Very fun and made me feel like I was still alive.

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  14. I threw myself a giant 30th party in NYC. Friends from different parts of the country came, we had a really great time, and I stayed up until 3am. Haven’t done that in a while. I also finally bought myself an iPod.
    Go for the leather pants. Why not?

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  15. Don’t worry. We get better as we go along. Remember Confucius:
    “At fifteen, I devoted myself to learning,
    And at thirty stood firm.
    At forty I had no doubts,
    And at fifty understood the Mandate of Heaven.
    At sixty I listend with effortless accord.
    And at seventy I followed the mind’s passing fancies
    without overstepping any bounds.”

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  16. For my 30th, I jumped out of a plane. For this birthday, while not my 40th, I’m going to dive with sharks. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself now…

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  17. I had a Ro-like 30th birthday, except I think I sat around and watched Alias on DVD and knitted. Do something fun. Be sure to have plenty of photographs taken when you wear those leather pants. 🙂

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  18. Hmm, I’m an ex-academic who used to live in Manhattan, now lives in New Jersey and is turning 40 in the Fall. Very funny.
    My wife wants to throw me a big party but I’m not sure I’ll be up for it.

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