Sometimes people don't really listen

The always fabulous Bethany wrote about birthdays today. She reminds me so much of me. I, too, hate surprise birthday parties - or any surprise party in general. I like to plan for others. I like to celebrate others but maybe it's my lack of self-esteem or something that makes me cringe when the spotlight comes on me.

Well, I thought maybe this year I would change that. A few of my friends have spent time in Europe - two of them in Denmark where if you wanted a birthday party you threw it yourself, with invitations, asking or not asking for presents, etc. I've always liked this concept. Then the party is what I would want, not what others think I would want.

So I (stupidly) told my sister that I was thinking of having a b-day party for me this year - since it's my double golden birthday and my golden year. But, in looking at my calendar, my birthday falls on a Thursday and the weekend following I have to work. So I thought about doing it Sunday after work, but the local theatre is showing an encore of the Met Opera production of La Boheme that afternoon. So I emailed my sister and told her that I decided not to have a party and to just forget it and to not even mention it because I didn't want mom to feel like she was obligated.

Well, my mistake was in trying to set up another family day (since I seem to be the family planner) and I thought it would be prudent to do it on the weekend where my BIL, Mom and SIL all have their b-days (seriously, they are all in a row). My sister decides to bring it up on Friday and in front of our mom says over and over that I'm the one who wants the party. Uh, no. I decided not to. I just thought it would be good if we all got together since otherwise it seems that we go months without seeing each other and that's not why I moved back here. I could have stayed in the cities if we're going to stick with that plan.

So now I'm on to damage control. I need to resend the email and see if we can get together for Easter instead and skip the whole b-day thing. And then not answer my phone or emails on my actual natal day.

I love my sister, but I really wish she would have just kept quiet. I hate making a big deal over my birthday but if it has to be done then I want it done on my terms. Maybe I'll just ditch and disappear for awhile.