Lindsay Likes...Celebrating Birthdays!

The cake or cupcakes sit in front of me.  Candles twinkle vibrantly casting a perfect happy glow.  There's noise all around and people's faces too.  Usually a camera flashing from some unbecoming angle.  And before I know it, the moment comes and goes.  I inhale and exhale and attempt to extinguish the candles all while making a wish for the year ahead.  Despite the noise, the song, the smiles and the camera flashes all around me, in my tiny space it's quiet for a split second as I ceremoniously become a year older. 

I adore birthdays.  I really love them.  Yes, I know each birthday brings with it advancing age.  And, I see too how quickly the years can pass by.  Seriously, wasn't it just yesterday that I turned 16.  It seems like only a moment ago I walked into the large room full of family and friends to yells of "Surprise, Happy Birthday!"  I can hear the mariachi singer with his incessant chorus, "Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindsay...." (If you were there I bet you still remember too!)  If I concentrate for a minute, I can also conjure up memories of my 6th birthday sipping lemonade while dressed in my Mom's clothes.  That was the year of the tea party/dress like Mommy theme (Mom is always pretty creative.)! But, with each birthday comes a celebration-a happy feeling of joy and of excitement for you never know what the next year may bring. 

Birthday dinners, birthday parties, birthday surprises--I look forward to them months in advance.  You see I like to celebrate birthdays not just observe them.  I often start discussing what flavor of cake I want in January (when my birthday isn't until April).  I'm 28 years old and I still like decorations on my cake, birthday napkins and balloons.  Of course I love a good party too.  As a child I was a big fan of swimming parties and thought the bingo/cookie decorating party was pretty exciting too!  These days, I like to get friends and family together to celebrate with a few drinks. However, I refuse to allow my Dad to ever purchase even one tequila shot again!  There's a picture I could insert here from my 24th birthday but I have a reputation to uphold and I doubt you want to see me with a green looking face!  But, the point is to me, a birthday is something to celebrate and I like to do it right.

Maybe I'm a bit spoiled, even a little immature, but birthdays should be celebrated with some sort of fan-fare.  This doesn't mean I demand a surprise trip to Las Vegas (although that sounds great) or two dozen specially picked roses (I'd be happy with one), but I do insist on making my birthday unique from all the other days of the year.  For me it's important to set the day apart and to celebrate.  With the celebration comes so many happy things-laughter, family, friends, cake, cards with nice messages, and if I'm lucky a sip or two of cold bubbly champagne.

I like celebrating birthdays!

Lindsay Likes...To Entertain

The two most important tips to entertaining at home: stash away all crap and always present food and/or drinks in a pleasing manner.  My Mom taught me these vital entertaining lessons by example.  Growing up as one of Mom's party apprentices has really had its benefits.  Sure, sometimes I wanted to scream as Mom ran around the house doing such crazy things as emptying trash cans in bathrooms no guest would ever use, picking up stacks of papers and tossing them into very random closets or feverishly vacuuming the carpet in an off-the-beaten-path bedroom.  Together with my Sister and my Dad, I sometimes stood back in amazement and even in a bit of fear as Mom did her last minute "quality control" checks around the house just before guests arrived.  But, Mom can't be stopped.  No matter the occasion or the crowd, if Mom's entertaining, everything has to be just so.  Anything worth doing is worth doing well.  Maybe that's why every time I get ready to have people over, I find myself doing the exact same things as Mom.  The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Mom not only taught me how to entertain, but also instilled in me the importance of careful preparation and of attention to detail.  For example, it's always best to make a "to do" list the night before any event you are responsible for, whether it be at your home or at another venue.  The use of sticky notes may also be helpful to jog your memory in the midst of any last minute chaos.  For holiday dinners, set the table the night before, clean any glasses looking dirty or dusty, move in or out chairs and tables, pull out the necessary serving pieces and always review your menu to make sure you haven't forgotten anything.  Just when you think you have things all ready, there's probably something you've forgotten.  At 2AM just as you're leaving the kitchen, leave yourself a big note with underlining saying something like, "Lemons, Pick up cake, Flowers."  Oh yes, the list never has just one thing on it!
 
I know what some of you who know me are thinking.  When do you host these dinners that I'm not invited to?  Don't worry you weren't given a social cut, although I love to entertain, I've yet to master the art of cooking.  My Mom and my Sister have spoiled me by preparing me tasty meals and by always asking me, "What do you want me to make you?"  Although I think I do know how to cook (I even make somewhat decent things from time to time), I prefer to let others with more savvy and skill make the food.  But, with all the years I've spent watching others cook and for even serving as my sister's sous-chef here and there, one of these days I will come out of my shell and just maybe even like to cook.

I like to entertain even if I don't prepare all the food or host big dinners.  Especially, I love filling my house with friends and family.  I like when everyone comes together to kick back, have some drinks and share some stories and laughs.  In my house, like my parents', the main goal of any party is fun.  In fact, when I look back on my childhood some of my best memories are from get-togethers with family and friends-for Valentine's Day, Halloween, Fourth of July, Birthdays, Anniversaries and Graduations.  In our old house on Blue Sage, I remember sitting on the sun room floor on Valentine's Day eating Nomad pizza with family friends; I remember covering the kitchen floor with newspaper and spending hours carving and decorating pumpkins (with Dad's help of course) with a slew of family and friends.  As we got older, Mom and Dad graciously hosted graduation parties for both me and my sister.  By entertaining, whether for four people or 100, you provide a perfect place for people to have fun, to interact with other people, and to make memories. 

My style of entertaining may not find it's way into Martha Stewart Living nor lend itself to the fanciest or the most exciting parties, but my style is mine.  I love to find fun and exotic candy at World Market when I have people over (www.worldmarket.com/).  I then come home and place the different sweet treats around in small bowls.  I'm also a fan of putting out snack foods like popcorn and goldfish.  When possible, I like to have some sort of unique drink.  But, I always always have flowers or even a flower somewhere in my house.  They add a little pop and sophistication to what may sometimes appear to be a juvenile spread (well except for the alcohol usually on hand).  Certainly I know there's lots for me to learn about entertaining (especially the part about cooking), but thanks Mom for teaching me pretty much all I've got to know. Hmm...that reminds me, after having people over last night, I better go move the half-dead plant I left hiding in the laundry room!

I like to entertain.

Lindsay Likes...Trying to Make a Difference

Every time I throw trash away I picture it clogging up sections of the Earth. I see the piles of flattened junk, the putrid food, the countless trash bags of all shapes and sizes and I start to get a little nervous. The images hit me with a powerful surge of urgency imploring me to act-to help. I try to recycle even when it's not convenient. Rinsing out plastic containers, bringing home empty bottles of water and hauling heavy recyclables out to the big blue bin in my alley, recycling requires dedication and vigilance. Sometimes, I reach under the sink for a paper towel and quickly pull back my hand thinking again of all that paper weighing down the Earth and falling into the Sea. When I can, I beg my family members to think before they use. Stop with the paper plates, the red cups, the water bottles, the rolls of paper towels and the excessive use of shopping and grocery bags. Recycle! Think. Believe me I'm not the most eco-friendly person around. But, I try. The small things you do can really add up. http://www.reuseit.com/

Besides trying to think of the Earth, I try to think of other people. No, I'm not a perfect "do-gooder," I know from time to time I hurt people's feelings, say the wrong things, act lazily and think selfishly. I give people "what the hell" looks and I've even been told I intimidate (I know I'm such a imposing figure!). But, as much as possible I try to live my life in such a way as to make people's lives better. I've found that the simple act of listening goes a long way in that regard. Not only listening in private conversations, but also staying in tune with all that goes on in the community. By listening and then by learning what our friends, our family and our community truly need we are better able to help them. Actively keeping our ears and eyes open, we are more inclined to think of others and more aware of how we can make a difference. Personally, I've found the easiest way to make a difference is by using the words "thank you." Throw in a little smile and mix in a "please," and you just might make someone's day. It's really that simple.

I know all this sounds cheesy but it's the little things that really do make a difference. I'm reminded of a penny contest in high school. Each class had a week to collect pennies to be donated to the Make a Wish Foundation for a Christmas toy drive. http://www.wish.org/ When the week ended and the plentiful jars of pennies were counted, the school had raised hundreds of dollars. Nearly worthless coins alone, together the pennies became a meaningful gift. Every tiny bit we give, be it our time or our money, does some good.

Personally, I know I do not do enough good. I get busy, tired, unmotivated and caught up in myself. There are endless demands as well as endless opportunities beckoning each of us in all directions. What's more, considering the incredible need in the world, even when we try to help it's easy to feel overwhelmed as well as unhelpful. Where does one begin? What can I, just one busy person, do to make a difference in this crazy world? For me, I know that in the scheme of things my actions may go unnoticed, they may not move mountains, but I like to think they do make a small difference. Why not try to do something rather than worry that it will not be enough?

Believe me there are countless ways to help improve our world. Need some inspiration? Search online for volunteer opportunities in your community or check out the NBC Nightly News segment, "Making a Difference." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/ Remember even the smallest acts help. Don't let this busy world overwhelm you, take a minute. Slow down. Think. Try. You'll make a difference-to someone, to something, to yourself. As a wise man told me today, "To help others is to help yourself."

I like trying to make a difference.

Lindsay Likes...To Write

In first grade, my teachers tried to correct the way I held my pencil. I never could figure out how to gracefully grasp the pencil between my long skinny fingers the "right way." As a result, I developed a callus on my finger. It's still there today, because I still hold a pen in a very contorted manner, using all of my fingers. Somehow, despite the use of my entire hand to write, I managed to get through college and even law school handwriting everything but my papers. How funny to think that I actually prefer handwriting over typing considering my "deficiency." Even though I may hold my pen incorrectly; I seem to get the words onto the page just fine.

When second grade came, I struggled learning to write in cursive. I'm talking a major struggle! I ripped holes in my workbook pages from all of the erasing to the point I had to scotch tape the pages back together. Although I improved with lots of practice, I've spent the majority of my years printing rather than using cursive. My printing may not be perfect, but when I put my mind to it I sort of like how my handwriting looks.

Fast forward to the fifth grade. After taking a spelling exam to gauge my spelling level the first week of school, my English teacher, Mrs. Waldo, informed me I'd be in the regular spelling group opposed to the challenge group. This irritated me. If I had only had the chance to study the words before the test, I could have done better. Despite my quiet demeanor, I went up to my teacher and told her to let me try the challenge group. I can't remember exactly what Mrs. Waldo said, but I do remember that at the end of the year I had scored at least 100% on every challenge spelling test (this was back in the day of bonus points)! Eighteen years have passed and my spelling is neither inadequate nor flawless, but I still like a challenge.



Although I like to write, I'm challenged by the process. Taking the jumbled thoughts in my mind and forming them into ideas and then organizing them into sentences and paragraphs requires me to think deeply, to ponder and to analyze. Once I get an idea I find that it often marinates in my brain in some far-off corridor waiting for all the pieces to come together. Then, just as I'm finally putting my head down to sleep at night, my idea grows into something more comprehensible. I'm forced to turn on the light and write down my thoughts that now seem so much clearer. Why this must happen between the hours of 12:00AM and 2:00AM always baffles me. Never do I have such thoughts when I first wake up-I'm from a long line of night-owls.



So why do I enjoy to write? I see it as a means to share with others a fact, a point of view or a feeling. But, more than anything, I see writing as an outlet-a kind of storage facility for one's thoughts. I often find myself thinking about something, whether it be analyzing (or in my case often over-analyzing), processing, remembering, contemplating or questioning. It's sometimes nice to transport those thoughts to a place where they can be less of a "headache."

But, for me, writing isn't all about clearing my head. I like to write because it suits me. My soft voice impedes me from being a great orator. Trust me, my voice is more likely to put people to sleep than it is to inspire the masses. I'm not exaggerating when to I tell you that at least once a week I answer the phone and the caller says, "Did I wake you?" Not to mention my days reading out loud in Ms. Barrow's 12th grade English class. My friends Richard and Andrew feigned sleep and burst out in yawns the entire time I read (although coming from them I knew it was just another friendly joke at my expense)! Somehow, despite my vocal shortcomings I've managed to deliver several speeches over the years, to speak out in law school classes, to conduct meetings and to present legal arguments. Still, I know my words resonate better on paper (or the computer screen).

Finally, writing appeals to me because as a writer we're allowed to be a different version of ourselves. We so often will write what we will not say. As writers, we are more daring, more heartfelt, more creative and more cruel people. That being said, in a society where many people communicate by email and text more than by word of mouth, we have to choose our words wisely. Sometimes, too, we have to speak out, even if we would prefer to sit back quietly.

I like to write.