44


First I must say that I love birthdays. I think it's a shame when someone wants their day of birth to go unnoticed. Everyone deserves to be celebrated for being a part of someone's life. Seriously, while it isn't necessary (for some) to go all out and raise hell, it's still nice to be recognized.

With that being said, I am making some blog hoopla about my own birthday. Yeah. Go me! I go girl!! Hell to the yeah! Can I hear a Woot! WOOT!?

It's August 11, 2009. I am officially a forty-four year old woman. A single mother of one son. It's just a number when I say it out loud. But I wanted to find more significance to the twin number. There's something fetching about the numeral. If I stare at it long enough it takes on a Picasso-esque image. A woman standing at an angle, perhaps.

* Barack Obama is the 44th president of the United States.

* Forty Four (44) even has its own entry in Wikipedia! According to that page, it says 44 is a happy number! Oooh, I'm already a bit more joyful about my age.

* 44 is the atomic number for ruthenium.

* Take me out to the ball game!! 44 is considered "the hitters number" having belonged to Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson and Willie McCovey.

* The number is officially retired at Syracuse University (hear that Sean Daly?) It is considered a number of legend having belonged to football greats Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, and Jim Brown.

* One of the most famous cough suppressants has 44 in its brand: Vicks Formula 44.

* "Dirty" Harry Callahan carries a .44 Magnum. "I know what you're thinking — "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But, being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?"

* There's a band called +44.

* Songs with 44 in the title:

88 Lines about 44 Women by The Nails
Forty Four Blues by Eric Clapton and a host of other blues musicians
44 Down by The High Violets
44 Calibre Love Letter by Alexisonfire

* Shakespeare's Sonnet 44

In my search to find significance and importance about the number 44; therefore, attempting to make my age feel seem more vital, I realized by living I am important. I don't have to see my name in the phone book and dance around like Navin Johnson to feel like I have a purpose ... though not a "special purpose" because that's, well, never mind.

I might not achieve greatness in the eyes of the nation. It's highly unlikely you'll see my name in bright lights. But I am confident that in the eyes of a 15 year old boy I am equal to Mona Lisa hanging in the Louvre. To him I'm funnier than Weird Al; prettier than Megan Fox; and smarter than Einstein. For me it's all about perspective.

I know in this great big world my personal impact may not be clear. One thing I have clarity about is that my fingerprint is being left in the form of that special 15 year old young man.


Fingerprints - Steven Curtis Chapman

Comments

  1. Happy Happy!!! I adore you! Forget 88 lines about 44 women... it's all about MARISSA!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have AT LEAST 44 nice things to say about you :) Hope you have a great day, sweetie pie!

    ReplyDelete
  3. HAPPY BIRTHDAY RISS!!!!

    Hope you & Mancub have a fabulous day!

    And as Al Jolson sings:

    Live, Laugh, Love & Be Happy!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Happy Birthday!!!!! And Yeah. Go YOU! You go girl!! Hell to the yeah! Can you hear a Woot! WOOT!
    BTW, you are so definitely positively funnier than Weird Al!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy happy birthday!!!! I hope you have an absolutely wonderful day!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I wish I'd gotten to my reader ON your birthday. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!

    I'm glad you celebrated for yourself - you deserve it!

    *hugsnkisses*

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

What's on your mind?

Popular posts from this blog

WARNING: Eye contact may cause unwanted conversation

Inaugural video message from your Wildhair

Doot, doot, doot lookin' out my front door