Happy Birthday Ellen!

I'm really not one to wax poetically on about a specific celebrity.  OK, so I have admitted that I'm into celebrity gossip, but as far as admiring any celebrity in particular...nah, not really into that.  Except maybe for Ellen Degeneres and today is Ellen's 50th birthday - W00t! (had to let a little Ruby in for that one)

Seriously, if I had to pick one celebrity I would want to meet...Ellen. If I could pick a celebrity to be my best friend...Ellen.  And if I were ever to decide to swear off men and switch teams...Ellen.  I really just think she's a very cool lady.  She's funny and clever, seems to be really genuine, has a great collection of Converse sneaks, and gushes about Justin Timberlake!!!  What's not to like!!! 

Everyday I record and watch her show.  It really is one hour where I kinda just sit back and let the day go and usually laugh, laugh, laugh...oh and sometimes I'll even dance!  During yesterday's birthday show in her opening nonologue (a monologue without her striking writers) she brought up some stuff about turning 50 that at least for me, really hit home and made me reflect...especially as I approach my own birthday milestone...

1 - It's just a number!  

For Ellen, this was NEVER what 50 was supposed to look like.  So true and I feel the same way right now.  I used to get so hung up about the 'number'...in fact I thought my life was over at 25!!!  I really can't believe I'm actually turning 40!  Although I do have days where I feel like I'm 90 (work, work, work)...I know I don't look almost 40, or generally feel almost 40 and ask anyone who knows me,  I certainly don't act like I'm almost 40!   Sure we all  have responsibilities and I can turn on the grown up when I need to...but as Geoffrey the Giraffe always says..."I don't want to grow up, I'm a Toys-R-Us kid!"  Definite words to live by!

2 - Be happy with who you are.

To me, happiness is all relative.  Am I a happy person?  Do I feel happy?  I guess so.  I think for me it is not necessarily about being happy so much as I am not unhappy.  To me there is a difference.  That might sound a little weird, but heck I'll blame it is my east coast, jewish/catholic guilt ridden upbringing to lean more towards the negative.  

3 - Don't try and be anyone but who you are. 

Frankly I'm on board with that.  I know I'm not perfect, or look perfect or done exactly what people thought I should or what I thought I would do but I'm really OK with that.  Actually I'm more than OK with that because who and where I am is exactly where I've chosen to be.  I know so many people who try and blame others for their lot in life and I'm so not about that (at least 98% of the time I am).  Everything I have ever done...every decision (good or bad) has brought me to my where I currently am today, the life that I have and the person I have become.  Have I made some bad decisions?  Sure.  Would there be things I would do differently?  Yup.  Is there definite room for improvement?  You betcha!   But I did that and I'm good with it!

4 - Live everyday to the fullest! Don't take anything for granted and you never know what tomorrow brings!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...everyone knows this, but how many people can actually say they do it?  I know I don't that is for sure.  I get so bogged down with, well, LIFE that it is sometimes hard to live it.  I'm not talking about bungee jumping or skydiving.  For me it needs to be about making sure I am doing the things I like to do, spending time with the people I love, learning new things, eating great food (that is healthy of course) and loving my Ruby.  So this is a definite area of improvement for me or an area where I continually need some positive reinforcement.

Gee...I got all this from a 2 minute nonologue - LOL.  Well, happy birthday Ellen!  Thanks for making me laugh and reminding me that life truly is what I make of it!