Today is my birthday!
When I'm in a birthday group, I mouth the words, or sing them very, very softly. My inability to carry a tune makes me cringe.
I sing, actually sing, around my family and my closest friends. Only. With Maude I will belt out tunes with wild abandon. But if I don't know you really, really well, you will see me naked before you'll hear me sing.
I know I have written about this before, but being my birthday and all, I'm going to go ahead and indulge myself and tell the same story I have heard about myself 50 gazillion times.
My father can play a song on the piano by ear. Betty plays piano really well too. My brother can sing at least passably. And I have never, since the time I could talk, been able to carry a tune.
Before I realized this, though, one of my favorite games as a child was hey, guess this song!
As in, "Mama, guess what song this is!"
"HmmMM hm hmmmhmm hmm hhhmmm."
"Um. You are my sunshine?"
"No. Listen! Hmm hm hmmm mmmm hmm hmmmm."
It was never hummed the same twice, and it was never remotely recognizable as song.
"Mmm hmmm mmmm hmm hmmmm."
Being parents who wanted to play along, however, they did their best.
"Twinkle twinkle little star?"
I would give them an eye roll and a duh! look. Like, parents, are you really that slow?
"Nooo! It's happy birthday!"
Happy Birthday! So how old are you now? Or rather, how old are you telling people that you are ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you! Sometimes I tell people I'm 29 and sometimes I say I'm 45. I like to mix it up.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! Have a lovely, fantastic day! Enjoy turning 29 or 45, which ever today is :)
ReplyDeleteHappiest of days to you! You certainly deserve it. :o)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy 18th birthday.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it fabulous that you have your very own Birthday song? From Michael Jackson himself?!?!
ReplyDelete"Lisa it's your birthday! Happy Birthday Lisa!"
Does that mean you're 37?
ReplyDeleteHKW - Very sweet! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDagny - Thank you! I appreciate it. :)
VVK - Thank you!
I-66 - Actually, I'm a little older than I said I was...
AJ - I'm so pop-culturally clueless I had no idea! Just googled it! Fun - thanks!
Rich - Close, very close.
Well, hhmm hmm hmmmmm hmm to you!!
ReplyDeleteLis, happy 29th!! ;) May this be the best year of your life and many more 29s to you!
ReplyDelete(PS. LOVE LOVE LOVE that we're both Leos!)
Happy Birthday -- and yep, like you, I can't carry a tune (you know a song that plays 50 times on the radio and you're telling your friends about it and you sing the chorus along and they stare at you blankly "nope, never heard it" and you KNOW they have -- yep that's how bad I am! I mean, I'm not just humming, I'm actually singing the words and they're clueless!)
ReplyDeleteG&D - You totally made me giggle! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteAlmost - Thank you! I've missed you! Why am I not surprised you're a Leo as well? :)
BB - Ha ha - I can totally relate. Me singing a popular song to try to get people to figure out which one would just be pointless.
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. =)
Which is why it's just easier to do the Beatles' birthday song every time, since they're just shouting anyway. At least, that's what you can tell people.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!
Aw...happy birthday, fellow Leo! Enjoy your day and be the center of attention, like you were born to be ;)
ReplyDeleteSee you're another one of those whose age I'd probably way off on. Like I'd say 25 and you'd laugh and then buy me a drink because I'm so kind to think that you look 25 when really I don't want to insult you because you look 23. So there.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!
Happy Birthday :)
ReplyDeleteI know I'm late, but Happy Birthday! Can't wait until 2 years from now, when I will be 29 too!
ReplyDeleteMaud - Thank you!
ReplyDeleteWiB - I think shouting in a crowd of singers would make me even more self-conscious. But thanks for the suggestion! :)
moosie - Thank you! And another Leo! Best sign ever.
Heather - Thank you! If you were here I'd find you and give you the biggest hug possible, even if you weren't in the mood to be hugged.
Miss B - Thanks! :)
SL - Thank you! And 29 is great! It was even great the first time!
Happy belated birthday. I'm blowing you a kiss.
ReplyDeletehappy belated birthday!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!!!
ReplyDeleteDr. MVM, MM, and Alexandra - Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteWhoops-the one day I miss an issue is, of course, the most important one.
ReplyDeleteHappy Happy Birthday Birthday!
See if you can guess THIS tune:
Hmm hmm-HMMM Hm,Hm,Hm, HMMM hmm hmm.
Give up? I wrote it for your birthday!
Hope it was a good 'un.
Love love.
Oh, man, I'm late! Happy birthday, Lisa!
ReplyDeleteI wish you a very sparkly next year!
Jordaan - I can totally hear you playing and singing in my mind! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDCup - Thank you for the sparkles!
Happy Happy Birthday- any friend of DCup is a friend of mine!
ReplyDeleteHope it was all wonderful and that the year ahead, despite current political circumstances is nothing but good for you!
Jeez. We've known each other since more than a half a lifetime ago. Happy Birthday!
ReplyDelete