08.25.08
Aestival
Aestival – “Of or belonging to the summer.” Isn’t that a delightful word for such a sentiment?
I learned this word courtesy of Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day emails…it came just a few days ago and I thought it was appropriate to post here since the summer is winding down. The summer is a special time for a lot of us, (though I am aware that not everyone gets to take as much vacation as teachers do). But, summer in this area means things do move a little slower, believe it or not! We take trips to the Jersey shore, have campfires and picnics, go to outside concerts and plays in the park, and there are lots and lots of carnivals with really great carnival food! My birthday is in August and I have always felt a special connection with the summer because of that as well – especially because when I was growing up, I hardly knew anyone else who had a birthday in the summer; I felt like the summer belonged to me in that sense. It is nice to know that there is a word to describe that very feeling!
Any special thoughts or memories about the summer? Post a comment and share!
~Melissa 
08.11.08
“Birthdays are good for you…”
“Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.”
-Larry Lorenzoni
Even as I am getting older, I still look forward to my birthday. Maybe, I even look forward to it more than I did when I was a child. I think I just love birthdays in general. I try my best to remember and celebrate birthdays, because even though we should honor each other all of the time, birthdays are friendly reminders to stop whatever we are doing in our own busy lives and make the birthday person feel special. We get to splurge on presents, go out to dinners, eat cake and ice cream and feel like a kid again!
When I was looking for a quote about birthdays, I found so many that were of a cynical nature or addressed getting older as a bad thing. It’s not at all! Each year on your birthday, just think of the wisdom and experience you have gained over the last year. It may not be wrapped in pretty paper or tied up with a bow, but it is the best gift you can get.
If today is your birthday, you share it with:
Louise Bogan, Poet and Critic (1897-1970)
Alex Haley, Author (1921-1992)
Morely Safer, Journalist (b. 1931)
Marilyn vos Savant, Journalist and Columnist (b. 1946)
Steve Wozniak, Computer Engineer and co-founder of Apple Computer (b. 1950)
and me!
Happy Birthday!
~Melissa
