I’m going to be 50 this year and have been thinking about what I want to do about it. It seems like a great opportunity for it not to be “just another birthday”. I have had a lot of ideas about how to mark the milestone as well as how to celebrate the day. I started my scrapbook for “My Fiftieth Year” and it’s halfway ready to go. I’ll finish setting it up by or on May 19 (at a scrapbooking event with my friend Susan).
I’m worried though, because as I told my friends (Susan, Deb, Elisabeth) and my daughter yesterday: I’m afraid that I have so many ideas that I won’t commit to one and will end up doing nothing. My friend’s husband celebrated his turning 50 by subscribing to “AARP”. Hmmm…I’ll think about that later.
My friend Deb is also turning 50 this year, and I envy her focus. She wants to take a trip, and even knows where she wants to go. This reminded me that I want to take a trip too! I want to go to Italy, to or near Avellino! But I think I want to be in my home state for my actual birthday. Plus, my husband wants to go someplace else if we take a trip (like Bermuda).
I want to have an Italian birthday cake from La Cascia’s in Burlington, MA, but no one in my immediate family likes this kind of cake. The idea of 50 mini cupcakes (from Somethin’ Sweet in Sanford) surrounding one normal size cupcake (or 6 inch cheesecake?) with an inscription of some sort would be really cool. That way, there would be something for everyone (read: no complaints that “I don’t like chocolate!” or “I don’t like vanilla!”…minis can be ordered in many flavors). This is my Plan B.
Sigh. I’m going in circles. I saw somewhere that some people make a “Bucket List” of things to do in their 50th year. That might work.
How do people celebrate turning 50?
Anyone? Anyone?
Karen Creamer Author, Coach, Speaker 
I didn’t really have any firm plans for turning 50. We moved to Maine shortly after my 49th and I was still feeling unsettled when the 50th rolled around. We also celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary that year, and took a short trip, but nothing big. Probably the biggest thing I did was “run” a half marathon less than a month after turning 50. A year later, my husband and I drove back from California to Maine, which was a fantastic trip.
Whatever you decide, just enjoy it; taking time to look at where you’ve been and at how far you’ve come, and where you want to go next.
Well, I know I won’t be running any marathons, but a walk on the beach I could certainly handle. We don’t have any milestone wedding anniversaries this year (we’ll be married 21 years the month after my birthday) to steal my thunder. I don’t think we’ll be taking any long trips, either (who would feed the chickens??). I like the ‘look back, look forward’ idea. Will do. 🙂
Sheila, the one year that I decided that I would just do what I wanted, all day long, and scheduled it as such, did NOT go over well with the fam. It ended up being a largely miserable day, one that I’m not anxious to repeat. That’s why I’m not doing that, even though the idea appeals to me ENORMOUSLY. 🙂
Hmmm, well….I liked it lots because I didn’t make too much of it. Just decided that I would do what I wanted to do, only. Nothing anyone else wanted. I got scared of the bucket list–too early for that!
Bermuda on the table? Don’t miss out on that!