Another year, another birthday and I’m taking my day off.

Eventually I won’t be here, nor will I have a tombstone, but if I did here is what it would say…

Instead, I’ll be enriching the soil around the redwood I grew from a burl and planted at my friend’s ranch (how cool is that?).

And if you’re interested, today’s image comes from a 2014 post.

Today is a friend’s birthday and he’s freaking out over it.

Jeff was born November 5, 1664.

Yup, today at 4:54 pm he will be exactly one-half century old.
(He didn’t appreciate the phrasing.)

I also reminded him that he’d never be as old as me.

Of course, the reason that few people realize just how ancient I really am is in my MAP:

I have a timeless view of myself.

My true wish for Jeff and all of you as you grow old (not up), is

May all your wrinkles be in your brain.

Happy future to all!

Flickr image credit: Dark Dwarf

Today is my birthday and I’m not working (I wrote this on Sunday).

From the time I was old enough to understand that my birthday was the day of MY birth, my special holiday, I refused to go to school on April 26.

No matter where I worked I’ve always taken my birthday off.

I never lied about it and even mentioned it during my interviews. I said I was happy to work weekends, Christmas, other holidays, but not on my birthday.

Surprisingly, they all agreed.

So it’s not surprising that when I started RampUp Solutions part of the culture was no one worked on their birthday; nor did they have to ‘make up’ the time off.

Over the years many executives have explained to me why giving people their birthdays off was a bad idea; here are their arguments and why they are wrong.

• Too expensive – not when viewed as a recruiting, productivity and retention tool. It was surprising how many people viewed having their birthday off as a deal-breaker when interviewing.
• Disrupts work flow – 95% of work can be scheduled to avoid a birthday and employees are the first to recognize the other 5%.
• Other employees would be jealous – these execs and mangers just didn’t get it. They saw this as a perk for “stars” or “professional staff,” as opposed to everybody, totally missing the point.

Think about it, it’s one of those little things with enormous ROI.

And while you’re thinking, please have a piece of cake and drink a birthday toast to me.

Happy Birthday to ME

(No, there are not enough candles, in case you are wondering:)

Fickr image credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zedbee/103147140/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonlightbulb/4871952762/

Another year, another birthday; yup, today is my birthday.

Last year I wrote a rhyme, but I’m not going to inflict another one on you—this year. The preceding three years I treated it like any other day, which isn’t like me.

I’ve always felt that birthdays were a lot more important than holidays, such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or Mother’s Day.

After all, your birthday is your day, no one else’s. Sure, other people were born on that day—you might even know some—but that doesn’t change the fact that your birthday is the only day in the year that is uniquely yours and you should take full advantage of it.

When I worked in an office I took the day off; now that I work for myself I sometimes only manage part of the day off, but still try for all of it.

My favorite thing this time of year is to go out in my garden and play in the dirt, but the forecast is for rain, which doesn’t exactly inspire me.

So I think I’ll give myself a rain check and take a day off down the road when I have both the weather and the reason.

For today, all together now, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear Miki, happy birthday to me.

Image credit: runrunrun on sxc.hu

Happy birthday to me; happy birthday to me, etc. etc. etc.

I thought I’d write a rhyme in honor of the anniversary of my birth and share it with you. Not a poem, I can’t write poetry, but I do write rhymes (some better than others:) So without more ado…

It’s my birthday and I’m not shy
shouting the news to the birds in the sky.
That’s the way I approach my life
because increasing years should not add strife!

I wouldn’t go back as an awkward teen,
with raging hormones and pimples seen;
back then I believed I could take wing
because I knew most everything.

I entered my twenties with more of the same,
but as time went by I started to tame
lots of the actions that created a stink;
I listened and learned and started to think!

Over the decades I made sure I kept growing
and the people I met kept new ideas flowing.

These days I coach and I write—a living I’m earning—
but nothing has changed I’m still talking and learning.
My picture is old and won’t be changed soon
and no matter what I’ll never carry a tune.

But life goes on and that’s a cert
even though today I am older than dirt.

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Image credit: runrunrun on flickr