Wow!
First of all, I don't think I have ever had such an outpouring of people who remembered my birthday. Thank you Facebook! (here's my profile...feel free to friend me if you are a frequent blog reader).
It's hard to believe all that I have accomplished over the past 12 months. There are obvious ones here - running a full marathon and starting a blog and keeping up with it regularly. Professionally I have made big strides - completing Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification within my company and being assigned to the largest project I have had to date. I started an Israeli Dance group for families at my synagogue which has a dedicated base of participants such that I will be able to continue the group this next school year. Another accomplishment I had with my synagogue is that I learned the trope (cantillation for chanting scriptures) that is used for the books of Ruth and Song of Songs and chanted parts of those books during the holidays of Shavuot and Pesach. I also made new running friends - via the blogosphere and RunningAhead - and reconnected with many other old friends - mostly through Facebook.
All of these were "additions" during the past year. Many of the other activities that I was doing beforehand (co-leading the Yesodot Israeli Dance Troupe, reading Torah at our synagogue twice a month) I am still doing.
I also had the joy of watching my children grow. My older son, Doron started and completed his first year of Elementary School at the Charles E Smith Jewish Day School. He is starting to become computer savvy - he can navigate to Yahoo! Kids, Nickelodeon, PBS Kids and Webkins websites and be entertained (for much too long!). He also just lost his first tooth today! In the last twelve months my younger son, Matan, has also developed tons. He has started to talk in complete sentences. He is no longer in a crib and no longer in diapers. Every day he does something - or says something - new that just amazes us.
As I get older, I tend to think that the birthdays are not such big milestones anymore. So, it's my 37th birthday today - so what??? However, reflecting over the past year I see that it is a big deal and that I continue to make big strides in my life even though it may not seem like it on a day-to-day basis.
OK...enough blogging. I'm going to get some core exercises in and then get some ICE CREAM to celebrate!!!
4 comments:
First of all, Happy Birthday my friend! Wow, have I been out of touch! Congratulations on chalking up another half! That's awesome, Mike. Very cool taking the time to reflect on the accomplishments of the past year, of which there were a lot for you. Here's to another fine, and healthy, successful, and joy-filled year. Say hello to your family for me. Happy Birthday again!
p.s. - college football is right around the corner!
Happy birthday. I love birthdays, and am glad you are celebrating. Have an extra scoop for me. Isn't it great being in your late 30's?
Rick and Pigtails - Thanks for visiting on my birthday!
Rick - College football IS right around the corner. However, I'm not banking on the Wolverines doing much this season. New coach. Starting QB, RB and OL graduated. Backup QB left. I'm thinking it will be a 7-5 season. At least we'll go to a Bowl.
Pigtails - I did have that extra scoop of ice cream :-) Thanks for creating a special category on your blog for my six-word race report (is "six-word" one word since I added in a hyphen?)
7 - 5 season... welcome to the mediocrity that is Spartan football! I don't see U of M doing that average this fall though. Several players always seem to rise to the surface after the exodus of senior standouts to make them competitive. It's the Michigan football tradition! I don't think that I am too fond of the coach so far from what I have seen/heard though.
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