Monday, June 1, 2009

21 days till I am turning ...

4T
(yeah it looks better than as a word (Forty) or a number (40), and Yes it is one of those big round numbers!)

So I thought, how can I make this another memorable birthday.

I would love to be with you all on my birthday.

Then I realised it is possible! You may be asking how.

Well I have decided to write down 40 things that I would like to do for my fortieth birthday. They are listed below. Once you have looked at them I am sure there is at least one you might like to consider partaking in with me.

So on the 21st June I look forward to being with you all in this special way.

So here we go

1) Have Friends For Tea (both over a cup of tea or a meal)
2) Share 40secs of Laughter Yoga
3) Wash windows on the 40th floor (preferable from the outside)
4) Smile at 40 strangers
5) Listen to “It is a beautiful day” by U2
6) Listen to “The Gambler” and “The Coward of the County” by Kenny Rogers
7) Donate $480 ($1 for every month of my life)
8) Hug Louise
9) Hug a dog
10) Hug a tree
11) Eat 40 pieces of wonderful fruit
12) Hug 40 friends
13) Drink a nice cold beer with friends
14) Watch the sunrise
15) Hear a bird sing
16) Drink fresh clean water
17) Go for a swim
18) Draw a Mandela
19) Plant a tree
20) Have 1 minute silence to acknowledge those who have touched my life
21) Talk to my mother
22) Talk to my father
23) Talk to my sister
24) Talk to Louise’s family (affectionately know as the outlaws)
25) Record a video of my day
26) Watch the stars (I mean the ones outside in the night sky)
27) Learn 40 new ideas or concepts
28) Dance to some great music
29) Write a new quote to capture the day
30) Blog my experience of the day
31) Share one things about myself that others probably do not know about me
32) Do 40 press ups
33) Do 40 sit ups
34) Share my vision of free access to nature parks
35) Donate 40 pieces of clothing
36) Drink 42 Below Vodka
37) Pick up 40 pieces of rubbish
38) Eat chocolate that is at least 40% Cocoa
39) Take 40 deep breaths
40) Acknowledge the wonder of my first 40 years

So I am really looking forward to my fortieth birthday.

As you will see, number 30 is to Blog my experiences of the day. So it would be great if you could post your comments on what you did on 21 June on this blog that would be superb.

Grow well
Dr Merrin


17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes, I will definitely share something on your 4T-ith. Not suite sure what yet. Maybe the push ups and sit ups... maybe the 42 below that night... sounds like fun!
Angex

Anonymous said...

Very cool Merrin

Looks to be a BIG day for you. I look forward to creating something on your list with you.

Kindest

Les

Anonymous said...

Hi Merrin,

I will be there!! I turned 40 in 2008. It was a turning point for my life! Some of the ideas you shared were great and I wished I had done the same haha!!

Anita

Anonymous said...

hmm like the sound of the 42 below one
love to catch up somewhere
u little chicken you
annemarie

Anonymous said...

Hi Merrin,

This is excellent!

I will be in Belgium that day, and in meetings all day. Still, I will try to share some of the things that you want to do, like:

- Eat 40 pieces of fruit
- Hug a tree
- Smile at strangers
- U2
- Talk to my mother, father and sisters
- Hug my colleagues
- Do 40 press ups
- Do 40 sit ups

And when August comes around, remind me to bring you some 85% cacao chocolate from Belgium, it'll rock your body!

Cheers.

Siegfried

Anonymous said...

Hey you - I can do No 14 & 15 as I'm generally up at 4am so I hear the dawn chorus most mornings & see the dawn! So maybe there are some upsides to feeding a little person at that time of the day -will keep you informed on the 21st! Hope you're both well - is an amazing blue sky 26deg day here today -definitely having a cold beer when Stephen gets home -hugs Cecily

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful list dear – will do some, send you a blog and

There will certainly be 40 huuuuuge wishes being sent your way.

Hugs Judy

Anonymous said...

Hi Merrin
Love to be part of yr 40th maybe dance with great music & share something about myself no one knows
look forward to the 21st
have a great day
cheers
Carmel x

Anonymous said...

Profound quote for the day - Confucious say ' MAN WHO GO ON CAMPING TRIP HAVE ONE INTENT ' - could be no.40 (a) on Birthday wish list??? Cheers, Maggie

Anonymous said...

Awesome - I celebrated mine in Paris last year - great list!

Rainbows and sunshine
Karen

Anonymous said...

13 looks good followed by 37
Chris

Anonymous said...

Hi Merrin,

A very early "Happy 40th Birthday". Tim and I will be away... sailing in Greece on the 21st June. We leave for Greece on Monday back on the 10th July. A lovely long holiday. But because we're on a boat in the middle of the Mediterranean it's a good chance we wont have access to a computer so I send you many wonderful birthday wishes. May your day be filled with tea, laughter, window wash, smiles, U2, Kenny Rogers, hugs, Louise, dogs, family, friends, fruit, trees, cold beer, sunshine after the sunrise, water, mandalas, silence, deep and meaningful conversation, stars, new concepts and ideas, dancing, memorable quotations, blogging, sharing, exercise, vision, donations, 42 below vodka, acknowledgment, gratitude, service, wonder, chocolate, breathes, and love.

Chris and Tim xxx (And little Maxi moo)

Unknown said...

there are ooooooooodles of things there i will do with you and aunty lou! your birthday is the same as mums! cant wait to hear more and see evidence of it!
love ariya & anna xox

Anonymous said...

MERRIN’S 40TH BIRTHDAY SONG
(Sung to the tune of 12 Days of Christmas)

For the first hour of my birthday I hope that I can hear
A bird singing in a tree

For the second hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree

For the third hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Talking to our families
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree

For the fourth hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Filming and sharing
Talking to our families
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree

For the fifth hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Enjoying friends for tea
Filming and sharing
Talking to our families
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree

For the sixth hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Listening to U2 and others
Enjoying friends for tea
Filming and sharing
Talking to our families
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree

For the seventh hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Drinking beer and stargazing
Listening to U2 and others
Enjoying friends for tea
Filming and sharing
Talking to our families
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree



For the eighth hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Hugging and smiling
Drinking beer and stargazing
Listening to U2 and others
Enjoying friends for tea
Filming and sharing
Talking to our families
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree

For the ninth hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Still laughing and breathing
Hugging and smiling
Drinking beer and stargazing
Listening to U2 and others
Enjoying friends for tea
Filming and sharing
Talking to our families
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree

For the tenth and final hour of my birthday I hope that I can be
Eating lots of chocolate, cleaning up the rubbish, thinking lots new quotes
Still laughing and breathing
Hugging and smiling
Drinking beer and stargazing
Listening to U2 and others
Enjoying friends for tea
Filming and sharing
Talking to our families
Eating lots of fruit and hear
A bird singing in a tree

HAVE A VERY HAPPY (AND BUSY) BIRTHDAY MERRIN.
SORRY WE ARE NOT HERE TO HELP YOU WITH SOME OF THE ABOVE.

BEST REGARDS
JULIE AND JEFF

Anonymous said...

So to recognise Merrin's birthday we will watch 40 minutes of test rugby and as a double celebration after a short break we will watch a further 40 minutes.
Mack and Barbara

PaulDunnWizofWOW said...

And I wonder what 40 things you could give (or what could you give to 40 people?) Crazily enough, US$40 gives 400 people access to water - $4 gives it to 40. Now that would be very cool.
Lots of love Merrin.

Paul



Paul Dunn
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Anonymous said...

Well we did the 40 minutes with the AB's and then another 40 minutes, however they didn't manage to win by 40, but did manage the beginning of the 40 - just a 4 point win against the French!!(although we did have the 0 part too - the weather temp at the Stadium) Happy Birthday - A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Here's hoping you have a great 40th year ahead. Barb & Mack