A friend of mine recently celebrated her 40th birthday, but I imagine it didn’t play out the way she anticipated it.
At work with a double ear and throat infection.
I imagined she would have pictured something different for the big 4-0.
I don’t know. You hit 15, 16, 21, 30, 40, 50, 60 … Those are milestones you think about when you’re younger and you imagine certain things transpiring. Relaxing on a beach. A quiet dinner with family. A wild party with friends. A cake with candles. All sorts of things, but feeling crappy and knocking back some pretty intense antibiotics isn’t something high up on your list. I’m sure she’ll celebrate afterward, or maybe she partied during Valentine’s weekend, but either way I felt kind of bad.
Birthdays should come with a little silver lining, no matter how bad the storm. I felt bad about it and didn’t know how to improve her situation. I had sent her a card with all the loving bosom buddy words my Guat heart could muster and she did receive it before the big day, but considering the Debbie Downer that infections can create I thought I’d make her one of my famous mixed tapes … you know the kind you wish your boyfriend would have taken the time to create and put in your locker. Although her husband is a pretty awesome guy too, so I’m sure he found ways to make the birthday better.
But on behalf of the comadre code it was still my duty to spread a little sunshine. We’re all in it this year, every one us is hitting the big 4-0. So, I took her way back … back to the days of leg warmers, neon clothing, and Aquanet Hairspray, in hopes of making her smile.
Music from your childhood always makes you feel better, takes you to your teenage years, dances in the gym, Friday Night Lights moments, first Molly Ringwald experience, yearbook photos, and laugh out loud scenarios with your girlfriends.
So in an effort to brighten your weekday thought I’d share the mixed tape I made for my friend. Hope it takes you back to the days of Marty McFly.
This is Side A.
Crush on You — The Jets
Saving All My Love For You — Whitney Houston
Spring Love — Stevie B
Lady in Red — Chris DeBurgh
Total Eclipse of the Heart — Bonnie Tyler
You Are The First, My Last, My Everything — Barry White
In Your Eyes — Peter Gabriel
If You Were Here — Thompson Twins
Querida — Juan Gabriel
Quien Como Tu — Ana Gabriel
The Wish Factor 
That was a flash from the past. I hope your friend is on the mend!
She’s doing better now, and she was totally digging the mixed tape 🙂 Brought her back to her Trapper Keeper days.
Is it bad that I still wear the neon colors – ha! I remember the big bangs and leggings and big shirts – fond memories – thanks for the flash back. Happy Day 🙂
Ha! I remember those shirts. I had a yellow one and those Wham! shirts with huge letters on them … Relax. Ha! Loved that time.
Big hair, leg warmers, parachute pants. I hang my head, guilty of them all. Your playlist is so awesome, not a bad one in the list.
Everyone seemed to own some Aquanet and made good use of it. Totally guilty of that and all kinds of Swatch Watches, but so glad you like my list! I always feel good when you hit that like button when music is involved. 🙂
I am sure your friend loved the mix (and your friendship)! Oh, those big hair days!
Music always brings you back to the Molly Ringwald and Marty McFly moments and I love that. My friend really liked it, said she enjoyed the blast from the past and I’m sure she was cracking up when she hit play.
Holy mother of New Coke! The ’80s….back when I thought two tone leather jackets were cool, big hair was sexy and Budweiser was good. I still miss those times. And I hope your gal pal is feeling better.
Yup I love my Trapper Keeper and Swatch Watch Days, even if I rolled up the bottom of my pants to look like some crazy fool. So glad I took you back to a good time. My friend was really happy with the list and said she hadn’t heard those songs in like forever, so I’m glad I made her day. And she’s totally feeling better now.