Jun 1, 2015

Happy Birthday To Me and My Friends



This past week I’ve been celebrating my birthday. And, yes, I do mean for the week (or most thereof) since this is one of those special big 0 birthdays which family and friends want to rub my face in...or perhaps they just want to show their love.  Let’s go with the latter.

On my actual birth date, via that vital part of every day known as Facebook, I learned that I share my birthday with Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark. I don’t know why I wasn’t aware of this before. Ever since he shed real tears of real emotion watching his bride walk down the aisle, he’s been my favourite royal. Perhaps even before that. I mean, he – the fastlane-living, athletic, playboy prince – picked up “our Mary” in a bar. And since that epic wedding (he in full romance-cover-worthy uniform), Fred and Mary have produced four beautiful babies including twins. He is manna from category romance heaven. How could we not adore him? 

So, yes, I am quite chuffed to learn that I share a birthday with Prince Fred and it got me wondering whom else I may share my cake day with...I mean I knew about John Wayne because, well, John Wayne. Icon. Possible my husband’s favourite actor (or at least second favourite behind Clint Eastwood.) I also knew that Isadora Duncan, famous for interpretative dance and treacherous floaty scarves, was born on the same day (many, many years earlier – I am not THAT old!) but a google search revealed I shared the candle-blowing, cake-eating celebration with jazz legends Miles Davis and Al Jolson, that controversial bare-footed runner Zola Budd, lovely lovely Lenny Kravitz, the queen of quirk Helena Bonham Carter plus Matt Stone, one half of the creative genius behind South Park and The Book of Mormon

Then there’s Stevie Nicks, which also warms my heart, since Fleetwood Mac was my first big concert experience way back in my youth and I still rate Rumours high on my Best Albums Ever list.  According to her Wikipedia entry, Stevie “spent her adolescence playing records constantly and existing in her own little musical world.” Substitute books and I feel a true affinity with that girl!


I also shared my day-of-birth with Sally Ride, the first US female astronaut and the youngest astronaut to travel to space. She flew twice in the Challenger and after leaving NASA worked in areas of physics that are so far above my head they are well into space.  Which also describes her PhD thesis topic.  This is one super intelligent, strong, courageous woman and reading that she and her long-time partner wrote six acclaimed children’s science books together only adds to my admiration.


So, let's share… Is there someone you admire, adore or abhor who shares your birth date? Or perhaps someone you believe should be your birthday twin (because you share the same bodacious talent.)

21 comments:

  1. Great post, Bronwyn. I never thought to look up who I share a birthday with, but I didn't have to go far to be delighted. Oscar Wilde and I share a birthday. I don't need to any further to be happy!

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    1. Oscar Wilde? Oh to be such a wordmaster. You truly didn't need to search further, Jen.

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  2. Sounds like you had a great birthday week :) well done

    I have never really looked this up before but now that I have I share a birthday with Michael Clarke Aussie cricketer (and I do love my cricket) Marvin Gaye and Hans Christian Andersen :)

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Now there's a trio of bodacious talent right there, Helen. Hope when your birthday celebration next comes around you'll raise a glass (or a slice of cake) to Michael, Marvin and HCA!

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  3. Happy Birthday week Bronwyn.
    Most of the famous people I share my birthday with are people are names that make me go 'who?'. However I apparently share a birthday with current Pope Francis, Prince Edward's son James Windsor, Viscount Severn and many many many actors/actresses.

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    1. Meant to say, I can't consider that I admire or abhor any of these people or feel a connection either.

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    2. Lyn, I think this only suggests that the brilliant talents with whom you share a birth date are yet to be discovered. Perhaps the next record-smashing author or Oscar-winning actor or triple-gold Olympian.

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  4. Happy Birthday - or perhaps that should be Happy Birthweek, Bron!

    This was such fun to Google! It looks like I share my birthday with a varied lot of individuals including Bonnie Prince Charlie (b 1720), Dr Samuel Mudd (b 1833) apparently convicted of giving medical aid to JW Booth, and Uri Geller (b 1946) spoon bender extraordinaire!

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    1. I had a giggle myself, Sharon, reading about that eclectic trio. It is a fun exercise, isn't it?

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  5. Happy birthday from me also, Bron.
    I was quite worried about checking out who shared my birthday in case it was Adolf Hitler or something like that. But what I found made me smile.

    Werner von Trapp (yes, one of those von trapps) is the first one that jumped out. That might explain why I've seen the movie 87 times :-)

    Also John Boon the son of Gerald Boon the founder of Mills and Boon who went on to play a big part in the company. I think that's just fate.

    And Samuel L Jackson who clearly got all the cool being dished out to December babies!

    As for birthday twin, fellow Cat Michelle Douglas and I are eerily alike!

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  6. Nice selection there, Amy. Very nice. I love the connections there, with those singing Austrians and Mr Boon and the King of Cool, because I reckon you are one cool chick yourself.

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  7. Bron, it sounds like you've been having a marvellous birthday celebration. Good on you!

    What a fun post. I never tried to check who else was born on my birthday. I was chuffed to come up with William Wyler, the fabulous film director (think 'Ben Hur' and all sorts of other great ones), Carl Lewis, George Sand and Debbie Harry. I laughed to see Gottfried Leibniz, a famous philosopher and mathematician who developed infinitesimal calculus - I don't even know what that is! Also Princess Diana.

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    1. Oh, Annie what a super group to share a birth date with. A "bit" or talent in all sorts of areas. And, yes, I'm with you on the infinitesimal calculus. Although the term does describe my knowledge of calculus! :-)

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  8. Happy Birthday, Bron!

    I've always known that I share my birthday with Queen Elizabeth II. I was even given Elizabeth as my middle name for that reason.

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    1. That's not too shabby at all, Claire Elizabeth. She is another of my favourite royals - an amazing woman.

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  9. Hi Bron - Happy birthday!
    I share mine with Dame Judi Dench (the coolest dame on the planet), Kirk Douglas (Michael's dad and the one true Spartacus) and Donny Osmond (sigh), the poet John Milton, Simon Helberg from Big Bang and a rapper called Booba....
    so I feel like I'm in good company. Great post!

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    1. Imagine a birthday dinner with this bunch at their prime, Helen. What an interesting night that would be. :-) Oh, and I agree about the coolest dame. Love love love Dame Judi.

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  10. My birthday is this month too. 6/27. I share my birthday with Helen Keller.

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    1. There's another amazing woman, Tammy. I hope her work inspires you.

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  11. Ooh, what fun, Bron! You do indeed share your birthday with some rather fine birthday twins. I have to say that it's hard to believe Amy Andrews and I don't share the same birthday -- as I'm convinced we were separated at birth.

    I guess I'll have to make do with Samuel Richardson (and as Pamela is widely considered to be the first 'romance' I feel we should belong on the same family tree), rocker Johnny Nash and, uh, Bill Clinton (!). :-)

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  12. Michelle, I very much love your birthday connection to the first romance. Definitely fitting.

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