What do Sean Combs, Ralph Macchio, Laura Bush, Matthew McConaughey, Tony Messenger and I have in common?

Today is our birthday. And you know that means it’s the best birthday, because P. Diddy accepts nothing less.

To celebrate, I’m going watch “The Karate Kid” and “Sahara.” Then I’m going to the library and read the newspaper while listening to “No Way Out” in its entirety. And then I’m going to a high school football game.

(Only one of those things is true. Well, maybe two of them, if one of my waiting-list books comes in at the library.)

I asked Rockford for a story about his sister, for her birthday. Here’s what he said:

One of the most fun memories I have of Chloe is when I was in about the 10th grade, and Mom and Dad had gone out of town. Chloe came home to stay with me, and we went out to play golf. It was a Saturday. And we had a great time, but as we were playing golf it got insanely cold. A huge wind kicked up, and it got really cold. On the way home, we stopped and rented some movies. For the next three days, the temperature didn’t get above zero. It was so cold there was no school. That was a fun weekend.

What a bunch of crazy kids, huh? Happy birthday, Chloe. I hope it’s at least four times more fun than that golf and film fiesta.

Poppy asked me recently what I wanted for my birthday, which is on Friday. I told her I’d like it if she and her brother obeyed and were kind to one another all day long. She wasn’t happy with that answer. She wanted me to give her an answer that was “something we can wrap.” So I made this list of wrappable things:

1. A new lens for my camera.
2. A new battery for my camera.
3. Boots. (I like this entirely-too-expensive pair.)
4. A bookstore gift certificate.
5. A Land’s End gift certificate.
6. A Sonos system. (Or a speaker/docking thing for the iPod.)
7. “Just Dance 3“
8. A subscription to our local newspaper.
9. A Target gift card, so I can buy some baskets for organizing the big bookshelf.
10. Paint for the living room.

How about you? What’s on your birthday list?