I wrote yesterday, early in the day, on an experimental site (which I’ll probably keep) the following:

I’m on facebook. Most of us are these days.

There’s a little reminder that shows up on the right hand side when it’s someone’s birthday. I usually ignore it, unless it’s someone who I’m close friends with, then I pick up the phone and call them personally and sing Happy Birthday. (a better present would probably be to NOT sing).

I’ve always thought it was impersonal. Today is my birthday. May 18th.

As of 11:00 a.m. I’ve gotten 125 people posted to my “wall” telling me Happy Birthday.

Every. Single. One. Of. Them. meant something to me. I really, truly appreciated the time they took to tell me Happy Birthday. People I’m good friends with, fans who I met at a show, family they all made me smile.

I’m rethinking about making sure that I give that little gift of recognition everytime I see the the reminder about whose birthday it is. At the very least, no one is going to be sad that I thought of them.

I have another story about being recognized from the stage that I’ll share at another time. Let me just say, like the song says… Little Things Mean a Lot.

Thank you if you’re one of the people who wished me Happy Birthday.

By the end of the day I had gotten over 250 facebook and twitter messages and dozens of personal text messages and phone calls. I read each one, placed the name and face and how I knew each person who passed on greetings. I saved them all in a special file.

At the end of the day I tweeted: “I have felt like the center of the universe all day. A sincere thank you to everyone who wished me happy birthday. I appreciate all of you.” And it’s true.

If you’re one of my friends/followers (in the facebook/twitter way, not a religious or egotistical way) who actually reads these posts I REALLY, REALLY appreciate you. This blog has been an exercise for me in writing daily (though it’s not always daily) and in connecting on a deeper level than the 140 characters of Twitter or the 240 of facebook.

Finally, I want to specially thank my lovely Kim for spoiling me in person during the time I was at home and to John O’Bryant, for making me tear up at the heartfelt tribute he wrote about the time he interned with me and what it meant to him. You can read it here.