Nanifest 43 Has Begun!!

Nani-forest Birthday Cake!

I have a few things to share today as my last couple of days of being the answer to life, the universe and everything draw my celebrated year to a close.

First off, I have found in my 42nd year, that the answer must be getting married and going to school, as those have been the two major accomplishments of 42 for me. I think I’ve actually better answered the question of what the question actually is than “what is six times eight?” I think Douglas Adams meant that the ultimate answer and ultimate question never will match, not the way we’d expect them to, anyway. So, life, the universe and everything is simply, not ever what we expect. I’m okay with that, it’s sort of what I expected...which means even in that assessment, I’m wrong! But maybe it’s just that the question and the answer to the ultimate everything is different for everyone.

Of course, maybe Douglas Adams was just a brilliant science fiction humorist and not a philosopher at all! Suffice it to say that in my humble opinion, life itself is like the Bible - the answers you seek are there if you keep an open mind and look for them. But beware, those who look for evil will find it they really want to as well! Have faith and don’t leave that faith completely up to someone else, always use the brain you were given in following the path that faith puts before you!


Okay, sermon part of the blog is done, let’s move on, shall we?

Nanifest 43


So, as of 5PM Friday, Nanifest 43 has begun and it will go through the actual holiday, Wednesday this year, until the midnight that ends this coming Sunday. Those of you that have been reading the Chronicles of Nani for parts of the past few years have heard my celebration format before, but as a refresher and for anyone stopping by for the first time, let me tell ya about it!

When I was a child, my birthday was always a special holiday just for me. Well, it was a special childhood holiday for Martina McBride, who was also born on July 29, 1966, too, but I didn’t know about her and hadn’t met friends Pat and Jerry, who also share my date. In fact, when I was a child I didn’t want to know anyone who dared share my birthday, same as I didn’t want to hear about anyone who shared my first name. I was a good little Leo, it was all about me and no one else was allowed to be like me. Then I grew up!

It didn’t happen all at once. Growing up doesn’t happen over night. I mean, when I turned 18, the banks all closed and church parking lots were full! Coincidentally, July 29, 1984 was a Sunday. I understand this same phenomena was true in Kansas for Martina.

One thing I did note as got older, my friends and family were growing and moving on too. That’s not sad. I had a license and a car and an income at 18 that I didn’t have as a child. But my birthday was evolving now. It wasn’t my day to be given cake and presents anymore. It became my celebration of the years I’d collected. It was the experience, the knowledge and the people who’d become the base of who I am. My birthday had become my time to celebrate everything I had and the people who have made that possible. The gifts I want every year to commemorate it are time with my people, the people who have made me who I am and to celebrate them and thank them. It was no longer something I could do in one day!

So, Nanifest was born. I celebrate my birthday from 5PM on the Friday before my birthday until the end of Sunday after my birthday, for a full 9-day celebration. For years where my birthday falls on a weekend, I extend that to 5PM Friday of the weekend before until the end of the weekend after, for a two-week extravaganza. For the years of weekend birthdays I travel more and see more people, but on every birthday I try to see as many people as I can. I never ask for gifts, although I love getting cards, but it’s time that’s the greatest gift to me. Even if it’s a phone call or a few words in an an email or text, it’s the people who’ve made the years behind me great that make me excited about the years ahead! Just a little reconnecting makes me all warm and fuzzy!

I will be 43 years old on Wednesday. I don’t try to hide my age, I’m proud of all that I’ve earned, loved and accomplished. It puts an exclamation point on the optimism I have for the future. I’ve heard it said, “Getting old sucks.” Getting old doesn’t suck. It’s NOT getting old would be bad. Age is a gift, one that renews itself and is better and more abundant every year.


Break Time!

Yeah, just like Baggle does it!

Well, I’m officially getting an “A” in my first Networking class. I’m kinda torn about it. I worked hard to earn my grade, but I don’t feel at all ready to take the certification test! I need to do some more studying! I’ll be starting my Microsoft classes in the fall semester, the first one online that will start while we’re on our honeymoon, so the laptop is coming along to occupy my time when David is playing poker or posting at Train Orders! I’m going to look for a networking internship for the fall when we get back.

If there are any networking pros reading, I’d love an email with thoughts or words of encouragement. Does it just take more than the first class to really grasp the whole thing that they teach in the prerequisite class to everything else? Will an internship help? Is now a good time, or do I need a couple more classes before I’m ready? I’d love to talk to someone in the field about it! (If you have a friend or relative in the field who’d consider sharing some thoughts, please ask them to drop me a line at the address in the bulletin board on top of the page - chroniclesofnani@gmail.com!)

I’m on break from school now until August 17. I plan to reread some of the text book, get my regular features going again on the blog and do some designing and scrapbooking in the next couple weeks. In fact, today’s Monday Mug Shot will follow this entry!

Scrap Stuff


If you’re getting the Scrap Bird newsletter, you already know that I’m the featured designer this week! You can read a bit about Nani, the designer and get the coupon code to get my Stardust kit for free! If you did my I Wanna Talk About Me challenge last month and already have Stardust, send me an email with the newsletter coupon code and link to your layout from last month and I’ll trade you a link for another kit!

Also, Birthday has been retired as a Chronicles of Nani freebie, but you can still get the kit for free, repackaged in my store. If you downloaded Birthday already, it’s still worth downloading it again at Scrap Bird for the coupon! Inside of Birthday, is a one-time use coupon good for 40% off any and all Digitalegacies Designs products in your cart!

Check out Birthday at Scrap Bird!