Tuesday 13 May 2008

NOW WE ARE TWO

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR BLO-OG!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!


The Sibley Blog - weighing in at just a little over 700 posts - is two years old today! This occasion provides an opportunity for the entire editorial team (!) to express its gratitude to everyone who's contributed to keeping this blog going with ideas, photos, jokes, and oddities -- and, of course, all those of you who've regularly (or even occasionally) left comments.

Many Happy Returns to Us All!

Now, as it happens it's not just my blog's birthday, it's also my un-birthday, so I thought I'd give everyone a small un-birthday present...

The term un-birthday was first coined by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-glass and What Alice Found There, the 1872 sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

It is Humpty Dumpty who explains to Alice the concept of the un-birthday present as being a "present given when it isn't your birthday..."


Alice considered a little. "I like birthday presents best," she said at last.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" cried Humpty Dumpty. "How many days are there in a year?"

"Three hundred and sixty-five," said Alice.

"And how many birthdays have you?"

"One."

"And if you take one from three hundred and sixty-five what remains?"

"Three hundred and sixty-four, of course."

"And that shows that there are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents---"

"Certainly," said Alice.

"And only one for birthday presents, you know. There's glory for you!"

When, in 1951, Walt Disney made his animated film of Alice in Wonderland, Humpty Dumpty didn't make it into the movie; but, instead, the Mad Tea Party became a Mad Un-birthday Party complete with a special song for the occasion.

Whether today is your birthday or your un-birthday, have fun!






14 comments:

Good Dog said...

A very Happy Birthday to The Sibley Blog, and a very happy un-birthday to you. Thanks for the present.

Anonymous said...

I like un-birthdays best too (to me? to me!) I like Alice's cake best too - not fattening....

SharonM said...

Many happy Blogging Returns and a very merry unbirthday to you, to you.
I wonder if almost a blog a day is a blogging record.

Arts and Crafts said...

Happy birthday for your blog, and unhappy birthday to you... "y que cumplais y no cumplais muchos más".

Unknown said...

Αζήσεις Ο Blog,
Και χρόνια πολλά,
Μεγαλος ναγίνεις
Με άσρα μαλλιά.
Παντού να σκορπίσεις,
Της γνώσης το φος
Και όλι να λένε,
Να ένας σοφός.

and happy un-birthday to Brian xx

Phil said...

Brian, what a coincidence! Today is MY un-birthday, too!

Many happy returns. (Or should that be un-happy returns? No, no, surely not.)

My Blogger word verification today is "yltevas", which sounds like a feast day in the yiddish calendar. So Happy Yltevas to you and your blog.

Elliot Cowan said...

Happy birthday to blog,
Happy birthday to blog,
Happy birthday dear blog,
Let's have a pint.

Andy Latham said...

A very happy blogday! May you have many more to come!

It's this blog that got me into blogging

Boll Weavil said...

Breakfast with Sibley has become a staple requirement for my day as i peruse your blog over my sumptuous morning repast.So let me raise a glass to the man whose industry has made such things possible..Mr Eben...ooops no, I mean,of course, Mr Sibley.

Brian Sibley said...

Thank you ALL!! :-)

Rena Fan said...

Suzy said it all!

Happy Birthday, blog... Happy Un-birthday, Brian!

Anonymous said...

Happy Belated Birthday, Blog! I only began reading you a few months ago, and I have been enjoying you immensely. Give my best wishes to your author on his current Un-birthday. :)

Diva of Deception said...

As the white rabbit of this blog entry I'd still like to say a very happy belated blogday and unbirthday to you.

Did you know we share an unbirthday? In fact we share all of them!

And I agree with Phil - wasn't it Yltevas the milkman in Fiddler on the Roof (!)

Brian Sibley said...

RENA, LUINFALATHIEL & DIVAThanks! Better that than never! ;-)

Meant to ask, SUZY, do you have a Greek keyboard now?