Here it is, less than a week since I turned 49 and I’m already plotting my 50th birthday and attendant parties. And I’ve figured out a way to pay for whatever I want to do (leaning towards a pizza party, wherein I close my favorite local pizza joint for a private party, or a fancy dinner somewhere nice for a smaller group; a trip to New Zealand or Ireland isn’t out of the running).

For several years I have saved $25 a month in an online savings account. I don’t check on it very often, and usually have to call the bank to get new log-in information because I forget my username and password in the lengthy intervals between peeks. By not keeping track of how to get into the account or how much it is, I keep it out of mind. Last I checked (a year ago? two years?), I had about $1400 in it. I want to double those funds and figured out that if, every week, I put away a progressively larger amount of money, I could end up with about $3000 to spend on my half century celebrations: this week I save $1, next week $2 and so on until that last week I save $52.

Even $3000 won’t get me as much as I want. My dream would be to have a huge weekend party with all the people I love most, preferably at Sleeping Lady where the sheets are soft, the nights dark and quiet, and the food as spectacular as the scenery. Also, other people clean up. I won’t be able to cover that with $3,000, though.

Yeah, I know. How much I have and how big a party I throw doesn’t matter as much as having the people you love around. Blah blah blah. I want a party (said in the same tone of voice some girls say, “I want a pony!”), and I’m determined to find a way to pay for as big a bash as I can.

What about you? How do you celebrate important birthdays? Do you think I’m silly for making so much out of my 50th circuit around the sun? Would you feel differently if I invited you to my party?