Five eventful years ago, Little Blogette (a moniker so creative and original, it blew rings of neon smoke from the ears of all who heard it) made her debut with this post. As is wont to with a newborn, plenty of well-wishers came to oooh and awww and tinkle silver-and-pink rattles by her cribside. As is also wont to, by the time you’re done attending the 5th birthday party of a child whose cutest years are past her, you stagger out, topped up with delicious but predictable cake and a lame return present that looks suspiciously recycled.
So you’re off the hook with all the cutesy things fond parents expect to hear about their snot-faced little wide-eyed monster. But wait! I’m not quite done. If I have reaped the joys of connecting with so many of you over the years, if only through the limited interaction of a comment, a friendly email, or “Hi, I’m a lurker, okay bye!” kind of message, it’s time for me to pay it forward.
As a small gesture of gratitude for the sustenance of this blog and to show my appreciation to those of you who come back, year after year, I will be donating $50 to a non-profit organization of my choice, one whose work and cause I believe in and support. But HERE’S WHERE YOU COME IN:
For every comment received on this post, from the time it is published until midnight on July 15th, I will add $1 to the base amount on your behalf. So feel free to say hello, tell me you’re a lurker in your tiniest font and then vanish forever, share your favorite birthday memory, or….only if you want now, no pressure….wish this blog a happy, meaningful birthday. Multiple comments from the same IP address will not be approved, and yes, I’m so magical, I can tell. 😛 Comments are moderated, so don’t be concerned if you don’t see yours right away.
What do you get out of it other than warm fuzzies? I’m hoping it’s a chance to band together to offer the world a little humble something. And something is more than nothing, even if only in the number of letters it carries.
So tell your friends and family, sign in as Rumpelstiltskin-does-the-Hula for all I care, but don’t be shy, send some dollars this way! There are some fab organizations out there who could do with a leg up. And I’ll be sure to share details of the donation with you.
Oh, and before you leave, have a slice of lime tart, specially baked to celebrate the occasion. You know what this means, don’t you? The Happy Hausfrau will be along to share the recipe soon. 🙂 Bon appetit, my friends, thank you for reading Wisdom Wears Neon Pyjamas and get clicking on that comment button!
Wisdom Wears Neon Pyjamas 
I hope it’s atleast 80% cocoa. Yes?
Happy 5, OJ! 😀
Happy happy birthday Little Blogette 🙂 And Li’l B’s Mamma – I love your idea. Thank you for sharing joy and introspection with us on your journey, and for also paying it forward. I’m glad to be part of your thoughtfulness.
What a noble thought! Hats off. All the best to your endeavour!!! :))
Happy happy to you! Love your Parsi-isms, OJ-isms, loving life ife-isms..
Admittedly, one of the lurkers, but I had to chip in to say – thank you for letting me into your world. And if you come by Brussels, I’d love to let you into mine 🙂
This OJ constantly surprises
Dishing out generous prizes
Can’t help but just love her
So, Folks, do goad and spur
And half-decade Blogette, may you multiply many sizes!
Congratulations..Happy that you are sharing your happiness of completing a milestone with someone less fortunate..May u have many more to come..cheers
Good luck and wish the blog many happy returns of the day!
Love your writing 🙂 refreshing and fun like a five year old splashing about in a swimming pool…always makes me smile ….
Happy birthday, Blogette! You are a treasure. Best wishes for many more to come.
Darling Blogette, here’s wishing you a wonderful fifthe birthday and many more to come! The pie looks absolutely scrumptious. OJ, mother of Blogette, congratulations!
Happy birthday- this is the best 5 year old’s birthday I’ve been to ( then again, I don’t know how people survive those without a secret stash of tequila:) wishing you and little blogette many more years of fun, laughter and adventure xoxox
Happy fifth! Loved your Monday Muse post 🙂
Happy birthday, OJ – what a thoughtful and unique way to celebrate Little B’s birthday:) Wishing you many more!
Happy happy to you darling OJ
Here goes!!
HAPPPPY BURRRDAAY TO YOUUUUUUUUUUU! HAPPPPY BURRRDAAY TO YOUUUUUUUUUUU! HAPPPPY BURRRDAAY DEAR ORANGE JAAAAAAMIES!! HAPPPPY BURRRDAAY TO YOUUUUUUUUUUU! YOU!
Hick!! 🙂
I will be that annoying kid at the party that sneak attacks you and blows out the candle ahead of you – as I’m wont to 😉
Kofi C
Happy 5 OJ. 🙂
Happy 5th OJ. Of course a lurker I’ll admit. After reading your kind and genuine idea about the donation, I had to leave a comment 🙂
Love this space of yours! Wishing for many more posts and years!
Ooh lemon tart.. Yum!
Happy bloggie birthday OJ 🙂
What a wonderful way to celebrate the completion of 5 years! Happy birthday, Little Blogette! 🙂
– A frequent lurker
Happy happy happy happy happies OJ! What a gift you are to know, to read, to guffaw with, to love. Hugest hug possible, and stuffed with love.
Good Going OJ 🙂 I am celebrating this occasion with Malai Falooda and Shwarama 🙂 #TeamBhukkad 😀
Happy birthday, beautiful!
Happy happy to my fav Bloggette and Blogger. This is my 2nd comment-not sure if the first one went through.
Saal Mubarakh! May you grow tall and beautiful and fair so a nice Parsi boy marries you, and may you have a lovely mother-in-law. (This, incidentally, is not a birthday wish but my memory of birthday wishes as per your request).
Real birthday wish:Happy birthday OJ, were it not for you, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with your writer as fast and hard as I did and then I’d be all alone in the South Bay.
Happy happy Blogette!!!! I am so jealous of your mommy’s writing skills 😀
Happy Happy OJ 🙂 Looking forward to more forward to more of your wonderful writing, here, at other places on the web, and ofcourse, in that book form soon!
I am not a lurker but a huge fan….and hey we should have Blogette over for a playdate with Princess A!! – the most eloquent two five year olds I know! Happy Birthday to her and warm wishes for many more.
Happy birthday Orange Jammies! Am going to lurk around your blog from now on!
Happy birthday to the most entertaining, precocious and intellectual 5 year old I know… Hope the blog enjoyed the key lime pie as much as I did!
– Your Lurker-in-Residence
Happy Birthday OJ. Thank god you are not OJ Simpson. Here’s for 100 more birthdays… Cheers
Happy Birthday! Congrats on the 5-year completion. Noble gesture, this.
Happy birthday and wish you all the best…
Posts like these are the reason why I keep coming back here, every single time. Happy birthday, Little Blogette 🙂
What a fab way to celebrate!
I have lurked around, far longer than I cared to delurk and comment, but you must know that you, this space and your words are really loved. Happy 5th, and here’s to many many more 🙂
What a fabulous way to celebrate!
I’ve lurked along far longer than the number of times I chose to delurk and comment, but you must know that you, this space and your words are much loved..
Happy 5th, and here’s to many, many more!
Ouuff, duplicate comment, please delete the extra one. Im not trying to slip in multiple comments from the same IP 😛
Dear OJ, happy 5th! Good riddance to the obligatory cooing and make room for real personality, shining through gaping front teeth and hand-printed post-its to the tooth fairy.
With a five year old of my own, I’ll be damned if the cutest years have passed. Next thing you know, Wisdom is wearing plaid flannel. Squish the thought. Can’t wait to get a taste of some pulp and undiluted OJ.
And lime tart sounds like a perfect teaser for writing flavors to come. Prost!
New blogger I am, so respect to a 5 year older one. Loved chancing upon and reading your blog. Happy happy everything !
“I’m hoping it’s a chance to band together to offer the world a little humble something.”
Awww…it’s not a little something it’s a biggg something you’re doing! :):)
And yes, I’m a *very* happy lurker! 🙂
Happy happy 5th birthday OJ! :):) And many more to come….
Happy birthday!
So, um, since you’re Blogette’s mummy and all that will you be called aunty now? Seeing as how mine turned 7 this year, I’m in the aunty bin too 😛
Lime tart recipe and charity is all very well but how about a wee story like that one about the bottles?
Much love to you and Blogette, may you both continue to entertain and inspire for many, many years to come 🙂
Delurking to wish you blog a very Happy Birthday! Love the way you write – keep up the good work 🙂
Happy birthday !I don’t visit but you are always on my mind:)
Great way to celebrate!
What a lovely way to celebrate. Happy 5th OJ and may WWNP grow and provide happiness and pearls of wisdom and Parsi-isms for many years to come.
Happy bithday! I’m sorry I’m late but does it still count? 🙂
Happy 5th OJ! Super proud of what you’re doing 🙂 Mwah!
That’s a very generous gesture OJ. And a very fab and sneaky way to get lurkers to unlurk 😀
To Blogette, happy birthday. I know you when you are five, I knew you when you were four, I knew (I think ) about the three, and I know your fav visitors and the amusing and witty and generous souls that banter with you. Have happy happy birthdays (and happy happy non birth days too). Ok, before I become the aunty that cries (tears of joy) and spoils bday parties I will stop.
Love, muah, ever more.
Oh darn I forgot about the lime tart. Don’t approve this if you so wish, but the tart looks abs. delish. waiting to read the recipe delivered OJ sthyle.
Happidy Birday OJ! You have such a big heart. 🙂 Here is wishing the blog many many more. xx
Wow..Happy 5th OJ .. You are a darling!! Keep writing and keep up the good work 🙂
I actually lived through five days without an internet connection but I’m happy I got here before your July 15th deadline. Happy 5th birthday dear blog. The toddler years are over and elementary school is right around the corner, eh? Well, I’m certain you will be one of the cool kids. The one everyone wants to hang around with.
Happy B’day OJ 🙂 .. Love this blog ..
lifts two hands — one for me and one for ma… to be counted in —
you are in our conversations in a ‘real’ way and we forget that we have never met.
to fill you in …
me — [while making my point] ”but amma, oj says blah blah blah on her feminism blog”’
ma — ”yes but oj is batty”
—
love how the words spin out under your flying fingers.
—
and ignore my ma. she secretly grins at battiness — but is too proud to admit it.
she’s loves you like an aunty g. but only she is an aunty c.
Happy birthday OJs blog.
So, Maidinmalaysia’s got a Mummy C
Who also reads Wisdom Wears Neon P
That’s OJ’s charm
She’s a wee-bit barm
But we all love her — from A to Zee!
Hey OJ, Happy, happy fiver! Now, where’s my return gift?
Happy birthday OJ! Love your blog. Total OJ lurker and PROUD! Don’t care who knows it! 😀
Happy cinq year 🙂 May there be many more! Love reading your tweets and blogs…they are such “treats” 😛
Thank you SO, SO much! You guys are amazing. But of course, I must do this properly and acknowledge each one of you individually:
ikaveri: As dark as you want, O lady of light!
Sharanya: Thanks, Ranya. Aren’t we a cheery bunch of July-borns? 😀
Anamika: Hugs. Feel free to use the idea! The more the merrier!
Hemisha: I’m hoping it gets more people thinking about doing something similar.
Sneha: You’re not a lurker, girl–you’ve invited me over for Belgian waffles before and I totally intend to take you up on the offer someday. 🙂
Aunty G: Unfortunately, the only thing multiplying many sizes is the author of this blog. 😆
Sulaiman: Thank you for your wishes and also for spreading the word on Twitter!
vckar: Hey erstwhile California person! Any chance of a visit?
aditi: Glad. 🙂 That pool visual is irresistible.
sparbh: Hey! What happened to your blog? It’s all private now. Such a pity. 😦
dipali55: Good thing this is a virtual ((hug)), because it would knock the wind out of you in person. 😉
globetrotting-girlfriend: September it is, right? No change of plan?
i*Kan: I’m glad you could relate. 🙂
Priyanka: Thank you!
karishma: Thanks, girlfriend. 🙂
Ratzzz: Oh my! I’m loving the serenade!
KofiC: Hahaha! That is nasty, Kofi. 😉 Thanks for all the retweeting you did for this.
scissortongue: Thanks, Doc. 🙂
Ekta: You’ve said hi before, so you’re not technically a lurker. Although it *would* be lovely if you did it oftener. 😉
Dee: Recipe coming up soon! Thank you, mother of Atom!
DFSK: You’re not a lurker, you leave such kind comments and ‘likes’! 🙂
Aditi: Bear hug back. God bless.
Vipul: Can’t wait to have our kebab face-off in Bombay. 😉 Thanks for spreading the word on Twitter.
LoveInshAllah: Thank you, Sha. Little Blogette’s preening in the mirror.
sukanyabora: And a heartfelt thank you to the most generous reader ever! Thank you so much, Sukanya.
phiroozeh: Awwwww! Only you can make me laugh and cry in the same sentence. ❤
Nidhi: Good god, Nidhi, what if I told you Mommy has 17 left feet and can't hold a paintbrush to save her life? And that she trips over her own feet and laughs at her own sorry jokes? See, feeling better, right?
Vidya: Thank you, hon! Gotta catch up soon!
myglassroom: Gosh, I can't believe it's been 5 years since that wee nugget made her entry. And to think she wasn't even around during our 360 days. Big hugs.
Girl with the dragon tattoo: Sigh. Talk about an idea backfiring. 🙄
damnhobsons: Wait…you LURK??! 😮 I'm pretty sure there's a clause in our marriage contract that doesn't permit you to.
Gagan: 3 cheers for me not being OJ Simpson…..hip, hip….
faredoon: Thank you. 🙂 It's nothing.
sangeeta: Thanks, S!
R: Unfortunately, sweet girl, my bank balance doesn't permit many more posts like this. 😉
hAAthi: And then you delurked and I was delighted. 😀 Don't go away, okay?
Null Pointer: My dear, your comments make a gal want to headline her posts with "To the Kind Attention of NP". xoxo
aninsightfulnut: Welcome to the blogosphere! Keep posting, the years will fly. 🙂
Bhavya: Now see, delurking lets me share with you that I once had a student who was your namesake and I loved how bright and curious he was. 🙂 He's 11 now.
Plumpernickel: Thanks, Plumps! Err, maybe I shouldn't call anyone that. 😳
DewdropDream: Aunty hogi teri aunty! First take that comment back, then we'll see about the bottles. 😛
Nisha: Thank you for your donation!
rajnid: Thanks, Rajni. I do hope you and the kids are well?
tangytrivia: Yup! In the words of the Barjatyas, "….sab saath saath!"
Meera: Oh for Parsi-isms, put me behind a wheel. I think the Boy let's me drive for that express purpose. Not because I'm an infinitely better driver than him, oh no. 😉
Vahishta: Of course it does! Thank you, Vahishta.
Shakti Salgaonkar: 🙂 Hug. Others can do it too! That's the idea behind this.
alice: Oh Alice, you're practically family. 😎 And hon, *nothing* gets a lurker to delurk if they want to be stubborn about it. Consider this: 80% of the unique visitors who landed on this blog since July 1st did not leave a comment.
Revathy: Hey you! How's it going?
ittakestime: I'll try!
RS: If Little Blogette is anything like her author was in elementary school, she'll have her nose in a book and not even notice. 😆 You survived an internetless world. *RESPECT*
Anu: Thanks, Anu. Glad!
maidinmalaysia: So here's what your comment led to:
Me: Haha, MiM's amma thinks I'm batty! Haha, me, batty. Little do they know.
The Boy: Erm, honey….
Me: What? I'm all sorted and proper! Right?
The Boy: Well….
Me: Well…..??
The Boy (trying to be helpful): It's your Parsiness. Just a wee bit. (index finger and thumb a sliver apart)
Me: Oh. ……
Me: Oh!
*goes off to talk to self in the bathroom mirror*
By the way, Aunty C needs to leave her own comment. Sorry, batty rules around this place. 😛
Kiran: Thank you, love. For so many things. Hugs.
Rose Tinted Glasses: Coming up in a post or two!
BitofFroof:You?! 😯 You who share my hair goddess would do that to me???? Then die OJ!
Benaifar: xoxo 😀
Happy 5th Birthday “little Blogette” !! How cute is that?! Vision of a little yellow icon, in a Nanette Lepore dress, just batting away her eyelashes. Oj, what a cute name. Only you could you come up with this name. Have been so fortunate to have met you and known you now for a few years. You truly MAKE ME THINK and every morning when I journal I have noticed the difference. However, your thoughts are typically OJ, so funny and so thoughtful at the same time and your language….I don’t have words. So Sal Mubarak to Little Blogette, do a little tili on her forehead and a big koti (hug) for her and her sweet Mamma. Love you. ps: The idea of the Pay Forward is fantastic. Helps another and gets us all in the game….lurkers and all! Love that word lurk!
Happy 5th Birthday to your wonderful blog!!
Very first dollar I am earning..
You celebrate your birthday throughout the month..I was sort of surprised, same age as my offspring who is definitely not your place for every thing everything in its place sort..
I am a lurker ( or am I?)
Love your blog and go wide eyed at the Parsi special posts. I know very little of Parsi culture and your posts not just shed light, but make it so fascinating!
Oh..and your language makes me drool. The play with words and the joy they bring! 🙂
Stay splendid.
Happy 5th!
Happy birthday! Here’s to many, many more!
Hey OJ,
Happy Birthday to your lovely blog..
Your lurker from santa cruz,ca
Glad to donate another dollar – thank you so much for doing this and may we see “Little Blogette” still going strong another five years from now #inspired
Kofi C
This is lovely. Happy Birthday, and much love!
This is a great way to celebrate!
Congratulations!
Many happies, OJ! May God bless you with lots and lots of wisdom and lots and lots more fluorescent jammies! x
Abanty: Thank you and bear hugs! It’s been more than a few years since we first met. 🙂 11, to be precise. And I’m so lucky to have you in my life.
Monaz & flying colours: Thank you. 🙂
alwayshappykya: What’s with all you non-lurker folk claiming to be lurkers? 😆 You’re practically a neighbor, aren’t you?
CW: Thanks!
pam: I didn’t realize your town was in the mountains until we drove through one day!
zenzeiblu: Thank you a whole bunch!
Aathira: Glad you think so. 🙂
66 individual comments were received until the deadline. I am approving some extras that came in, they are very welcome, but I will not be counting those in the $$$ total. Thanks SO MUCH, everybody!
We “Bhavya”s *are* makes-you-wanna-put-on-ur-sunglasses-bright and curious! 😀 And dunno if it was a typo or not, was it a “he”?? Coz this Bhavya’s definitely a “she”! 😀
Bhavya: Haha, I believe you. 🙂 Yes, my little Bhavya was definitely a ‘he’.
Happy Birthday!!
Minati: Thank you! 🙂