Happy Birthday, Ivy League Insecurities!
- 04
- 10
- 10

Alas, here I am breaking my absolutely-no-blogging-on-weekends mandate. And for very good reason.
One year ago today, I started this blog.
I had zero clue what I was doing, but that didn’t deter me. I sat down. At this desk. At this computer. And I wrote. I wrote my inaugural post called The ABC’s of Insecurity. I smile now as I reread the words I wove then:
So. Here goes. My very first post as a rookie blogger. And this post, like life, is one part serious and one part silly… We humans are insecure creatures. To pretend otherwise is foolish. And yet that is exactly what we do. Everyday. We pretend that we have it all together. We wake up and get dressed and go outside and smile. What lingers behind those well-practiced smiles? The ABC’s of insecurity.
I smile because even then, squinting at the benign blur of the digital horizon, I knew. I knew where I was headed. I was headed into a world of grays. I was headed behind those smiles. Toward thought. Toward truth.
I smile because here I am. One year older and wiser. And still a rookie. Learning my ABC’s. Practicing. I will always be a rookie. That’s just who I am.
Isaac Asimov once said, “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.”
Exactly. Ivy League Insecurities, for me, has been about writing. Of course. But, even more than that, it has been about thinking. Thinking through my dreams. My doubts. My days. Thinking about who I am – as a daughter, a sister, a citizen, a friend, a wife, a mother, a writer. As Me.
So now. Now it is time to sign off and enjoy the good Saturday that stretches before me. But I had to pop by here on my big day. Because, for me, it is a very big day. And on this very big day, I wanted, I needed, to thank you for reading my words and ideas, cobbled together clumsily and with profound care. For humoring me. For listening to me think.
For watching me grow.
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Happy Birthday, Ivy League Insecurities! I love you like a digital daughter.









Happy Birthday!!!
Happy birthday!
I am so glad to have met you.
xo
Happy Birthday Aidan and ILI. To many more fruitful years
Happy Birthday! Cake? Ice cream?
Congrats on 365 days of thinking through your fingers! Have a wonderful blog birthday and weekend with your family.
Congrats Aidan!! Hard to believe you’ve only been doing this a year – I feel like I could spend weeks reading through your old posts, learning so much.
Your words are anything but clumsy! Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, ILI! Aidan, thanks for sharing your biggest questions and most daring thoughts with us for the past year. Here’s to another wonderful year of blogging!
Happy Birthday! Found your blog not too long ago but have enjoyed every single humorous/thought-provoking post.
Enjoy your weekend.
Happy Birthday ILI! Chocolate cake, please. You know I love you and your blog and LAY, which is helping me through my half-hour stationary bike rides that I dread each day. (What will I do when I’m done?!)
I love your thoughts & your words – the way you string them together and tie them into the bigger picture.
Keep up the great work, and thanks for sharing your life with us. Happy, happy birthday and many, many more.
Happy Birthday on a successful first year. Hoping your second will be even better!
Hey, I don’t blog on w/e’s either, but scanned thru my reader and saw your blogiversary. Had to say Congrats! So glad to have found your blog!!
Champagne anyone??
Happy Birthday ILI! I think a glass or two of pinot is in order
.
Happy Birthday & Congratulatoins! I always enjoy your blog– thanks for sharing a piece of yourself!
Congratulations! I am also a blogger who has been going for about a year, and I second your words about the journey one embarks on with a blog! I have made new friends, discovered who I really AM at age 60, and even won a prize! My very best to you. We bloggers have to stick together! molly
I only wish it hadn’t taken me 11 months to find your site! Congratulations.
Yay, Aid! Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday to Ivy League Insecurities!
Congratulations!
Happy Birthday and thanks for filling our days with wonderful ideas and interesting discussions.
Happy Blog Anniversary sweet friend. May there be many, many more wonderous posted tales of your journey. (Hugs)Indigo
Happy Blog Birthday, indeed! (Love the Asimov quote.)
Happy, happy birthday! I’m honored to be here, celebrating with you and all of your fans! Here’s to many more!
Again, happy blogiversary Aidan. I can’t believe I hadn’t followed you on Twitter yet. Well, I took care of that! Have awonderful weekend.
Thank you so very much for sharing your thoughts and Dreams and fears with the world, we are all better for it.
Always Bumby
Happy Blog birthday!! What a journey!
Aiden, Happy Birthday to your blog! I just “cyber-met” you a couple of months ago and look forward to reading you every day. You have become a huge inspiration to me… Thank you!
Only one year? That’s not possible because you are SO SEASONED (whatever that means in the world of blogging, right?) But really, this is one of my favorite places to visit and I’m so glad you’re here!
I can’t wait to read your book, and to meet you one day.
Happy Birthday, ILI!
i echo heather entirely… every. single. word.
happy happy ILI.
Happy first year! I can’t believe you’ve only been blogging for one year – you write such thought-provoking posts, and in such a distinctive style, that I imagined you must have been doing this for years. Congratulations, and thank you for sharing this year with us. Here’s to many more happy years!
“Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.”
Leave it to you to give us a gift on your very own birthday. Thank you for that magnificent quote and for the gift of your words this past year.
xoxo
Happy blogoversary. You have made quite an impact. Keep up the good work.
I have been delighted by you from the moment I found you. You’ve inspired me, made me think, and entertained me. For that I’m grateful. I very excited for what this next year will bring for ILI. Keep writing, I’ll be here reading.
Happy blogiversary!
Happy blogoversary!!! I only wish I found you sooner – keep writing and inspiring us, I’ll be right here along for the ride.
Congratulations! I am so glad our paths crossed here!
Happy Birthday ILI! You were my first blog love and were the doorway through which I discovered so many others. Thank you for your insight and inspiration! I’m so grateful to be here, witnessing (and benefiting from) this journey and exploration.
Happy birthday, ILI
It’s been a big year full of big ideas.
Happy Belated B-D ILI! I’ve learned so much through your blog and can’t wait to read the book. Kudos to year one.
Happy Blog Bday!