The Olympics starts on August 8th at 8PM for a reason. August 8th 2008 is an auspicious date. In Chinese, the number 8 is pronounced “fa” or “ba” (depending on the dialect) which means prosperity. As James Fallows noted in the Atlantic Monthly a year ago, many Chinese couples have been planning weddings for this special 8-8-8 date.
Friday, August 8th is my husband, Ray Gordon’s birthday. Come celebrate and initiate your own prosperity as we raise a glass of champagne on August 8, 2008 at 8:08PM Kauai time.
Kauai Shipwreck Beach photo by Ray Gordon
If you can’t make it to Kauai this time, please gather friends that day for your prosperity festivities. You don’t need to be Chinese to appreciate the significance of this date. You can also send photos to Flickr for their Flickr 888 photo fest.
About Linda Sherman
Wish I could join you. It would be great to be there to celebrate Ray’s birthday and join in the prosperity toast. I enjoyed reading about 08-08-08. Atlantic Monthly is one of my favorite reads. Nice to see this reference.
Half of us will be there to enjoy and share in the celebrations. Happy Birthday to Ray….. and from rural France I will be celebrating with a glass of “vin rouge.”
I hope you have a great time!
Michael and I will be at your South Shore home for this celebration. We are looking forward to seeing you and Ray again, and celebrating in this very special way!
Happy Birthday Ray!!
You’re a super photographer! Thanks for the great shots you took of me at BlogHer. It was great to chat with you about life.
P.S. I did it up big when my daughter turned 4 on 04/04!!
I would love to be there with you, celebrating the universal energy & Ray’s beautiful birthday. Since I can’t be there with you, please know I carry the love of the day in my heart and send you many good wishes, washed with the beauty of life & all the awesomeness it can be! Happy Birthday Ray!! I hope you’re having a Birthday WEEK! *hugs to you both*
What singular reasons to party – Ray’s Birthday on such a lucky date!
Bridal couples won’t be the only ones taking advantage of this great date – can’t be in Hawaii but I’m getting all my single friends together for a “Get Lucky” Beach Party!
Hau`oli LÄ HÄnau Ray!
(that’s birthday wishes in Hawaiian)
P.S. Linda you’re doubly lucky ’cause Ray’s da man!
perhaps we should have an NYC prosperity tweet up!
I wish I could be with you in gorgeous Hawaii for Ray’s prosperity birthday…and I am so grateful for the spiritual kick in the tail that your post has given me. I too will be toasting on 8/8/08 at 8:08 (perhaps both am and pm…why not?) to celebrate the wonderful love, friends and inspiration that are both already mine and yet to come!
Happy Birthday Ray!
I wish we could be there but Priceline did not come through for us. We will be toasting from here and wish Ray a Happy Birthday. Stunning photo of Shipwreck Beach, by the way.
I will toast in your honor from here – may it be a FABULOUS birthday for Ray and a wonderful year for you both! 🙂
I didn’t know about the significance of “888” so thanks for sharing it!
Wishing you and Ray a happy “888” birthday celebration with continued years of success.
My virtual glass will be raised in his and your honor.
Hi Linda – wish I could be there with the two of you to celebrate Ray’s birthday (so cool about the significance of the 888!). Have a happy and prosperous one Ray!
All my best,
Terry
Thanks to EVERYONE for your kind birthday wishes!
Looking forward to triple 8s, and to all those who will join me in a toast (virtual or in person) at 8:08!!
Happy Birthday Daddy!!!! Wish I could be there but will be toasting you from the east coast on that day for sure! Love you very much!!!!
xoxo
Ariana
A huge happy birthday! Or as my sister says, “Happy Birdle Dirdle”
You are going to have such a great time = )
Vanessa
What a wonderful idea – and what great timing Ray has! I’ll be sending many good wishes from DC. Happy birthday!
Yes, it’s going to be great…8 has always been my lucky number…
Congratulations Ray, you truly deserve good fortune!!!
I’ll be celebrating 888 from here in Mexico City too!
Happy Birthday Ray, 誕生日ãŠã‚ã§ã¨ã†.
Truly would love to be in Kauai to help you celebrate (and escape the furious heat and humidity in Tokyo). However I’ll do the next best thing and hold a triple 8 party here.
Best wishes for a very prosperous, helathy, and happy future. Aloha…………..rm
We will be there and happy to toast Ray at 8:08! We treasure the perfect Kalalau photo that Ray gave to Bobby for his birthday. Wish we could reciprocate in kind but our presence on Friday will just have to do! See you then! D & B
Thank you so much for these lovely comments. Ray and I were in Tokyo during the millenium celebration. It was fascinating watching the New Year roll through the time zones.
As our friends are scattered through the time zones of the globe, we’ll be sure to have more than one toast.
i keep getting these invitations to hawaii, i really need to go soon 🙂
i’ve been talking about this date (i kept referring to it as zero eight zero eight zero eight) for quite a while because my second grandchild’s due date was on that date – he’s changed his mind and came early, though, last saturday 🙂
what i will be doing here in vancouver while the olympics start is to light a candle for tibet: http://www.candle4tibet.org/
all the very best to ray, and have a mahvellous pahty! will you blog about it?
I WILL TOAST YOU WITH LOVE AND ADMIRATION FROM PARIS. BEAUTIFUL GUY, TERRIFIC COUPLE, GREAT FRIENDS.
ALL MY LOVE, CATHEE
Happy Birthday Ray from Tokyo! Sakie and I regret not being able to join you and Linda in Kauai to celebrate the auspicious day of August 8, 2008. But, we will be in Tokyo at a dinner that evening enjoying a bottle of Pahlmeyer chardonnay and Caymus Special Select cabernet sauvignon and thinking of you. (We continue to search for the Aubert chardonnay and the Peter Michael “Point Rouge” chardonnay.) We look forward to seeing you on your next trip to Tokyo so that we can invite you out to dinner and celebrate your birthday, our friendship, and the joy of being alive!
Ray, well you are so lucky to have an 08-08-08 birthday – must be why you married The Linda Sherman. My only real question is: which one of you is the luckiest ? After all, while you married her and got lucky, she did after all marry you!
From Cortes Island, British Columbia I join in the celebration of Ray’s birthday. On August 8 I will be raising a cup of champagne to Ray (and Linda) many years of happiness.
I paid a bunch of bills early today using Ray’s birthday as the date. It was fun to remember him as I wrote them.
I’ll be looking forward to the “surprise” ticket to islands you’re sending me for this event! 🙂
We will have a few bourbons on the 8th to celebrate your getting a year older– you are after all very old and we will need a few hard drinks to come to grips with your extreme age.
Best of wishes from the Z’s.
Happy Birthday, young Ray! I remember well the event-filled year – 1993 – that you and Linda got married and moved to Japan for a wild ride with Coors and after. Congratulations on surviving and thriving to tell the tale! All the best from Hong Kong ……
Ray, Happy Birthday to you. Triple “8s” day is an extraordinary day for Chinese as we believe this will bring everyone better luck. I sincerely wish your birthday will mark an even more lucky future to you and Linda. Hope to see you during my next trip from Hong Kong to the LA area.
Kauai is a long way from Boston (more’s the pity), but I will be lifting a glass and toasting you from afar. I’m sure the Triple 8s will bring good fortune and happiness for the rest of 08 and beyond. Happy birthday!
Ray, Congratulations on hitting the Triple 8’s! I will raise a toast at 888 from Beale St in Memphis as this is the beginning of Elvis week celebration!
I would rather be walking in Kauai instead of Memphis! Better still with 888 – I should head down to the casinos!
Congrats Good Friends Ray & Linda
Ray, it was so great to meet you in San Fran and hear the story (from your point of view) of your amazing romance with Linda.
May you have all the prosperity in the world and enjoy this year and live to be 120!
Ray, I’ll be there in spirit (and the spirits will be in me back here in LA). It’s been a pleasure knowing you and working with you these many years. I greatly enjoy your photog work.
It is truly a wonderful time when the four of us get together. My best wishes for a wonderful birthday and continued success.
May you live to be 888!
Best wishes from cozy – and rainy – Switzerland.
I still keep some of Ray’s old calendars on my desk, so to keep admiring his magic photo viewings. On 888 I shall save the Kauai beach photo on my desktop, so that I can stare at it and fly with my imagination….
I wish Ray a joyous birthday & may you both have continued prosperity.
On 888 I shall be spending the day with my mother celebrating her returned good health.
Ray … I’ll be in Virginia celebrating my nephew’s wedding — also auspicious!
I pray your already substantial creative talent, charm and intelligence continue to grow and be contributed to all in the years to come. May your celebrations this day and always be joyful.
Hi Linda and Ray.. Just remember that life is too important to take seriously, so forget almost everything you’ve ever learned, start over, and have a brilliant birthday! I miss you and I love you..Happy Birthday my friend!
who’s to say
what to say
on ray’s birthday
but to clear away
the surface of words
and dig into the depths of the soul
where truth lies dormant
until it is awakened
and whispers
this is a man of kindness
and compassion
whose name generates goodness
and integrity
whose presence is always
one of pleasure
so mark this day
as a reminder
of who he is
for it embraces
all the days of his life.
Yaay! Shane and I can now come. Life is wonderful, when it’s being wonderful.
Want to live stream any of it?
Ray, After the great 888 today, your Birthday Week begins. Take my favorite trot down the Napali coast to Hanakapiai with Linda. Bring some champagne. See both of you sometime soon, I hope.
Hi Ray,
Wish we could be there to celebrate! We know you will have a great birthday, judging from all the responses on this blog. Hope to see you soon.
We’re looking forward to sharing in the double celebration — yippee! See you on 888.
Happy 888!
Happy 888th, Ray. You look so much younger.
I wish you happiness, prosperity and fish.
Hi Ray, You will have a wonderful birthday and I just wanted you to know I will be thinking about you all day. I can appreciate the significance of 888 for you. You certainly have many who care a great deal about you. What a lucky man you are! Again, Have the very best birthday ever.
Have a GREAT 8-8-8- BIRTHDAY!! We will raise a glass of “something wonderful” to toast you at 8:08 mountain time!! Who could stay up until 12:08…..besides, it would be 8-9-08 by then! We are older, you know!! Hope to see you when we are back in our Kauai Paradise and welcome you to our new digs!! With Lots of Aloha!!
Mary and Jim
HA-HA-HAppy Birthday Ray!
Thought this play on the Japanese
pronunciation was a perfect way
to “cheer” you – your humor is a
treasure; and we treasure the
laughter we have shared!
It is the key to a long life!
Live, Love Laugh!
All the best – hope to share some
more fun with you and Linda soon!
We are currently on a tour of NY
wine country, and will toast you
with local bubbly tonight!
xoxox
Dianne, Bruno, Zach & Noah
Ray, Happy birthday. We decided to hold the Olympics to celebrate your birthday 🙂
Cheers! Shashi
Although it will have to be long distance, we wish Ray a wonderful birthday, and a terrific year ahead for both of you – sounds like you’ll be “ahead of the 8-ball”!
Happy Birthday to the brilliant, lovely and very much loved dear Ray
Sorry I can’t make it but I will be sure to do my part to be festive that day!! Happy Birthday Ray!!
Aloha, Wendy
Ray – Happy Birthday Man!
Have a great time. Wish I could be there with you!
Wish I could be there to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY in person but I’ll do the next best thing. This evening I will gather together a half dozen of my closest female friends, at 8:08 we will raise a glass to my friend in Hawaii amd hopefully will still be partying when 8:08 hits the south shore. Have fun Ray, you know I will!
Happy Birthday Ray!!! Sorry I can’t make it in person to your 8:08:08 party but I take rain/sun checks and will definitely be there in spirit. The world is a much better place with you in it and I look forward to lots of exciting happenings with you at AFI/CMBI/EI coming up. We’re certainly overdue. Hope you have a healthy, happy and prosperous rest of year. All the best, JOHN
Ray, I want to wish a very Happy Birthday to you. I was so pleased that you visited my home in
April I enjoyed your sweetness and kindness as always. You are a joy to be with, just as you
were in your home on the Island. I hope you are taking care of yourself. Hope to see you
again soon.
Thanks for including us on this auspcious day of 08/08/08 for Rays 55 in Kauai. We have long believed the importance of the number 8 as it is our grandson’s favoritve number and we even retreived it from the trash when he lost his no. 8 in a chinese restaurant—what does this mean!!!! Look forward to many fun time together.
Cheers
Marty and Marcia
We would love to be in Kauai with you helping to celebrate the auspicious 08 08 08 and most importantly, the wonderful Ray’s birthday!
We’ll raise a toast for you here in Koh Samui …. Thinking of you and sending lots of love and the biggest birthday wishes,
Erica & Wolfgang
Mahalo nui loa. Great party — great reasons to celebrate. We enjoyed being with you and your friends. Thank you for including us. We’re sending aloha to you both.
Wishing you a happy birthday this year and every year in the future. Wish I could have been there to celebrate with you, but I was thinking of you and cheering you on from afar. Hope to see you again soon.