Last week was my birthday! That’s right, forty-something years ago the world received a bundle of sarcasm and cynicism, thus improving it exponentially. If you haven’t booked your cotton candy and fog machines in commemoration, there’s still time! [Or just help me get more likes on Facebook].
I’m always a bit hesitant to plan something for my birthday because it never quite lives up to my hyped up expectations. Then the day comes along and I wish I or someone had planned something. Schizophrenic, much?
Historically, my birthday usually collides with Mother’s Day. For the most part, I take it in stride when a friend will not cannot join for a birthday drink or dinner because of Mother’s Day. Every seven years or so Mother’s Day is on the opposite weekend but apparently, it’s still a conflict for some. I’m used to it because in college my birthday usually fell during midterms or finals — depending on which university I was at — so finding anyone willing to go out and do anything was tricky.
The mother of all Birthday-Holiday Collisions: a late December birthday has been ruined for the last 2000 years because of that Christ Kid.
When I was a much younger bundle of raw nerves, it use to bother me that my friends wouldn’t figure out a way to celebrate my birthday without sacrificing their family obligations. Especially when my friends whose birthdays fall on the other eleven months of the year expect me to be available for them (what do you mean you’re having emergency triple by-pass surgery, it’s my 5th anniversary of turning 35!)
It isn’t just May of course. June has Father’s Day, which doesn’t have as good of a PR effort as Mother’s Day.
October has Halloween, February has Valentine’s Day and the mother of all collisions: a late December birthday has been ruined for the last 2000 years because of that Christ Kid.
I’m pretty sure no one has any big Arbor Day plans though and Flag Day celebrations are a morning thing mostly. But essentially, there is some holiday almost every month of the calendar year and chances are you or one of your friends goes through this unasked for competition between the date of their birth and some holiday, Hallmark or otherwise.
I’ve gotten over it for the most part. This year we didn’t do anything special because we have seven-month-old twin bundles of joy that make getting a sitter tricky and costly. I’m not saying you should tell mom or dad to go take a hike. I’m just suggested that you can still acknowledge it in some way instead of making them feel like an asshole for having the audacity to be born on the same weekend as Thanksgiving. (Those raw nerves still flare up from time to time).
****************
Like me, you probably dislike all of the ads on this page. They pop up unexpectedly, sometimes cover text, start playing videos and clutter the post itself. We bloggers have no control over any aspect of the ads (content, form, placement, etc). I am sorry that they have taken over our blogs on ChicagoNow and appreciate your continued support.
Follow Mysteries of Life on Twitter (@MysteriesOLife), Facebook or subscribe via email.
therunninggod 