birthday

i'm going to rant. be forewarned.

i don't get the hullabaloo about birthdays. i literally had nothing to do with it. i had no part of my conception, and i really didn't help with the birthing process. i realize that birthday celebrations started in the middle ages to celebrate another year of life for the child, but this was when infant mortality rates were still super high, like in the 60th percentile (I have no idea if that statistic is correct; i just made it up. but you know...92% of all statistics are made up...). today, in the U.S. at least, infant mortality rates are significantly lower. we don't need to celebrate the fact that i haven't died yet. plus, i'm now several years out of my childhood. the whole thing is just weird to me. now, i'm not going to lie, i LOVE getting presents. i like the fact that my mom comes out for the weekend and we shop, and she buys me stuff, and i get to choose where we eat every meal. the rest of it... all day long, people tell you "happy birthday" and i have yet to figure out the appropriate response to that. "thanks"? "yep"? "don't tell me; tell my parents"? i usually go with the first, but it still seems strange. what am I thanking them for? remembering that it's my birthday? they really don't have to.

and I know the deal about how birthdays are a chance to celebrate the people in your life who love you and to be happy that they're in your life, but do you need to wait until october 6th to do that? you can celebrate me being in your life any day of the year. i'll let you. it's like that line from gatsby: "Let us learn to show friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead." now, i understand that the context is a little different, because in the book he's talking about how we should treat people when they die, and i'm not dead yet (ironic that i'm discussing this quote, in light of the original purpose for birthday celebrations), but the idea is still there.

i'm not anti-birthday, and I don't hate birthdays or anything. i'm not opposed to celebrating birthdays, giving and receiving birthday presents, people telling me "happy birthday," telling other people "happy birthday," going to birthday parties, having birthday parties, birthday cake, decorating for others' birthdays, or anything else having to do with birthdays.

i just don't get it. for me it's one of those funny little social customs and makes less sense than the others. i play along with it, and it's all cool. i just don't get it. so if i don't send you a "happy birthday" message on your facebook, and if i forget your birthday, please don't feel offended. i just don't remember birthdays. i'll probably remember your shoe size, what you majored in in college, what your favorite sweater was when you were 16, and what your parents do for a living, but i'll probably forget your birthday. hell, half the time i forget my birthday.

i just don't get it.

wait until you hear my rant about saying "god bless you" when someone sneezes. it's a doozy.