Sunday, September 26, 2010

Birthday

And so begins my second decade on the face of this earth. Let me tell you something about my birthday. My birthday is not auspicious at all, being one of this days that coincides with a large traumatic event shadowing all attempts to be cheery and festive. (Think Pearl Harbor.) Therefore since middle school, I have mentally lessened the importance of my birthday, choosing instead to partake in the mass remembrance of those lost. Now it is the 9th anniversary and for some friends who lived in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Boulder, Colorado, or even Singapore, Singapore, or Mumbasa, Kenya, the tragedy that my friends and their parents witnessed first-hand was not as vivid.

What did that mean for my birthday? A party.

Therefore for those of you who saw me on that day, you must forgive my odd reactions to cards shoved underneath my door, presents behind people's backs, and masses of people entering my small room shouting "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!". (Because you are curious, my reaction was to back into the corner of my room and say "Help! I'm claustrophobic! Let's move to the lounge!" Hehe.)

However you must understand that I am grateful. I truly am. The purpose of the celebration of one's arrival to this world is to make that person feel unique and special. (This actually is a very socialized concept, because in truth, you share a birthday with 18 million people in the world. That would be 3.6 million Chinese, 3 million Indians, 824,456 people who reside in the United States, 90,682 Canadians, 166,052 British, 225,813 Germans, and 349,216 Japanese.) But it worked. I bought into it. The fact that dozens of people wished me a happy birthday and smiled at me that day and the tons of freebies associated with you birthday (Hotcakes gives you a free slice of cake) gave me warm fuzzies. I really enjoyed my birthday.

Which is why I made funny thank you cards! I utilized the motif of a robot, because that may have been what I was before: absolutely indifferent to the day when the last bolt was screwed in my head. However, some robots are obviously female, some have hearts, and some love to listen to music. Robots have souls too!