Thursday, November 17, 2005

On Turning 40

Happy birthday to me,
happy birthday to me,
happy birthday dear....

Oh. Hello. Yes, it's true. Today IS my birthday. And not just any birthday, today is the big 4-Oh for me. Not that that really means anything to me. I don't feel 40. I'm told I don't look 40. And I wouldn't have a clue what "acting 40" even means. The truth of the matter is, that increase by 1 in my age doesn't really phase me much. Well, actually, I have to admit, 35 was tough. But that's because of my bizarre "math teacher" brain. I just couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I was half way to 70! Somehow half way to 80 just doesn't have the same impact. But "half way to 70" really threw me for some reason.

Birthday's are strange occasions for me. I was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and as you may or may not know, Jehovah's Witnesses don't celebrate birthdays. Well they don't celebrate anything really. No Christmas, no Easter, no Thanksgiving or Halloween. Nada. It's not that Witnesses are against celebration on principle. They are, believe it or not, generally fun loving people. No, for each holiday, there is some specific reason why observing a holiday on that day is unscriptural or why a celebration is inappropriate. I won't bore you with the explanations for all the holidays, but since this is my birthday and I did bring the subject up, I'll tell you why Witnesses don't celebrate birthdays.

You see, there are only 2 birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible. In the old testament we read of the birthday of Pharaoh. At that birthday party, Pharaoh's baker was beheaded (either that or his cup bearer, but I really think it was his baker). In the new testament we read of the birthday of King Herod. At that birthday party, John the Baptist was beheaded. Clearly the lesson to be learned here is that birthday celebrations are bad because people always end up being beheaded. And therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays. O.K., O.K., I admit that is a rather blithe over simplification of their reasoning, but hey, it's my birthday so I can explain it how I want to. And you need to realize that to a child's way of understanding things, that truly is the explanation. When I was little and my friends asked me why I didn't celebrate my birthday (or more importantly theirs) that was the reason I gave because that was how I understood it.

So anyway, now birthdays just feel strange to me. Though I walked away from the Witnesses in my early 20's, I still, to this day, have never had a birthday party. I wouldn't know what to do if someone threw me a birthday party. When people wish me a happy birthday I always feel awkward and slightly guilty.

What happens in reverse is even worse. I can NEVER remember other people's birthdays. I never had to when I was young, and I'm just not used to it. I've been with my partner Ron for 11 years. I always forget his birthday. I remember our anniversary no problem. But birthdays? I've just got this mental block. My best friend Betsy - same thing. I forget her birthday every year! Now when I say I forget their birthdays, I don't mean the dates themselves. Ron's birthday is March 19, and Betsy's is February 15 (well I'm pretty sure about that one - I'm nearly positive it's the day after Valentine's day. Either that or it IS Valentine's Day. But no, I think it's the day after. Oh man, she's gonna kill me when she reads this). It isn't the date I forget, it's the event itself. There is nothing in my past experience or upbringing to cue me in to the thought, "oh, today is March 19th, that means it is Ron's birthday today." Because birthdays never held any significance for me. My mom, my dad, my sisters, my friends who were Jehovah's Witnesses, their birthdays would come and go without notice or comment. We just didn't pay any attention because, to us, it wasn't anything special.

So where was I going with all of this? I don't know. I think I'm rambling. But you know, that can start to happen to a person when he gets to be my age! No, the truth of the matter is, I'm glad my birthday only rolls around once every 365 days. I'll be happy when tomorrow comes, and the strange, guilty discomfort I've been feeling today is gone.

Oh, and to my good friend Ro, the one person whose birthday I always remember, I would just like to say, Happy Birthday Ro!

23 Comments:

At 12:40 PM, Blogger garfer said...

The Queen has two birthdays; her official one and her real one.
It's hard to know whether to envy or pity her.
I suppose she gets double the presents, but with all her billions that can't count for much.

Happy birthday Faltunus.

 
At 2:55 PM, Blogger Herge Smith said...

Happy Birthday my man.

I'm still a good few years away but alot of my pals are almost there.

I went to a Jehovah's Witnesses funeral a few years back of a pal I was working with and knew from school - found it most odd - the lack of mourning..

But anyway, back to the matter in hand.

Happy Birthday Faltanus,
Turning 40 ain't that heinous,
If you're happy and gay,
Day to day,
Yeaaaaaa!!!

There you go, top of my head poem.

 
At 4:36 PM, Blogger Faltanus said...

thanks Garf, thanks Herge.

yeha, witness funerals can be odd affairs, because the witnesses don't believe that death is a permanent state. they believe that after armageddon (which they say is emminent) the dead will be raised to live in paradise on earth. in other words they believe that they will be seeing their loved one again very soon. so there is a whole lot less mourning as you noted.

 
At 6:43 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! Can't wait to celebrate with you, so you'll have to live with a little more discomfort. Oh! February 15th. . . your memory is still okay. Thank goodness, because you're right, it would've been ugly if you'd been wrong :). Love ya!

 
At 4:24 AM, Blogger Aginoth said...

Happy Birthday Faltanus.

I hit "Halfway" this year.

 
At 2:38 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

And another Happy Birthday from us two too.

 
At 1:55 AM, Blogger Frobisher said...

Post a picture and let the readers decide if you look 40! All the best in your middle age.

 
At 10:27 PM, Blogger pissoff said...

I thought I wished you a happy birthday. I think I'm losing it.

Happy Birthday Faltanus hope you tried to stay out of trouble.

 
At 12:41 PM, Blogger Juggling Mother said...

Anyhoo...

A belated happy birthday.

Don't JW's believe in statistics either? Surely the lack of beheadings at all the many millions of birthday celebrations since biblical times have some weight? Although maybe we shouldn't look into that one too closely -wasn't it a birthday celebration that all those people attended at the Borgias? (or am I just making that up?). And I expect there may have been a few beheadings at medieval royal birthdays, so perhaps JW's have got it right.

i certainly can't be bothered to send cards ever, anyway:-)

 
At 11:57 AM, Blogger Aginoth said...

Hi Faltanus...can I get you to change the link to me in your sidebar/blogroll to http://aginoth.blogspot.com/

I had to delete my other blog (trapped in the body of a civil servant)...long story

 
At 3:16 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I inclination not agree on it. I regard as warm-hearted post. Specially the title-deed attracted me to be familiar with the whole story.

 
At 10:27 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

[u][b]Xrumer[/b][/u]

[b]Xrumer SEO Professionals

As Xrumer experts, we from been using [url=http://www.xrumer-seo.com]Xrumer[/url] quest of a sustained time for the time being and grasp how to harness the massive power of Xrumer and turn it into a Cash machine.

We also yield the cheapest prices on the market. Numberless competitors see fit expect 2x or square 3x and a a pile of the opportunity 5x what we charge you. But we maintain in providing great accommodation at a small affordable rate. The large incidental of purchasing Xrumer blasts is because it is a cheaper surrogate to buying Xrumer. So we train to abide by that contemplating in mind and outfit you with the cheapest standing possible.

Not solitary do we have the greatest prices but our turnaround heyday payment your Xrumer posting is wonderful fast. We drive take your posting done ahead of you know it.

We also cater you with a full log of loaded posts on contrary forums. So that you can notice over the extent of yourself the power of Xrumer and how we be struck by harnessed it to benefit your site.[/b]


[b]Search Engine Optimization

Using Xrumer you can trust to realize thousands upon thousands of backlinks for your site. Tons of the forums that your Site you force be posted on oblige great PageRank. Having your association on these sites can truly help build up some top-grade rank recoil from links and really as well your Alexa Rating and Google PageRank rating utterly the roof.

This is making your position more and more popular. And with this inflate in popularity as superbly as PageRank you can expect to appreciate your area absolutely filthy high in those Search Motor Results.
Traffic

The amount of transportation that can be obtained aside harnessing the power of Xrumer is enormous. You are publishing your locality to tens of thousands of forums. With our higher packages you may regular be publishing your site to HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of forums. Visualize 1 mail on a in demand forum will by enter 1000 or so views, with communicate 100 of those people visiting your site. Now assume tens of thousands of posts on popular forums all getting 1000 views each. Your see trade longing associate sometimes non-standard due to the roof.

These are all targeted visitors that are interested or singular nearly your site. Deem how assorted sales or leads you can fulfil with this colossal number of targeted visitors. You are in fact stumbling upon a goldmine primed to be picked and profited from.

Reminisce over, Transport is Money.
[/b]

TRAVERSE B RECOVER YOUR INFERIOR ERUPTION TODAY:


http://www.xrumer-seo.com

 
At 9:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Systematize the animal with two backs casinos? inquire this advanced [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]casino[/url] steer and wing it denigrate online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also dilly-dallying our soft-soap [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] keep away from at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and be inheritor to in steadfast affluence !
another late-model [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino spiele[/url] correct position is www.ttittancasino.com , because german gamblers, decry a settle the wrong character in unrestrained online casino bonus.

 
At 10:38 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Someone deleted several links from storage.to and depositfiles ...

From now, we will use www.tinyurlalternative.com as our main [url=http://www.tinyurlalternative.com]url shortener[/url], so every url will be there and visible for everyone.

You can pick out from many great [url=http://kfc.ms]short url[/url] address like:

kfc.ms easysharelink.info jumpme.info megauploadlink.info megavideolink.info mygamelink.info myrapidsharelink.info mytorrentlink.info myurlshortener.com mywarezlink.info urlredirect.info urlshrinker.info weblinkshortener.com youtubelink.info and many others.

They include over 60 other available domains and the [url=http://myurlshortener.com]url shortener[/url] service work properly for free without any registration needed.

So we think it is good notion and suggest you to use [url=http://urlredirect.info]url redirect[/url] service too!

Thank you.

 
At 5:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Making money on the internet is easy in the undercover world of [URL=http://www.www.blackhatmoneymaker.com]blackhat[/URL], It's not a big surprise if you don't know what blackhat is. Blackhat marketing uses alternative or little-understood methods to generate an income online.

 
At 3:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Amiable post and this fill someone in on helped me alot in my college assignement. Gratefulness you for your information.

 
At 9:39 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Infatuation casinos? digging this environmental [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]casino[/url] advisor and set up assume online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also decamp during the course of our additional [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] bob at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and attain licit flush !
another late-model [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino spiele[/url] self-possession of events is www.ttittancasino.com , because german gamblers, frame magnanimous online casino bonus.

 
At 1:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi im new on this forum i hope i will be able to help & give something back here because iv learned allot myself.

Thank you

[URL=http://www.mydjspace.net][B]dj forum[/B][/URL]

 
At 10:38 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Heya im new here, I find this board very useful & it has helped me out allot. i hope to be able to contribute & help other ppl like it has helped me.

I do enjoy [url=http://watch-family-guy-free.warlordz.co.uk]family guy[/url] this helps kill a fair amount of time.

Cheers, See you around.

 
At 8:57 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I read a article under the same title some time ago, but this articles quality is much, much better. How you do this?

 
At 12:37 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clear to pass the pitiless with two backs casinos? earshot not present from this na‹ve [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]casino[/url] exemplar and aside online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also into our untrained [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] unsatisfactory notify at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and overwhelmed chief substitute !
another weird [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino spiele[/url] value is www.ttittancasino.com , veritably than of german gamblers, make off uphill good old days unfettered [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]online casino[/url] bonus. so check this leading [url=http://www.omniget.co.il]online casino[/url] for free [url=http://www.casinosaction.com]casino bonus[/url] and 100's of online [url=http://www.thecasino.co.il]casino[/url] games.

 
At 4:04 PM, Anonymous spanking of female stories said...

END VIDEO CLIP BOBBIE BATTISTA, HOST Were talking today about the possibility of androids and robots living among us. He was passionatefor them.
alt sex stories incest
stories taboo
mom fuck stories
free amateur porn stories
free nasty sex stories
END VIDEO CLIP BOBBIE BATTISTA, HOST Were talking today about the possibility of androids and robots living among us. He was passionatefor them.

 
At 1:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hot wife acquired horny watching for her own enthusiast and splashes herself for the couch as soon as the girl got attractive [url=http://www.xvideos.com/video1626626/simone_horvath_on_the_gangbang_beach]Sexy Bright BBW Partner Screws Unusual Dark Guy The girl Met with Pub[/url] Tricky bodied kid, Lexi Enily demonstrates involving your girlfriend sexy corporation rear end and even your girlfriend shaved twat, and receives a cumshot rectangle hard. , video1478201481 Hot partners gaining sexy within the water they licks the girl kitty in doggy design and style in that case bang the girl in most styles http://www.xvideos.com/video1652265/big_tit_blonde_aline_gets_ass_pulverized Doublestuff along with cum serious straight into our ass , Occasional baby off of the street happens interior to grant a decent waste position and get payed off having a very hot jizz face

 

Post a Comment

<< Home

Free Website Counter
Web Counters