Another birthday, another year older....

[fajrdrako]

I do love birthdays! In the abstract, they seem to me to celebrate something very fundamental: not just life, but individual life. Celebrating birthdays is a way of telling our families and friends that we are glad they exist.

A lot of people seem to see birthdays as marking the passage of time.... But I see it as more of a triumph over time: after all, every birthday is a sign of survival, another year snatched in the face of time when the odds are so against us, one way or another.

As of today, I am fifty-one. Unimaginable! The number is so abstract: it feels like being 15 still. Always will, I suppose, unless one day I should suddenly grow up.... Heaven forbid.

It was a wonderful day. I got phone calls from Diane, Lillian, Sandi, Beulah, Lyn, Lynne, Lisa, Marcelle, maboroshimaki, Glenn (nicely unexpected, all the way from Edmonton), and Harry, most of whom sang "Happy Birthday" to me. All day at work, Gord whistled the tune whenever he saw me. Even Tom - who professes to be grumpy and generally above such things, mumbled "happy birthday" to me in passing, and Beth, my boss, gave me a bouquet of flowers. I love flowers!

For lunch, I went to the Chinese fast-food place on the market, and got mango bubble tea and pork stew on rice. Heavenly. Way off the ayurvedic diet, but I will start being good again tomorrow. I will. Supper was even better: Marcelle's wonderful spaghetti, followed by mango mousse cake, with little purple signs on top like word balloons saying "happy birthday".

Dinner was sheer fannishness. From lmondegreen, two Smallville novels. A Gandalf card, a Superman pencil holder, and purple fuzzy dice from blackbyrde, who topped everything by writing me a lovely elf-slash story. I wish I could have done like the Hobbits, and given all my friends presents for my birthday.

Then we watched the special details on the Daredevil DVD, like the commentary for the visually impaired - I loved it - so suitable for that movie (because, if anyone doesn't know, the hero is blind). Just the thing for watching while sewing. And then we watched some of the Smallville DVD, and most of the episode "Jitters", including a lot of freeze-framing and slow-motion when Lex and Clark were together, or when Lionel was onscreen - yes, I was the one holding the remote control, I had power to look at Luthors to my heart's content! Hah! Birthday privilege!

Comments

[dargie.livejournal.com]

I had NO idea! Happy belated (almost) birthday, darlin'! Glad it was fun, and filled with mango.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and yes, it was great. More mango!

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

Hey, happy birthday! And woo, someone NOT younger than me!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Heh - happy to be not-younger! I've never thought it was a good thing to judge people by their ages anyway. Chronological age is generally irrelevant.

[digitalwave]

Fajrdrako,

I haven't been on much today because of dealing with stuff for my mom. I just wanted to say Happy Birthday!! I'm so glad that you had a great day. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I certainly did! I hope things are going okay for you.

[thamiris.livejournal.com]

Your opening paragraphs contain such a lovely testament to the virtues of birthdays, and it sounds like yours was the proof. Here's hoping the pleasure of this day extends until the next one, when it'll start all over again.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Good thought! Yes, I'll work on that. Birthdays are a renewable resource.

[adamlizz.livejournal.com]

sorry, i was away, didn't know!

{{{hugs}}}

happy birthday! and cookies too!!

and, if we get in a chat when i'm healthier, i'll write you or make you something fun for your birthday :) soon.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Cookies - ooh, you zoom right in on my weaknesses.

Something fun? I like the sound of that.

Feel better soon!

[adamlizz.livejournal.com]

zoom right in on my weaknesses

BWAHAHA! ;)

Feel better

Thanks, hon :)

[amyvartdal.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! I'd write you a birthday present, but I'm not much into neither superman not smallville. And not much of a slash writer either, come to think of it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You're welcome to write non-Smallville non-slash stuff, and I'm not into Superman myself! I try not to narrow my interests. Thanks for the birthday wishes.

[leela-cat.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday. I've become more and more hopeless at remembering birthdays as my life has gotten busier.

I love your way of describing them; it makes me want to rededicate myself to rediscovering the joy of being the person who remembers birthdays instead of the one who is utterly hopeless at it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I used to be good at remembering birthdays. Then - through illness and other problems - I became very bad at it for a few years. I'm trying to get back to a place where I can remember and celebrate, even with just a message or a phone call. It's worth it... if I can do it.

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

[acampbell.livejournal.com]

I'm so pleased you had the wonderful day you deserve. You and your friends always celebrate in the best ways!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

What a nice thing to say. Yes - I love our celebrations.

[elle-hudson.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! I love birthdays; they're so exciting. It sounds like it was wonderful.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Yes, it was.

Many, many happy returns

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

Happiest of birthdays, dear (if belatedly --LJ's fault -- no new friends' pages came up from Monday unon until *today*. I kept wondering why no one was writing in their LJs! *g*)! May the birthday gifts and well wishes keep coming for a long bit yet.

Re: Many, many happy returns

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Hugs! My LJ usage has been curtailed too somewhat- due to circumstances beyond my control - I miss everyone!