22 December 2005

The Season to be Grateful

Around this time of the year, I will usually rant about WHY OH WHY I don't get any birthday presents or have birthday parties. Well, this year I decided to change my approach towards birthdays. Although your birthday is the only day you can be legally selfish, I chose to be a little more selfless on my birthday.

Instead of expecting lavish dinners and expensive cakes, I'll make it a small celebration. On Tuesday night I had dinner with Mum at Northam Beach, a beachside food court. And I'll be back there again tomorrow night with Dad and another family friend, Mr. C. It's nice because you have the cool sea breeze on your face while you enjoy slightly more expensive food.

Anyway, to commemorate my 20th birthday (gasp!) I will be donating RM20 to a charitable organization tomorrow. I aim to make this a yearly practice, so I'll be donating RM21 next year. Which is just as well, because by my 60th birthday, RM60 will only be worth RM20 today. Inflation is good.

RM20 is not much, but when you compare it with the amount I donated last year (RM0), it's an infinite increase in good karma! (It's infinite because you can't multiply 0 with any number to get 20, really)

By the way, I would like to take the opportunity to thank my friends Jason, Alain, Patrick, Fa, and Jackson for being the first few people to wish me on my b-day.

And plainly for reflective purposes, here is a list of notable events in my life during my 19th year:
  • Fell in and out of love within one month. At the same time realizing that I'm a sucker for love.... so I've learnt to be less gullible.

  • Decided to become a "casual vegetarian"... and contemplating the idea of adopting a more "serious approach.

  • Started this blog in May... and I've not stopped writing since.

  • Soaked my car boot in battery acid.... therefore getting my vote as Favourite Mistake of the Year

  • Went backpacking with Dad to Singapore... and I've learnt that he's not a good travel partner (you'll get to hear all about it when I post up my Singapore audio journals)

  • Did not have serious tonsilitis during the second half of the year... so I've successfully avoided antibiotics for almost 5 months now.

  • Exterminated lots of termites around the house... which is making me miserable.
It's a pretty uneventful year - I did not save the world or prevent global warming but as they say, "No news is good news". And with that, a very Happy Birthday to Me. You did well, Zemien.

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