29. Modern Birthday Etiquette

A recent photo of me at TweetUpSL, by Malinthe

As I get older, I get less presents but more wishes. This is kinda OK. I suppose this process culminates in a large funeral.

People knock Facebook for taking the personal touch out of birthdays. It just tells you when peoples birthdays are and thus automates remembering. I can’t remember anything, but I still care, so I appreciate this feature coming and going. I do appreciate FB wishes, and consider them sincere. I just wish FB could run facial recognition on my life so I could stop forgetting peoples names. What is modern birthday etiquette?

1. Birthday Tax

In meatspace, they demand food. Thus, for office, cake is required. This has been a tradition since I was in school and my mother baked me cheesecake cupcakes. Nowadays you have to get cake yourself. The default is Fab but I got a lot of great suggestions on my Facebook Page (indi.ca). Ended up going with Coco Veranda, mainly because they’re on Twitter. Quite expensive, but I’m one treat behind and I think this gets me one ahead.

So, that’s the birthday tax. Normally family and friends demand alimentation, but I’m not having a party and my mum was kind enough to drop off kiribath.

2. Telephone

Just a few years ago, SMS was the way to go. Now, thankfully I think, Facebook has largely replaced this. Trouble was, I had my infrequent wall posts being sent to my phone, which became unmanageable today. I turned them off. I still get a few calls, which is quite nice. Mostly family and close friends. Funny how media has changed, it goes in order of intimacy – meeting, voice call, SMS, social media, etc, newspaper classified, I dunno.

3. Facebook

If you have Facebook you will get messages on your birthday. Advertisers are even able to target you on this day. The question is A) do you respond and B) how. I actually try to respond to every single wish somewhat personally. Why, I dunno. Seems polite. I think it’s also kosher to do one bulk thank you, but I actually enjoy talking to more people than Himal sometimes.

4. Twitter

This is the first time I’ve really gotten birthday wishes via Twitter. I guess I’ll respond, which makes it an impromptu follow Friday. Actually, it is follow Friday.

So, in short, I’m 29, no I’m not having a party, and thank you for all the kind wishes. Birthdays still make me a bit nervous, but I actually do appreciate the kind regard.

12 Comments

  2. Birthdays lose their lustre gradually, but become important again later, like when you reach yout sixties. Have a wonderful day, Indi.

  9. Many happy returns of the day, man! :D Btw, I think I missed you at the fair. Shame. :)

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