-"With each new birthday I'm once again reminded of the deafening march of time; the ever present cadence with power to transform "what if's" to "what might have been's." -Mark. M. (industrial hygienist) -"And just like that, I wish others could forget my birthday ever existed. Each time it comes around I find myself dreading the day. People that 'care about me' make such a big deal about it all -like it's such a big accomplishment that I survived in this world for another 525,600 minutes. Then there are all the others who just feel obligated to say the over-cliched 'happy birthday' though they don't mean it. They make the whole thing so trite that it's not worth dealing with. If you want to congratulate me on something, how about choosing an actual accomplishment of mine instead of just my continuing to live? I could go without having a bithday. It would be kind of like the universe: no one knows exactly when it started, no one knows when it will end. It's just there, and you accept it as such." -Steve K. (student/engineer) -"That "limitless excitement we has as youngins" never dies out if you don't let it...you just have to find new things to be excited about. It was easier when we were younger because everything was new then. As we get older, less things are new to us unless we look for them." -Brian P. (teacher) -"hmm, birthdays eh? i'll tell you what birthdays do to me. they make me think, 'DAMN, i'm HOW old and still a virgin!?" -Maggie T. (student) -"But my thoughts when I turned 19 were...1 year away from 20 that's half way to 40, quarter of the way to 80 which will in all likeliness end up being our generations life expectancy...It all then leads to my parents, who are on the verge of major health issues, die to their many umm, unhealthy life choices. I then wonder if they will die before I've accomplished anything in my life and I just end up being that son that they weren't quite sure would make it or not." -Chris G. (student) Personal Favorite: -"The danger in growing up is the tendency to become numb to it all, to lay prostrate to the countless mirages of constancy that are available to us. We cannot quell our spark of being under any circumstances- it yearns to burn brightly! Let each passing year increase that spark, let yourself become bright with wisdom and love!" -Mark F. (student) -"I find that I don't have the excitement in the pit of my stomach that I used to have when I was younger. I don't wake up and wait in my parents' room for the hour I was born I try not to think about that too much because it depressed me." -Sarah G. (NBW Employee) -"My birthdays continue to bring excitement. I am currently looking forward to no longer being a teenager, and also to the lovely prospect of drinking, which I have never done thus far as I have been waiting until December 8, 2003." -Alissa M. (student) -"At my age, my birthdays bring about an acceptance. I don't really attach anything negative or positive about them. They just are. I like my life right now and feel somewhat excited about my future." -Joan M. (counselor) -"I am excited for birthdays, though I'm not excited when they arrive. It's weird. When they are on the frontier, they are cool and exciting, but on the actual day and for some days after, you just think you're old." -Ross W. (student) -"There are just as many things that time brings to you as things it sweeps away. I've never felt the birthday anxiety myself, though I know many people do. I just always saw things as a continuum...Living in the moment works! Of course, if a person isn't happy with where they are in the world at a given moment, I hardly think it's due to their age! In that situation, I think it's all about knowing yourself well enough to find what it is that makes you happy." -Josh R. (teacher) -This past birthday, I didn't even like the thought of it. It's just not exciting anymore. At the same time, that's ok with me. I guess it's just the beginning of a long, long sequence of birthdays to come where I wake up and say "Jesus Christ"...with the exception of 21, of course." -Missy C. (student) |
| Philosophy 101 |
| Notable Quotes: "I saw a bumper sticker the other day that read, 'Jesus is the answer to every question.' Well my question is, what the hell is wrong with this world?" -Terry, drum God "The notion of being dead is highly underrated." -My Classics Proff. "It was a hard process to create Gollum on the computer. We didn't want to make a "Jar-Jar." -Peter Jackson bashing Star Wars "You're like Santa Claus on Prozac in Disneyworld...getting laid!!!." -Phoebe (Friends) "Good job, Flanders. The bible is finally starting to pull its weight." -Homer from Simpsons "Cori, It's 12:09...Bye Bye" -You know who "There's a titty in your name!" -Mark commenting on Latitia's name. |
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| And just like that, I'm 19. I find it strange that at this young age, I've already begun to look at my birthdays with anxiety. Is it the fear of growing old? Or is it only that what limitless excitement we had as youngins has died out? A curious question to start the new school year. Let's see if your brains are still working. Let me know what your birthdays bring about in you. Your Strange Friend, CMM |
| Here are some of the responses I received after the above e-mail was sent. Most are very philosophical and the others, well they're just honest... |