Sigh.............

Growing up in the Midwest in the 60's, I never had to worry that people would forget my birthday. But now that I've lived in Los Angeles for 30+ years, it has to compete with the holiday the day before, Cinco de Mayo. CdM is fine, it's just the next day has become just the day after the parties and celebrating. Of course it could be worse, I could have been born on the holiday. But I probably could have skewed that into really being a party for me. Kind of gives me a taste (though in a much smaller way) of what those born around Christmas feel like. Birthdays that are really lost and overshadowed by Dec. 25.

Oh, and then there's the dates my parents died...29 days apart. I hate this time of year. Really.

So this year, it's not just a double whammy since Mother's Day is May 8. Usually it falls about a week from my day. But it's a quadruple whammy because not only am I book-ended in by two fairly notable events but further by the two other events. But then that kind of fits how I've been feeling lately. In an attempt to look on the bright side of things, maybe I'll just skip my birthday this year. It'd save me a year in aging. So when I'm asked how old I am, I can legitimately put 1 year less chronologically. If anyone questions it, my answer will be simple, I just skipped it, period, end of story. That may be just the ticket.

Hope you're trying to find a smidgeon of good in an otherwise poopie life. Really!