Of Candles and the cake ....

"I mean, what is an un-birthday present?"
"A present given when it isn't your birthday, of course."

Alice considered a little. "I like birthday presents best,"

she said at last.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" cried Humpty Dumpty.

"How many days are there in a year?"

"Three hundred and sixty-five," said Alice.

"And how many birthdays have you?"

"One."
“………..and that shows that there are three hundred and sixty-four days when you might get un-birthday presents --'’’

-- Alice in Wonderland

Well may be…..on the other 364 days I may be getting many un-birthday presents but they can never give me the joy and happiness of getting one on Birthday .My birthday …..which happens to be on first of January. I know I know....now you will be exclaiming " what a day to be born!" All I can say is that it was hardly my choice and then 1st January is a wonderful day . Imagine the whole world is celebrating the beginning of another year . So, three decades of existence on the planet...and here I am ready for another birthday .

Now, if you ask me why an old hag like me who has already joined the not-so-Thrilling Thirties , is still talking about birthdays and that too so happily ….well well well, take it from me , age is strictly a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. During my college days, once I was reading an interview of Molly Keane who very rightly quipped about getting old that :
“Once I was looking through the kitchen window at dusk and I saw an old woman looking in. Suddenly the light changed and I realized that the old woman was myself. You see, it all happens on the outside; inside one doesn't change …”

So should I tell you what I am planning to do on my birthday? I will do exactly what I advised a friend few months back on his birthday --one must celebrate a birthday by being a child. I will hang balloons outside my door. Announce to random strangers that it's my birthday. One should even eat the artery clogging, blood sugar elevating, thigh thickening cake on this day. But for me this will immediately nullify my New Year resolution of shedding few kilos ….on second thoughts, it's sad that my birthday coincides with the new year day .I hate to break the resolution on the very first day …but then, aren't promises and pie crusts made to be broken ? So I will be a good birthday girl, I will eat the frosting. Make a goood wish. Rip the wrapping paper in a celebratory frenzy... and wear a big smile whole evening .

And since there aren't any random strangers around, let me announce it on my blog: Hey, it's my birthday today ! Aren't I cool? Come on, don’t give me that funny look of –when-will-you-grow-up . You know there is a saying that a person is getting old when he walks around a puddle instead of through it….and let me confirm, I love jumping in the puddle specially if someone well dressed is standing nearby ….that adds music to the visual effects after all.

So wish me a wonderful birthday and here is wishing you all a very happy and eventful New Year 2008.