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F ³: Congratulations! It’s Your Month!


 

Computers and social media have given us many gifts although, on some days, it’s easier to see the downside. One of the gifts which I find more amusing than appalling is the creation of something called The Birthday Month. 

For example, my birthday is March 23rd. But, beginning on March 1st, I will be deluged with offers from businesses wishing to help me celebrate my Birthday Month by providing me a coupon for service or a freebie to be used in conjunction with other purchases…you get the picture. You’re having a birthday - - let’s monetize it!

The Social Security Administration wants to help me celebrate by getting me to start thinking about Medicare. (There's always that one friend, am I right?)

At the same time, all over social media I am being solicited to purchase products and services that are for “someone my age.” At the moment I am being bombarded with adverts for women with gray hair. I don’t have gray hair, but the assumption is that I do. Data collection. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Over at Amazon my birthday wish list has three things so far

  • A set of 15 brightly colored erasable gel pens
  • The 152 Crayola Crayon Assortment
  • A book by Mo Willems about his famous Pigeon called “Be the Bus”
This is not a solicitation for gifts. It’s a suggestion that, while trying to get potential customers to celebrate their birthdays all month long might be commercially savvy, assuming that they’ll want to act their age may not be.

Journalist and novelist Connie Schultz shared a piece from the Atlantic that I just might sign up for the free trial to read:


I’m 53 years old. I’m 36 in my head. There are good reasons you always feel 20 percent younger than your actual age.

(If I read it I’ll let you know what I found out.)

I don’t know what age I am in my head but my birthday wish list is about twelve. Who knows?

Perhaps I am old simply because I grew up in a time before people had a Birthday Month. You got one day and a box mix cake and a few presents. Yes, I know how old that sounds - - “In my day…” I won’t dwell on it.

How about you? Do you reject the notion or embrace it? Do you find ways to celebrate your birthday all month long? Maybe I’m missing something.





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