Happy Birthday Pooks!

Our good friends have a huge family and friends gathering for their son's birthday and like to sing Happy Birthday in three languages as they are as a multicultural family. Once they looked to us to sing it in Korean, and I shyly declined simply because 1) I'm not that great of a singer, especially in front of that many people, and 2) I realized that Koreans don't have a birthday song, unless you translate the english version, which is very un-asian given that the self is not usually celebrated (that's a western, namely american characteristic) and that only birthday milestones (i.e., 100th day, 1st year, 5th year, 60th year, 70th, etc.) are deemed worthy of calling attention to oneself - certainly not every year and certainly not with those silly hats.

Asian birthdays, from what I know of them, seem to be focused on introspective meditation and relationship to the clan. That's where you see the ancestral worship of a past relative -- usually patriarchs, rarely matriarchs -- that involves prayers, food, incense or some such other thing which connects the family to their relatives' spirit, if not invites the spirits back home.

I don't know, it all seems so serious in eastern culture whereas the west has this very "fun" take on celebration birthdays. Those silly hats, case in point. You get to gorge yourself on cake and ice cream and people lavish gifts at your feet in exchange for the good eats, tchotchkes, and entertainment. And you get that there Happy Birthday song that everyone -- tone deaf or not-- kindly sings to you. I mean, that 15-second spotlight makes you feel like the king of the hill!

So for Patrick, I sing to you now the asian "birthday song":

Ha-pi burse-dey too-yoo!
Ha-pi burse-dey too-yoo!
Ha-pi burse-dey dia Poo-kers!
Ha-pi burse-dey too-yoo!
An-doo, mawn-ee mo-a!

Although you normally spend this particular day on a bike ride exercising your demons and pushing your ever aging body to its limits while in deep contemplation of how, why, and when you've arrived where you are in life -- today we found our family celebrating your birthday at the Salmon Festival in Lake Natomas, and the symbolism here must be savored given the life cycle of the salmon and the state of your current position in life.

We thank your dad, Grandpa R, for coming out to the festival. We thoroughly enjoyed his company. I hope he had a good time. I hope your mother, Mejii-MIL, and sister, Auntie P-chan are okay and were able to give you love on your special day.

We thank StinkyHeadMonkeyToe's godparents (Tia D and Amu/Da-i B) and their sweet son Cousin A for joining us and being such good friends that they are family. They surprised Pooks with a chocolate birthday cake! This after treating us to a delicious dinner and fabulous company and conversation the night before. We are so lucky to have them in our life.

We thank Good Mikey, Triple K (that's Kind Korean Kris - not the KKK, and yes, I know his name begins with a 'Ch' but Triple K sounds better), Uncle D and his children Bella and Colin for coming out to join us. As always, they too are good friends of the 'family' caliber and it's always a pleasure to see y'all.

We also thank Uncle G and Auntie Lo-Lo for their warm birthday wishes. We miss you guys and wished you were here.

Lastly, thank you Halmoni for your kind birthday card and wishes and your generous gift and offer to take us out to dinner. We know you love us, and I know you love Pooks as if he were your own son.

Happy 42nd Birthday, my love.

I'm so glad we can share it together. Here's to many more.