I like numbers. I don’t like equations, per se, but only because your average equation requires you to be methodical and patient, neither of which are traits I possess in abundance. But I like numbers, I like data, and I like look at those numbers in order to better understand the data.
Like, I enjoy looking at my monthly sales numbers. I don’t like generating those numbers because that’s basically fell sorcery, but looking at the graphs of how my books are selling and which are selling is fascinating to me.
All this is a rambling way to say that I also like other people’s birthdays (although I loath my own for unrelated reasons), especially those of close friends, because it gives me a data point that I think is significant. Sure, one successful circumnavigation of the closest stellar object isn’t intrinsically significant, but we give these numbers meaning and, by that, it gives us meaning to examine them.
One of my friends just bought a house: how old are they, and what was I doing at that age? Not as a competition, but just as an interesting data point. I am now the age my father was when I was born: how was he doing compared to how I am doing? And so on.
So I get to arrange and attend a birthday for my partner this weekend. I’m excited! There is going to be food, and sure, because of the whole pandemic-thing there will be only a quarter of the people we’d like to invite, but that’s still okay! It will be intimate and close, as opposed to chaotic and loud. Both fun, in very different ways.
On that note, I should go clean the BBQ… it’s going to get a lot of use this weekend!
Hope everyone out there is staying safe and healthy!