> I've only made a big deal of my birthday five times.
> The first was when I turned 13 (a teenager!) 16 (drivers license!), 18
> (on my own!), 21 (full adult!) and 66 (retired!).  Otherwise they were just
> another day.

You don't retire at 65 there? I thought you retired, but were pulled back in, & are now planning to retire again soon?

I've only had two real birthday acknowledgements -- Age 19, when my girlfriend  was planning a surprise party, but I blew it by predicting the date, time, &  location, 5 days ahead of it.

Then at 40 when another girlfriend(ok, we were too old for those particular  labels, but you get my drift) took me across the street to the pub; tried to  have them give me a cake she'd brought, but they forbade that, then when she  began taking photos of me, they balked & pointed out that it's actually illegal to use a camera in a drinking establishment here  (I'm blaming married cheater  pols who are afraid of facts creating election-painful scandals)

I wasn't happy with service that day at all -- the waitress pent her time  mugging for tips to a group of loud 20-something "bros" whom she could flirt  her way into bigger tips -- smart enough to realize a guy on a date with his  woman isn't open to this but not smart enough to realize I was a regular  customer with a memory.

But I was still touched that someone took the time to plan some t hing for my  birthday. That same year (of turning 40) whenever a mate asked what I wanted, I said lunch out for AYCE Japanese at my favourite joint -- got a few of those  that week!  Now it's just routine, acknowledged with a greeting & card, but  mostly only by Facebook messages in response to FB telling them it was my  birthday that day.. 

I'm fine, but I'm demanding a big deal when I hit 100, & every 50 years after!

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6