New Media … And Birthdays

So I went and let the cat out of the bag last night with a Twitter post announcing that it was my birthday. Now, my birthday is no big secret. I’ll answer honestly when someone asks “When is your birthday?”… It’s posted in my Skype profile. It’s up on my facebook page. I just figured [...]

So I went and let the cat out of the bag last night with a Twitter post announcing that it was my birthday. Now, my birthday is no big secret. I’ll answer honestly when someone asks “When is your birthday?”… It’s posted in my Skype profile. It’s up on my facebook page. I just figured I’d beat a few auto-notifiers to the punch and twitter it.

Thank you.

You know, the funny thing about this new media/social media thing is that you’re friends with everyone. Don’t get me wrong - I adore meeting new people and forming new connections with them, but what do friends do when your birthday comes around? Why, they wish you a happy birthday, of course!

Thank you.

And the thing with having the several hundred people who know who I am, and communicate with me through TalkShoe, and having all of my friends that I’ve met at various events such as PAB and PodCamps (Amongst others) and the people who they’ve introduced me to, is that ALL of them want to wish me a happy birthday.

Thank you.

Now, I generally consider myself a pretty polite guy. When someone says ‘Thank you’, I say ‘You’re welcome’. When I order fast food, I often start with “Could I please get”. When the bank machine gives me money, I occasionally thank it. So all of these people … all of the happy birthday wishes… In my book, at least, need to be recognized. They need to be noted and appreciated. And the messenger, the friend who has taken the time out to notice it’s my birthday and pass along well wishes, deserves the feeling of knowing they’ve made me smile.

Thank you.

So I’m thanking each person in the medium they’re choosing to wish me a happy birthday. Some have sent SMS messages, or emails, or Twitter @s or Facebook wall posts, or skype IMs or forum posts… And each gets a thank you. And the best part - is that I’m generally quite happy letting my birthday slip by un-noticed. Though, in this instant-alert world of the web, that seems to be less and less possible.