31 January 2006

Birthdates

Generally speaking, like, for most of the time, there are only 365 days in a year. Everybody you ever meet will share their birthday with someone famous, also someone noteworthy, someone saintly; someone infamous and someone shockingly depraved. Even the poor souls born Feb 29.

Does it do us any good at all, to look at those little 'Born This Day' lists that turn up in newspapers next to the Horoscopes? Why do we do it?

I doubt its so we can say 'Shit, he/she had the same astrological profile as me, which proves I am an underachiever who has wasted my potential for yet another year'. No, its an -ism or a -ship of some sort, like patriotism and partisanship. We like feeling like part of a club or team that has a couple of winners in it. Even dead ones.

So, I share a birthday with Justin Timberlake. Is that a cause for celebration? Seriously, I'm asking, as the news is inspiring nothing more than a prime wtf moment, for me.

Who else? A whole lot of US politicians I had never heard of, a bunch of Baseball players (ditto) including three marked as being in a Hall of Fame ; then there's Minnie Driver, Zane Grey, Tallulah Bankhead and a couple of kings, it says here. Trust Wikipedia to be the only place listing noteworthy females, bless 'em.

All things considered, given so few days in a year, the list for my birthday is sparse, to say the least. A bit crappy really.

Still, I guess I kind of like Minnie Driver because her name annoys me so much on her behalf, that I cringe for her. What must it have been like to grow up being compared to a mini screwdriver of the plastic coloured kind you get in tiny sets in Christmas crackers, or to have people constantly asking 'Yeah? A Cooper or a Metro?'



Or maybe she just went to a nicer school than I did, and mixed with nicer people.

There is always the chance that she chose it/chose to keep it quite deliberately, so perhaps that's just what I need, a new name, and to hell with astrology.

Any ideas?

Bugger, bugger, bugger, edit, edit! I just found out I share the day with John Lydon (Johnny Rotten)! You HAVE to check out his site :-) Happy Birthday, John!
Now theres a team mate to be bloody proud of. Brains, humour, and no faffing about. Also Carol Channing and Phil Collins, who take 2nd and 3rd place respectively in my personal list of OK birthday sharers. I am back to quite liking the day, again.

24 comments:

She Weevil said...

Happy birthdate - I share mine with James Cagney

Milt Bogs said...

Happy Birthday from Bogsville.
I share with Walter Gropius - which is nice.

Steve said...

Happy Birthday Cheryl, I wish for you everything you would wish for yourself.xxxx
I would sing for you but I dont know how here so I have put a link to your birthday song on my blog.

Doris said...

Happy Birthday and may it be a glorious year ahead :-)

Can't think of any alternative names for you I'm afraid but as I quite like Minnie Driver I have completely overlooked what her name also says.

Anyway, what is Minnie short for? And was she named after Minnie Mouse?

Do you prefer to called Cheryl or Sheryl?

Wulfweard The White said...

Share mine with Agatha Christie, thats why I'm a bit of an enigma.

Happy Birthday Darling
XXXXXXXX

Ms Mac said...

Well Happy Birthday to you, Madame!

I would gladly exchange your Minnie Driver and Justin Trousersnake with my Cher but I'd like to keep Joe Cocker and Louis Theroux if that's ok.

And as for Johnny Rotten, well now I'm just plain jealous!

And yeah... are you a Cheryl or a Sheryl?

Cheryl said...

Thanks All!

Doris and Ms, thanks for asking. Its a Ch, as in cha cha cha, but I answer to (and have been called) most things, including:
Charlie George, Cheddar Gorge (we were very young, no insinuations there, tyvm), Charlie, Chugg, Chuggie Pig (a colloquial name for a woodlouse(!)), Chezz, Chell, Shelle and I once got a birthday card addressed to Gerald.

My hair used to be very curly, and once when it was cut a little too short, I was told my new nickname should be 'Cabbages On The Moon'. It went right round class. Now I'm grown , I like that. What could be better than really becoming the first woman to grow cabbages on the moon?...... :-)

Cheryl said...

PLEASE PLEASE If you're in here to comment, go over to Steve's blog http://witteringheights.blogspot.com/ and click where it says 'Cheryl click here'.

I don't know whether to be tickled to bits, or plot murder. Love it.

Any advice on how to wreak revenge gratefully considered....

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, sweetie :-)

Have a good one. In fact, have several.

jane said...

Happy Birthday Cheryl! I would kinda like you to change your name to:
April Schauer (I liked that one)

I hope you have a relaxing day & are treated like a queen. I hope you treat yourself to something really special.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

I was being blonde, Ignore the deleted comment and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Badaunt said...

Happy birthday (again)!

Usually I miss people's birthdays (including my own) but I got yours twice!

You must be special. :-)

ella m. said...

~Adopts Mariln Monroe coo~ Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you......

I share a day with a ton of artistic types (actors, singers, ect.) most notably the amazing film director Pedro Almodóvar, and Muppet creator Jim Henson.

As far as a new name, how about cassandra (which means prophet)and it's history of only belonging to the very best sort of powerful and dangerous woman?

(Could also be shortened to the less fanciful cassie for casual occasions)

Le laquet said...

Oh Happy Birthday!!!!

Bart Treuren said...

what an amazing coincidence... your birthday is only 18 days after mine ;-)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY and enjoy yourself (bit late, sorry...)

seems i share my own birthday with orlando bloom (without the dwarf) and ernie's rubber duck (strange name that, somebody has an odd sense of humour methinks...)

Neutron said...

Hapy Birthday Cheryl. Thanks for visitng my place.
As it happens I seem to recall - although I have tried manfully ah..er womanfully...ok, personfully.. to repress it - that I share a birthday with Maggie Thatcher. Now there is something to be proud of...!

Jennifer said...

Happy Birthday, Cheryl. And now for your gift:

I confess that I googled Justin Timberlake to see whether or not he is a member of the Backstreet Boys.

No shit, I really, really did.


:-D

I love you, lady! Many happy returns of the day!

Ivy the Goober said...

I like the new names list! We used to have a newswoman reporter called Anita Martini. I always thought I need a martini, too!

Ivy the Goober said...

oh, p.s. I forgot to wish you happy birthday!

Le laquet said...

p.s. I share my birthdate with Halle Berry ...

Note to "whoever's listening"

Please could I just look like Halle Berry ... I'll go without the birthday presents - honest!

Rain said...

Happy Birthday Cheryl!!! William Shatner shares my day, too bad I'm not a trekkie

fineartist said...

Happy belated birthday month Cheryl, got to milk a birthday as long as possible.

I hope everything that comes into your life is of quality.

I share a birthday with Chuck Berry, right on.

Cheryl a sex pistol? Well you are HOT as a pistol, for sure. xxx, Lori

fineartist said...

Ps, the music finally downloaded, it was nice, calming, yes. Loved the birds...