My Asian Birthday

January 1st is my Asian birthday. It is also my Facebook birthday. My other birthday, the anniversary of my birth, is in Summer.

Maybe I'm paranoid about identity theft, but being paranoid doesn't mean they're not chasing you. Secrets on the 'Net? Not likely, but one can dream. Avoiding the status of "low hanging fruit," of becoming easy prey, is always a good idea.

The Asian connection: there are two, distinctly non-Western birthday ideas at work here. In some places, you are one year old on the very day that you are born. So on the first anniversary of your birth you turn two. It is the second time you have been alive on that day, after all. In other places, everyone turns a year older on January 1st, like me on Facebook. So whatever day you were born during the year, you turn one on the first of the next January.

Thanks to all of my Facebook friends for the birthday wishes! I shamelessly accept all kind words.