Praise inflation: What is it and can a stop be put to it? Check back here to find the answer in a week or two⌠
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Got an early start on 1-1-2025. All the bridge tolls went up by $1.00 (But I donât have to pay if driving my truck) PG&E raised the price of natural gas for home use by 8.6%. I am sure there is a very long list of price hikes that started on the New Year.
Jeeeez, you get all the special deals, well, I guess they boiled-off most of your badness decades ago (below decks) so Iâm cutting some new year slack for you, Navy Man⌠
Here is an interesting story. Maybe do not buy a Rolex and maybe invest in gold.
Happy Forumversary @IL1! 
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Happy Forum Anniversary, @IL1! I like the critter videos you share.
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My complaint: thereâs not enough of them. @IL1 I mean.
The critter videos are ok. 
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Happy Anniversary @habib
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Thank you my friend, but I hate birthdays and anniversaries. Personally, I think birthdays are for kids and anniversaries for needy women , not to mention that they remind you of getting closer to the end of the rope.
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Just be happy you survived the last three years in the WYZE 
Happy forum anniversary from the 
gang.
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So youâre not going to celebrate with some Bieberfruit? Happy Habibiversary, anyway!
Thanks you @Antonius.
Bieberfruit falls into same category as birthdays and anniversaries.
I think I was clear, I hate anniversaries!
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I donât blame ya. Down with Bieberfruit! 
Donât think of it as an anniversaryâthink of it as another notch in your forum prison wall.
Donât worry, this isnât a celebrationâitâs more like a moment of silence for another year of forum life you canât escape.
No candles, no balloons, just awkward acknowledgment of your time served. Youâre welcome.
Iâm too lazy right now to search and quote all the places I said similar things, but for what itâs worth, Iâm fairly anti-convention.I hate the convention of birthdays and anniversaries and often most holidays too. I tolerate it and remind myself that other people enjoy it and itâs not all about me, so I try to remember to put a positive spin on it and make it about other people instead, including on my birthday I try to make it a day to do things for my kids and wife that they want or will make them happy instead. I didnât have to like or care about about my birthday or my anniversaries, but I also didnât want to make them yearly âbadâ experiences for my loved ones who are stuck in convention for conventions sake, so the nonconformist in me just puts a different twist on it for the people who do care so I can help them be happy in the way they are craving with their convention indoctrination while I get a tad bit of joy being a partial nonconformist while making others I care about happy instead of uncomfortable or upset. I donât want to tell my kids theyâre not allowed to celebrate my birthday, so I make most of it about them instead and go eat where they want and get dessert they want, and take them to do something they want. Before I finally just hired a house cleaner I would spend my birthday deep cleaning my house for my wife to make her happy or I will do projects sheâs wanted. Iâm happy theyâre happy and thatâs good enough for me. Theyâre now days I consider how grateful I am to have those people in my life or how much I enjoy them. Including my qanniversaries here and the people I interact with on here. I donât need anyoneâs validation on my birthday or anniversaries, but itâs something a lot highly extraverted and conventionally indoctrinated crave and expect, so rather than force my preference on everyone else I let them have this one. 
But generally speaking Iâm totally on team anti-special-day.
Other valid reasons to dislike SPECIAL DAYS
- Social Pressure: They create a sense of obligation to host or attend celebrations, buy gifts, or engage in activities that may not align with the personâs preferences or current circumstances. This can lead to stress or discomfort.
- Reflection and Aging: These events often prompt introspection and reminders of time passing, which some individuals might find unsettling. They can serve as markers of aging or milestones that may highlight unfulfilled goals or life changes.
- Overemphasis on Tradition: For those who value individuality or dislike conforming to societal norms, anniversaries and birthdays may feel like hollow rituals that prioritize tradition over genuine connection or meaning.
- Financial or Emotional Strain: Celebrations often come with costsâfinancial, emotional, or both. The expectation to spend money or feign enthusiasm can feel insincere or draining.
- Unwanted Attention: Some people prefer to avoid being the center of attention, finding it awkward or overwhelming. Anniversaries and birthdays can amplify this discomfort.
- Loss and Grief: For those who have lost loved ones or experienced trauma associated with certain dates, these occasions may evoke sadness or painful memories rather than joy.
- Repetition Fatigue: With frequent celebrations throughout the year (for themselves or others), some individuals may feel that these events lose their significance and become repetitive or even tiresome.
I can relate to most or all of those. In the end it can kind of feel weird to me, like shouldnât we care about people every day? Appreciate them or be grateful everyday? Do things for the people we care about every day? Create memories every day?
Nevertheless, Iâm still the one who started this thread because I know how much other people enjoy such things and so I partially do it for them. So blame me for perpetuating such conventional celebrations against my natural preferences. 
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It is just a milestone. Just donât wear the stone around your neck while swimming. In a 100 years you will forget all about it. Enjoy now in the now.
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Let me explain why I generally give lots of Likes but few Posts on this thread. On most threads I try to only post when I can add something new, different or ask a new question.
I just want everyone to know that because I give Likes and few Posts does Not mean I am less appreciative of being with all of you on this forum.
Before I retired, two co-workers of mine would always take a Personal day off on their birthdays. Me, I always went to work on my birthday and did not call attention to it. I guess I am more like habib in this respect.
Yes,I did add a Like to habibâs post right after Steve Summerlin acknowledged the anniversary today.
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Wow, sounds just like how I feel. I would tell people that I donât need a special day to think of someone and that every day is special for us all.
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Menâs Size 14 hoofs. 
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Happy Anniversary @habib !
â14 hoofsâ Haha She has a good understanding. . .
A poet and donât know it cause her feet are longfellows.
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