Yeh, I'm older.

So, yesterday was my birthday. I turned 46.

In all, it was a relatively lame day. I didn’t take the day off and work was, well, accordingly annoying.

The company I work for puts out several large cakes on the afternoon of (or around) the 15th of every month, as a way of celebrating the birthdays of all the employees who turn yet another year older that month. They also send a company-wide e-mail with a list of who’s having a birthday. So everybody knows who’s celebrating and most of us usually get lots of birthday greetings.

My particular department, however, has taken to doing our own celebrations for people here in our group. Usually just a cake or something… no gifts, but a few minutes out of the day to say “happy birthday.”

We had such a celebration on June 9 for one of my co-workers. During that time, another co-worker commented that there were a lot of June birthdays in our department. Someone else asked if there were any left, and I meekly raised my hand. In short, everyone knew it my birthday was coming up.

Yesterday? One co-worker stopped at my desk to wish me a happy day. One.

No cake. No card. Hell, my boss couldn’t even get off the cranky horse long enough to wish me a happy birthday. In short, they all forgot or just blew it off. It sucked.

It’s also very typical of the treatment I tend to get wherever I work. Whenever something important comes up for a co-worker, it gets treated accordingly. Me? It gets treated like a cramp.

The best example of this was when I was working for Corporate Express (one of the three worst jobs I’ve ever had). Now, let it be known that I was more than accustomed to being treated like dirt in this place. But when my grandmother died, I thought they might break from tradition for just a moment to show a little sympathy.

Nope. No card, no flowers, no “gee, I’m sorry.” When I took the day off to go to her funeral, I was denied bereavement and had to take a vacation day. Why? Because my manager felt that me and my grandmother “weren’t close” (as opposed to my co-workers who were obviously much closer with their kin).

Well, she was correct in that I wasn’t terribly close with my grandmother. Grandma Packman was a rather cold individual and I think she saw the inner gay-boy in me years ago and didn’t like it at all. That said, she was my grandmother. The very least they could have done was let me drive my family to the funeral and give me the day off to do it.

Nope. And it seems I’ve gotten the same sort of treatment every place I worked, before then and after.

So yesterday reminded me of this and just put me in a funk. Maybe I was feeling sorry for myself a little bit. Maybe it would just be nice to know that these people I see day in and day out actually give a rat’s ass.

I do know this: I’ll be boycotting the next “department cake”. I’m really not magnanimous enough to wish someone a happy birthday that completely blew off mine. Call me petty.

* * * * *

On the flip side, I did get some nice birthday greetings outside of work. Tons of people on Facebook sent me their best, and Tina posted a birthday bear for me. I also got a really nice voice-mail from Katie… made me feel better about the complete lack of enthusiasm at work.

* * * * *

Last night was an improvement over the day. Bill and I had our regularly scheduled dinner with his kids… not only did they get his dad a Father’s day card and gift, but they did the same for me and my birthday. And they weren’t even obnoxious about it! In fact, they all seemed very grown-up for a moment… but then got back to being the noisy, uncouth animals they enjoy being at dinner. Which is fine, because that’s just who they are.

I’m not sure exactly what my so-called “stepsons” think of me, but I can say that it’s mostly positive. I’m glad… my goal with them is to not be any sort of burden; they have it hard enough trying to please their PITA mother.

* * * * *

Over the weekend, Bill and I ventured up to my brother’s place in Coventry to celebrate my dad’s birthday, Father’s Day and my birthday. It was little bit of a bust, however. The weather was cold and dreary, and my sister managed to lose the gift card for my dad that was supposed to be from Bill, me and her. That’s my sister… always some sob story, always extenuating circumstances.

My hermit brother, however, did a decent job with dinner. I had never seen his house, either… it’s a former summer-only cottage; TINY and with 6.5-foot high ceilings. But really cute and very homey. It suits him, the eternal bachelor that he is, quite well.

I did get some good birthday loot… my folks got me a gift card to Jos. A. Bank and Bill got us amazing orchestra seats to see Xanadu on Broadway in September. YAY! I already can’t wait.

* * * * *

A Totally 80’s Wizard of Oz also debuted this weekend. It was excruciatingly HOT underneath my dreadlock wig, but the show really went off quite well. The kids loved it and the parents roared over the 80’s references. The cast finally hit their stride, too… in all, it’s a decent little show and I’m glad I’m part of it.

* * * * *

Hey, I did get one other entirely incredible “present” yesterday. Same-sex marriages started in California and on my birthday to boot. Now that made me feel good… especially when I saw a photo of the 87 and 84-year-old female couple who had been together for 55 years and finally got to tie the knot for real. Let’s just hope and pray that it isn’t all for nothing come November.

* * * * *

‘Til tomorrow… tschuss.