Thank you, but I had other intentions respecting my natal anniversary?*

Over on FaceBook, somebody shared a post by somebody I've never heard of, but who appears to be a Big Name in certain circles, complaining about people wishing them Happy Birthday when FB flags their birthday up and asking them not to do it (and if they do wish to make some marker, some alternative actions that the person would prefer).

A number of commenters concur that they dislike these greetings, from people they 'never talk to'.

Okay, I can see that if you are the kind of Big Name who accrues hordes of 'friends' with whom one has no personal face-to-face or online acquaintance, this might be irksome (though I'm not at all sure that, if you really wanted, you couldn't suppress FB announcement - goodness knows, FB does a lot of stuff without telling or consulting its users, but it's usually possible to turn things off if you poke about a bit).

As somebody who habitually gives birthday greetings to members of my social networks when alerted to these events, I'm not going to say that the anti-birthday wishes people are merely miserable misanthropes**, because their reasons seem, well, reasonable in context, but I do think that circumstances differ.

For example, yes, there are huge numbers of my networks to whom I have not spoken recently, if ever. An ocean and a large landmass and time diffentials will seriously hinder in person conversation, and I've also, I'm sure, whinged mightily about the problems of getting together with people who live in the same city as I do. However, I am in online contact with the people in question and we are conversing virtually.

I can see that greetings from people who are pretty much total strangers with whom one is not actually engaging may seem spurious and facile.

But I am also with Dr Johnson on the benefits of small and apparently trivial social rituals that 'promote kindness'.

Thoughts, anybody?

*Cf the exchange 'Have a nice day'/'Thank you, but I had other plans'.

**As a miserable misanthrope myself, there is nothing wrong with miserable misanthropy.

Obligatory, or at least ritual, my healthy and self-indulgent day, I show u it, post

Well, the weather today has been very much nicer, but there is an unfamiliar round yellow thing in the sky, could it be ALIENZ?

Either a changeover of guests, or the more benign meteorological conditions, meant that there were 2 other people on the walk, of which I was glad, because it was getting embarrassing having one member of the exercise team shepherding me. I could probably take myself for a walk on Ludshott Common, but will admit that even to a relatively familiar eye, the intricacies of its winding ways can be confusing.

Anyway, it was a good walk, with me out in front most of the way (I had the distinct impression that one of the others was trying to chat up Fitt Young Trainer, but maybe she was just making conversation?). The other walker, and Fitt Young Trainer, both asked if I did or was going to do The Power Walk. This is just a push too far for me: apart from the 8 am, pre-breakfast or even coffee, start, from the times I went on it it is just that bit too long and fast for me - no hello birds hello sky because one is too busy watching one's feet on rough ground. Still, I'm a bit smug that it's perceived as within my reach.

On the exercise front, today I also Woke Up and Stretched, and did a yoga class.

On the hands-on treatment side I had cranial osteopathy, and could feel my head getting lighter.

On the wallowing in wet stuff side of things, I had the usual steam and plunge, and also a session in what I now realise is technically a Hydro Pool rather than a jacuzzi as such.

There was also delicious healthy nosh.

100 things blogging challenge 78

The 100 things blogging challenge.

Groovy Stax soul from Johnnie Taylor - 'Just Wanna Testify'