My life_ my many Birthdays

my "surprise birthday"

Everyone has a birthday, the day they were born. Other birthdays are just anniversaries of their birthday. People remember their birthdays and those of their friends and children too. At the anniversaries of their children’s birthdays, they have birthday parties. Friends of their children and children of their friends are invited. Sometimes, the adults are invited to the party too, and sometimes although the party is supposed to be that of their children, the main event is for the adults, with the child’s birthday party being a sideshow. This culture of having birthdays usually stop when the child gets older and the parents cannot hold parties. But it is impressed on the children to celebrate birthdays, and many times when they become adults, they hold birthday parties as a sort of get-together or just finding an excuse to hold a party.

However, nearly all have only one birthday to celebrate, except a few, like me, who have 2 or more birthdays. Of course everyone is born only once and have only one birthday. However, many, for various reasons have a real birthday and another official one. One reason for this is wrong data entry by the clerk in school and office records or those at the immigration department. I have met several government employees who have to take retirement either earlier or later than 60 years age because of this kind of error.

Another reason is because of the person himself / herself, wanting to be younger, at least on records. It happened soon after independence, when official records have been destroyed during the war and when new records were made, these people just enter a later birth date so that they will have the opportunity to appear younger (no one can be really younger), or to be able to work longer with later retirement.

Nowadays, children who are born between August to December sometimes have their birthdays advanced by their parents so that they can enter school just before they are of 5 years age. There is a 3 months grace period and children who are born between May to July are allowed to attend kindergarten although they are not fully 5 years old. So children born Aug to Oct are under pressure by their parents to attend school earlier, and have their birthdays advanced. This is the case of my elder son Aung Ko Oo as he was born in September and as Pyone worked at School Health, Ahlone, at the time, she could get a duplicate birth certificate easily and we changed his official birthday so he could attend class early, rather than late.

As for myself, my birthday was also advanced so as to be able to sit for the 10^th Standard exams directly without having to wait for another year. During my time, only those who will be of 16 years age by end of April were allowed to sit for the exam. A friend of mine, Cho Win Maw, who got into our class at the 9^th Standard, being transferred from a district school was very young. He got privileges there, double promotion, and he could not sit for 10^th standard exam together with us and had to do it the next year on 1970. It was because his parents did not or could not change his birth date after he got double promotion.

I got into the early class because of my brother. He is 1 year older than me, and while my father was posted in Bassein, he reached 5 years age and attended school there in 1956. However, my father got transferred to Rangoon at February 1957, and although there are many of my mother’s relatives there (even her parents were still alive then) in Bassein, she went along with my father at the same time, taking ko Khine Soe out from school, without completing the final exams.

When schools open the next academic year, we both attended the Lady Paw Tun school together, and we were in the same class till we graduated, although of course, not in the same section at all times. We were in different sections when we were in the 8^th standard, and from 3^rd M. B. onwards, when our roll number was rearranged by name. During our stay at the Lady Paw Tun, we met our friend ko Mya Oo and his younger brother Mya Thaung. Mya Thaung was in our class and ko Mya Oo was 1 class ahead. Also there with ko Mya Oo was Pyone and my friend Aung Thaw, who I later meet in medical school, but I did not know them at the time. Mya Oo and Mya Thaung have a sister, 1978 batch. I do not remember her name, but they lived in Sanchaung when we were in the 1^st M.B. and many would remember Mya Oo driving his sister to the LeikKhone in their Opel Rekord, then back home to leave the car and then come back by bus. Mya Oo / Tony became a surgeon and is now retired.

We had to attend the Lady Paw Tun school on Halpin road till 1^st standard because although my father tried entrance for us at the St. Paul’s High School right from the beginning, and every year, we were on the waiting list until then. This was in spite of the fact that the St. Paul’s High School was my father’s old school and the principal at the time, Brother Phillip, was my father’s class teacher and border in-charge, and knew each other well.

We attended St. Paul’s from the 2^nd standard and although our academic results were not too good at the Lady Paw Tun (we never got first 3), both of us were top at St. Paul’s, at least in our section, “F”. The same trend continued in the 3^rd standard 1^st test in which I was 1^st and ko Khine Soe was 2^nd. My father went to the principal, his former teacher, Brother Phillip, with our report cards to ask for half year promotion for us to have ko KS make up for his class which he lost during the transfer to Rangoon. I was lucky to be ahead of him at the time and both of us were transferred to the 4^th standard section D. As we were given places directly in front of the teacher, but on the 2^nd row, I heard voices remarking that we will not be able to follow the curriculum. However, we were in the first half of the class that year. There in section D, we met Chit Sein and Percy who became doctors and Fong Lee, Douglas Saw Hla Pru (MOGE geologist U Tin Maung Win’s younger brother), Richard Tun Tin (marine Captain, son of Brigadier Tun Tin, Minister and later State Councilor, BSPP), Michael Yoe, Miller, among others.

My narrative about my birthdays has gone off tangentially and I must pick up my threads again carefully, or I will lose sight of my roadmap. Speaking of roadmap, we once had a Goal / PannDine, the socialist goal, which was said to be near, and that one could see it, yet the goal was elusive and we did not reach it, having lost our roadmap on the way.

To continue my narrative, it was due to my parents concern that my brother get back to his class that I got ahead of my class together with him and had to change my birthday by advancing 4 months to 16-Feb. I have a true birthday on 16-Jun, and an official birthday 16-Feb, since then.

In the evening of the most recent Burmese new year’s day on 17-Apr, I was in clinic after dinner when Moe Zaw Tint, Sr. Engg. came and told me U Zaw Min, Field Manager, wanted me to attend a meeting. On the way to office, I asked him whether the operations meeting has been finished and whether the Technical Manager is still in office. I learned that the purpose of calling me was not related to the operations as the operations meeting was over and the Technical Manager had left.

There were all Myanmar attendees of the operations meeting still seated in the office meeting table, about 20 engineers and technicians, with the Field Manager, not at his usual place, the head of the meeting table, but at the side. As I walked towards him, all clapped and I saw a cake with candles lighted. I was surprised and had a near shock (not really, just literally speaking). It was 17^th April, nowhere near my birthdays. I explained that someone must have made a mistake and told them my 2 birthdays and that both of them are quite far. U Zaw Min told me to blow the candles anyway, and I blew them out and cut the cake and distributed the pieces to all. We each of us got a piece. When it was over, Moe Zaw Tint showed me on his laptop, the article I had written “Are you prepared to face Death” in which I mentioned that I will be 58 on 17^th April this year.

Yes, recently, I wrote that blog “Are you prepared to face Death” and distributed it to my friends by e-mail and posted on my blog “Nyiwin’s Blog” at https://nyiwin.wordpress.com. It was about doing the best for your next life or afterlife while one has time and the ability. I was 57, officially (actually, 56 and only will be 57 on 16-Jun) at the time, but I wanted to appear as being older, so I used the Myanmar way of describing one’s age as the number of new year days passed since birth, as when mothers replied Thone Khar Lae Shi. Pye when asked about her child, meaning that 3 Thingyans has passed since the child’s birth. Another way of describing one’s age in Myanmar is to say 5 Hnit Htae Hmar (in the 5^th year of life), when one has passed the 4^th birthday.

I wrote I would be 58 on 17-Apr, rather than I am in my 58^th year of age, or I am 57. Moe Zaw Tint took it to mean that 17-Apr is my birthday and he arranged my “surprise birthday”.

The next morning, while I was having breakfast we were discussing about it again, and ko Khin Maung Lin remarked that it is 2 months till my real birthday and 2 months from my official one. I then remarked that the 17-Apr would be my “average birthday”, and that as the Myanmar new year day which mostly falls on 17-Apr and sometimes on 18-Apr, (when there is Ah.Kyat 2 days in Thingyan), will be my average birthday. Now I have a third birthday, my average birthday in addition to my real birthday and official birthday.

Later, the thought of having to treat those here on my coming real birthday came to my mind and I decided to treat them now, on the occasion of my average birthday. I asked Camp Boss to order ice cream to be served at dinner so all can have it. Several staff on day duty cannot return to Base camp for lunch and lunch has to be sent to them. It will be impossible to send ice-cream to them.

Now, I have an average birthday in addition to my earlier actual birthday and official birthday. Of course, I also have a Burmese birthday, like all other Myanmars, and I will have to find the exact date, as I only know that it was some day in WarHso 1315.

ps

I got my exact Myanmar birthday from my geologist friend here, who has electronic 100 year Myanmar – English calendar. It is 1315 WarHso LaHsan 5 Yet. the 5th waxing day of WarHso, 1315

While I was in office getting my Burmese date of birth, an engineer told me he has many many birthdays, so many.

He had a real birthday, in both standard and Myanmar calendars, like others. When he got in school, his parents had it changed earlier to be able to sit for the 10th standard exams directly, as he was underage. But it is not with this birthday that he passed his 10^th standard exam. Somebody made an error. When he attended the GTI, clerks made error and the date of birth in his completion certificate was wrong. He attended BE course and his birthday in his graduation certificate is another. He has 6 birthdays, a record.

Point to Ponder: things are not what they seem to be

A friend wrote to me after reading my “Food for thought: Hellhound at large”: “you have 2 cute puppies: pictures showing Ah te seems to be less fortunate and tied up. Dido is luckier and looks happy to be privileged “

Ah. Te was tied up because Pyone did not want it to go outside and play with the stray dogs and eat at the rubbish heap nearby as it does, even though we release it only after feeding it to full
I told P that a dog is a dog and will eat whatever it likes and play with whoever it is friendly with,
and to let him go free
now, she accepts it and Ah. Te is let loose most of the time
the photos were taken about a month ago, when Ah. Te was just 3 months age

Now, it is already 4 months and bigger, and free

Dido is more privileged and let inside our home and let to sleep in ako’s bed, but as it cannot win in playing with Ah. Te and as Ah. Te plays by nibbling on other dogs, including Dido and also with the stray dogs in the neighborhood, Dido, which now cannot overcome him, cannot go outside without us accompanying and protecting her.
Although Dido is privileged is let inside our house, she is in reality, in prison inside, while Ah. Te lives a free life outside.

life is strange
and sometimes things are not what they seems
rich people not being happy like poor carefree people
living in fear of ruin, having marital and business problems
MaShi. Taunt.Ta.    Shi. Kyaunt.Kya.
and richness being a mirage
pulling rich people inside the conundrum of ThanTaYar
with LawBa.
there is also a saying: Hsinn Yae Dae. Dan Go Khan Naing Jya. Dae….

Chann thar dae. Dan Go MaKhan naing Jya. Buu…..
of course the poor are not happy all the time
as they find difficulties of living from their poverty
but at least they have moments of happiness in their simple lives

An Australian co-worker once told me: you people are happy and are contented even when poor. Back home, people look at neighbors and compare their lives. When one buys a new car, we feel we need to buy too and feel frustrated when we cannot.

I have several friends who were ambitious and not contented with their lives here. They went abroad, became successful, and yet are not satisfied with their lives over there, while I feel fine with my life.

There is also the true story of 2 great monks

One was TaungPhiLar SayarDaw, Minn Sayar, and resided in the Naypyitaw, Ava or Amapura, I cannot exactly remember. The other resided at PaKhanGyi….

One day, TaungPhiLar SayarDaw went to ShweSetTaw on pilgrimage and visited the other SayarDaw near PaKhanGyi..

TaungPhiLar SayarDaw asked the other Sayardaw: AhShin PhaYarr….. Taw Hte Hmar Nay Dar Ma. Kyauk Buu Larr….

to which the reply was: Kyauk Lo. Taw Hte Hmar Nay Dar Par…..

TaungPhiLar SayarDaw went away, having learnt a lesson

The duties, richness and privileges of being a Minn Sayar kept him from following Buddha’s path to Nirvana, and his satisfaction of life as a Minn Sayar (TaHnar) bound him in the ThanTaYar WutHsinnYae conundrum.

My memory is not really good and the actual name of the Minn Sayardaw and the town of the other Sayardaw might be in error, but the basic facts are correct.

To take a further step in reasoning, what we see in life is not what they seem to be:

We see humans, friends, relatives, animals, trees, plants, flowers, food, buildings, utilities, etc.

But they are not what they seems to be

All in life are only of Matter and Mind

There is no such thing in reality as U Ba, Daw Hla, me, you, etc. Even then what we see are always changing, so that what we just saw do not exist anymore.

Point to Ponder: The coming of ThaGyarrMinn during Thingyan

12-Apr-2010

Thingyan is commencing Wednesday (14-Apr-10).
Tomorrow will be AhKyo Nae. and the festivities will begin, but in some places Thingyan has been celebrated during the weekend.
Our new year 1372 will begin 17-Apr.
Although our lunar month is in error with the actual phase of the moon by one day, our new year, calculated by to the movement of the planets, i.e. according to the movement of the sunday planet / ta-nin-ga-nway ghyo, is correct, always falling on either 17-Apr or 18-Apr, with the Ah-Kyo Nae. always falling on the 13-Apr

It is said that the ThaGyarrMin comes to earth every Thingyan to take census of the people and bad people are noted down by MarTaLi.

Sayardaw U ThuMinGaLa. preached that people are going after the wrong beliefs. It is said that a day in the life of the NatPyay of ThaGyarrMin is equivalent to 100 years on earth, and U TMN queried whether it is possible for ThaGyarrMin to come to earth a 100 times during his 1 day. It is a point to consider.

Dear Dr.,

I am so yong my grandfather told me,Thingyan ThaGyarrMin will

arriveand He record bad human on dog skin,clever human record on

golden sheet.He will choice who are send to hell or NatPyae.You

belive it.

Regards,

U MA
it is not for me to say whether I believe it or not
as these sayings are said by the great
and are beyond my capacity to comment
so I am going to be “Hnar Sayy Nay Mae…”

there are many things which we have to take for granted
if it is said or proved by someone we trust and believe
as in science
and arts
religion too

BUT there are always doubters
whose doubts are reasonable
even if one is accused of being a DeikHti.
I myself cannot blindly accept all that is said in the name of Buddha
as the 1st ThanGar Ya.Narr Tin / Buddhist convention was only done a hundred years after Buddha passed away
when there are already differing versions of His Teachings
and division of Buddhist sects already occured
who am I to say who is correct?
even those who can read Pali can only say what is written in the original Pali
no one knows what Buddha preached exactly

here is another point of view to my original mail:

LOL…..  That’s a good point….Yet, it’s hard to accept the statement saying “a day in the life of the NatPyay is equivalent to 100 years on earth” because I have a feeling that Buddhist cosmology is somehow exaggerated by the people who noted down the words of Buddha or the people who passed the knowledge altogether with word of mouth.

12 Apr 10

all
it is already too late
for many whose offices have already closed for today (as today is Public holiday)
but not so for those who have net access at home and at cafes
my wish is in time even if some of you cannot read it in time
as Thingyan will commence only on 14-Apr
and new year on 17-Apr

HAPPY THINGYAN / SONGKRAN and New Year 1372 to all of you and your families
may the ThaGyarrMin find you pious and worthy of being recorded on the ShwePaRaBeik
in his 100 times a day descent to earth
to make sure people are behaving properly

ps
real Thingyan comes only on ThinGyan AhKya. Nae.
14-Apr every year
but people begin water festival on the AhKyo Nae., the 13-Apr
and even earlier on the last office days
and last school days

Food for thought: Hellhound at large

Pyone and Dido 22 Nov 2006

One weekend in March 2010, we went to the Village of the National Races for the 2^nd time

The first was about 2 years ago on our return from the orphanage at a monastery just beyond the KyaikKhauk pagoda at the road junction

We took along Dido as usual, and left Ah. Te.. at home

Dido is our first dog, i.e. the first dog we had

It was brought home by our younger son linn zaw win, given to him as a birthday present by his friend

They were Shizu-Terrier, 2 puppies just weaned, a white female lzw named Dido (although I had suggested Phyu Toke), and a black-white male

Dido fell ill a few days after it got home and recovered. The male pup fell ill as Dido recovered, but did not make it, so Dido was brought up alone

Although I did not want it inside our home, Pyone took it inside because she was worried it might bitten by mosquitoes during the night so she became a house dog and part of our family

It likes to sleep with ako at first, but when he went to Magway, it slept with lzw

When he went away, it slept with us

She was taken along whenever possible when we go out so she was with us when we went to the village of the national races that day, but Ah. Te was left behind

Ah. Te is our 2nd dog, the male sibling of Dido having died soon after it arrived did not mean much to us. I bought Ah. Te to get protection in our compound as Dido can only warn us whenever someone or some dogs come near. I saw 2 cute puppies in front of the FMI one day in January; an Inn Khway and a black Sitt Khway, both females, but I did not have cash to buy them on the spot. I wanted protection against stray dogs entering our compound and discussed with P about buying them. P was against having another dog.

We went to downtown one day and P saw the puppies and became enthusiastic so I took the opportunity to buy a pup. This time, there were 2 cute male pups, a black one and a brown and white one, both Sitt Khways. The brown and white one was bigger and looks fine and we took it home. Dido is not friendly with any dog and barks at all others so I tried a just weaned pup, hoping it will be accepted. After about half an hour, Dido accepted it.

When we chose the name for the pup, we considered and discarded Pluto and Goofy. Then, I suggested Maung Maung Lay. AKO suggested Ti. Ti., a Chinese pronoun for a younger brother. I informed them that although “Ti.Ti.” is the proper pronoun, younger brothers are called “Ah. Te” in day to day usage, so we will call it Ti.Ti. @ Ah. Te.. and the name Ah.Te became its name. But later we also call it “Shoke Pyway..” because of its behavior. We also call it “Sitt Khway” and I also call it “Ein Saunt Khway” as it was taken in to guard our house in the compound, even when we all are away.

At the time of getting Ah. Te, I made the rule not to have it inside our house and not to take it in our car, unless to take it to the vet, as it will grow to be a large dog and will not be good to take it along while young, as it will want to come along later too. So our second dog became a second class dog, but it cannot be helped. A dog is a dog, but it will not have Dido’s rights which she earned by being her breed and herself.

Ah. Te has a habit to teasing others, Dido, us, stray dogs, by biting, and also wants to enter our house and try to get inside whenever it has an chance. So our Ah. Te.. / Shoke Pyway… / Sitt Khway… / Ein Saunt Khway… cannot be left alone, and has to be looked after carefully and with strictness so that it will not tease Dido too much or get into our house and make it its home.

Now, at the age of 4 months, Ah. Te’s height equals Dido who is fully grown and is 4 years old. Dido lives inside our house, while Ah. Te stays outside, free to roam about, going out of our compound at times, visiting the stray dogs and playing with them.