September is My Month.. So Why Do I Feel Crappy?

It's September, and my birth certificate says it's a time for me to look back and remember crappy and happy times in the past year while preparing to slug out another 365 days. Yes, it's my birth month. Should I be happy? Well, perhaps I should be.. but there's always a heavy cloud above me when September comes. That heavy cloud says I'm broke.

It used to be that when our birthday arrives we would think about what our parents and siblings have in store for us, and whether or not you'll get to spend a happy day with friends and family. It used to be that you were given gifts and surprise parties. As time goes by, when you've reached the 2-digit age of 20-plus and above, we find that some things have changed.

I guess it's because we make our own money now and we're starting to forge our futures for ourselves. I'm in my 23rd year now. I have a good job that pays considerably well. I've just been given more responsibilities as a daughter and sister, and I've stopped receiving allowances from my parents for more than a year now.

We can call this independent living, wherein you work for what you want and almost nothing is free anymore. We pay our own bills, we plan for our career paths.. and we feel more burdened.

September is a particular time of the year when I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Well, actually, I feel like more like crying.

1. Lots of birthdays during the month. I'm not the only September celebrant around here. I have great friends who were born on September. A lot of them. I grew tired of budgeting that I eventually discarded any thoughts of sending them gifts.

2. Being the birthday celebrant means some attention will be given to you. And I just don't like all that attention. Simple birthday greetings is enough for me. But there are those who just can't help but bite my head off with taunts of free food for them. Can't they see I'm broke?

3. It's not only the birthdays. I just learned that both my brother and younger sister has their anniversary and monthsary, respectively, with their girlfriend and boyfriend (again, respectively) just days after my birthday. The way their relationship is going, looks like I'll have two more dates to keep in mind for next year.

4. It's September. The start of the -ber months. We all know what the -ber months mean. It means it's time to save because it's almost gift-giving time.

Ahh... September. I hope I'm not starting to hate it.