I turn 50 today. It is the eighth of August, 2008. The eighth of the eighth of th eighth. 080808. I was born on the 8th August, 1958. My mother nearly died at the time and I was born two months premature.
My mother and I
My mum’s birthday was on the 6th August. Shared a humidicrib with another baby. His name was Benjamin Kay. Ben was born on the 9th August. We ended going to school together up until the age of eighteen.
This card was on the humidicrib
I was in that humidicrib for quite a few weeks. How would you interpret the comment written across the bottom of the card above? Were they closed for an entire month? I was named after my grandfather, John. He had died a few days before I was born.
My father and I
I remember my tenth birthday on the 8th August, 1968. I visited my father in hospital that day. He had experienced a major heart attack. My father gave me a book that I read from cover to cover…Our World In Space And Time [Odhams Press Ltd., London]. The book still sits there in our bookcase. My father’s birthday greetings are written on the inside cover. He was 49 at the time. He spent some time in hospital. He worked too hard.
I turned 20 during my second year at uniersity. 8th August, 1978. I cannot remember that day at all. Second year at university was a non event. I have blanked out much of 1978. Something must have happened that I prefer to forget. I did see David Bowie perform live for the first time not long after.
David Bowie, Sydney, 1978.
I remember my 30th birthday. It was the 8th of the 8th, 1988. A lot of eights. It was a pupil free day at school and there was a party held at school. Amazingly, myself and one other colleague, Luke, shared birthdays. Both of us were born on the 8th August, 1958. Luke thought I was kidding when I made the discovery. We are both catching up this Saturday actually. Luke teaches in England now. My father came to school once to speak to the students about his experiences as a prisoner of war in the Second World War.
My father and I address the students at St Joseph’s Catholic High School
My fortieth birthday was quiet. 8th August, 1998. There was a heavy rain storm that night. I received an antique Astro Boy figurine from my wife Shao Ping. I received some South Park videos as well. Our family was going to celebrate my birthday a couple of weeks later but that was cancelled following a severe storm event in which our region was flooded. That storm happened on the 17th August. Our suburb received 313mm of rain that day. The party was cancelled. There are some accounts of the storms here and here. August 1998 was a wet month.
There will be a surprise party in our faculty staff room today. This evening my wife Shao Ping and I are going out with 4 of my 6 siblings as well as their spouses. I am having a larger party in September at the beginning of the school holidays.
My dad and all my brothers and sisters. That is me wearing the loud shirt. 2001.
All of my siblings are educators too. Let me see… two history teachers, university lecturer, mathematics teacher, music teacher, primary school teacher, librarian. What do you think we all talk about when we get together?
How do I feel turning 50? Not much really. It is a bit of a crossroads. It is harder to get a new job at this age. If I branch out it will be consulting and/or training. When will I retire? Not sure. I hope it is a simple transition that passes unnoticed. I do not think I can teach kids forever. It would be the death of me.
Recent photograph of myself and workshop participant Gabriel taken in Singapore.
I will remember this birthday as our kitchen is also being ripped out tomorrow. A new kitchen will be built next week. I remember events via association with other events. I then move backwards and forwards down the mental timeline in my head.
Another recent photograph taken with my colleague Chris, and our visiting Japanese teachers from Koshigaya Minami Senior High School in Japan ~ Tatsuo and Mitsuyo.
I will probably blog one or two more posts over the next few days. The old read-write web has seemed burdensome of late. Time to rationalise again. Twitter or Plurk? Diigo or Delicious? Wordpress or Posterous? Both my wife Shao Ping and I blog.
Shao Ping and I in a previous life
The number eight is significant in Chinese culture. It has various meanings and associations. Good fortune. Wealth. Luck and so on. That is why the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony is commencing at 8.08PM on the 8th August, 2008.
Why not celebrate my birthday instead? It has just gone past midnight here in New South Wales, Australia. Plenty of room to write in the comments below. Cheers, John.
August 8th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Thank you for sharing with us John. A wonderful post full of family and connections. The pictures you shared of your early life could have been plucked from family albums at my home. They capture the essence of growing up Australian at that time. Happy Birthday. I hope it’s memorable for you.
Jenny Luca.
August 8th, 2008 at 12:24 am
John -
Happy birthday! What a special day to turn 50 - 8/08/08! And like the symbolism of the number 8, I wish you much good fortune, luck and wealth. And thank you for your thoughts on my blog post. It really made me laugh! You said exactly what I was thinking regarding the endowment of certain SL avatars. I’m pretty sure those characters were participants in this conference!
Best Wishes on your special day! - JBlack
August 8th, 2008 at 12:25 am
Thanks Jenny. Australis during the sixties was a great time indeed. First time I have ever celebrated my birthday with a blog post. I had to do it. It is not every day you celebrate a birthday on 080808! Cheers, John.
August 8th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Hi John, that’s a chockful of memories. Have a Happy Birthday tomorrow. Well, it’s not yet tomorrow here in Singapore. =)
August 8th, 2008 at 3:26 am
Just discovered your blog yesterday when you were 49 (as I am) and enjoyed the browse. Today I find out you’re 50 and catch up on half a century of yer life: “Happy Birthday” from a fellow journeyman in the UK.
(how about the serendipity … the security word for this comment was … ‘toast’!)
August 8th, 2008 at 5:54 am
I hope you have a wonderful birthday! I love the picture of you and your wife in your previous life! I also loved reading about the close relationship you have with your family and it was so wonderful and special! I hope you enjoy being a “half a century” years old!
August 8th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Happy birthday John,
Nice way to reflect on it.
cheers Martin
August 8th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
John, Happy BD: this is the first evidence I have seen that there is some basis to the 8/8/08 lucky number business. Clearly worked for you and all who enjoy your online musings.
August 9th, 2008 at 1:34 am
And many happy returns from another of us out here who have really come to like this John Larkin fellow.
I enjoyed reading the post, seeing the pictures, learning about your family (large like mine, but unlike mine, nicely close, it seems).
What can I say? Enjoy it, enjoy many more, and keep sharing them with us. Maybe have a listen to Nick Cave’s “Breathless” as a birthday feel-good song.
“Toast”
Clay
August 9th, 2008 at 9:07 am
Thank you all for your thoughts. It is quite nice to receive these kind wished from around the globe. It is the ninth of August now.
Jenny: Once again, thank you for your warm and thoghtful words. You are always generous with your sharings and contributions. Thank you:
J. Black: Yes, the date is quite neat and I am glad the comment on your blog re SL avatars brought a smile to my face. The avatars can make or break a successful introduction to SL within an education setting. Sadly, mostly they break it. Many educators and administrators cannot take it seriously when confronted with educators that fly up them resembling amazonian beauties with voluptuous figures and Brad Pitts in heroic drag. Stay posted!
Kenneth: Fantastic! A greeting from my favourite place! I was so glad to receive your words. You are an admirbale Kenneth. A man of good thoughts and considerable wisdom. Thank you.
Clive: Thank you for the kind greetings all the way from the UK. A wonderful part of the world that gave rise to such legendary figures as Bowie, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Home for hardworking and creative teachers as well! I have now discovered your site as well! Cheers, John.
Pat: Thank you for your kind wishes! You are always there Pat and always so kind and giving! You are one of the kindest and most thoughtful of bloggers Pat. I am always happy to receive your comments! Best wishes, John.
Martin: Thank you! Collrunning.com.au! I remember meeting the creator of the web site coolrunning.com.au many years back about 1997. I met Ian Kemp when he was working at BHP Steel on a top secret project. I was an instructional designer working at the University of Wollongomng at the time and we were looking at how to design and eLearning and online performance support system for the project. The project was so secret I now forget the name of it. I was so impressed with the site created by Ian. Excellent design and beautifully applied HCI principles. Thanks Martin! Cheers, John.
John: Yes, many of my Taiwanese and Chinese friends are always surprised when they learn my date of birth. Our homes street address is also auspicious ~ 8 and our car number plate ends in 168. That has significance as well. Life has had its ups and downs and the ups are always excellent and mostly the downs provide an excellent lesson. Thank you!
Clay: Yes, Cave is on the speakers just now. Thanks for your thoughts Clay. Words of wisdom always. Hope we can catch up one day. Perhaps in a parallel universe you and I will be playing in Cave’s band. I shall keep sharing these moments. It is a living history! Best wishes, John.
Thank you all! Have a great day and see you all around, either in reality or virtually! Best wishes, John.
August 9th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
My birthday is today, 080808, as well. Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your writing and photos. Yours is a story well told, with a rare combination of humility and spark. From someone who shares your birthday in far off San Francisco.
August 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Thank you Elizabeth…It is quite intriguing to receive greetings all the way from San Francisco! I am gald you enjoyed reading my thoughts. Happy Birthday and all the best for the year ahead! Best wishes, John.
August 10th, 2008 at 8:00 am
happy 50!
8 is a good luck number in China, but what’s nice about 8-8-8 is that held vertically, it’s 3 times infinity!
August 10th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Hi Ken, Thank you for the kind greetings. I have never thought about the infinity aspect of the number 8. Living forever! Well, that would be something. Would I become envious of mortals who value every living moment and see the beauty in all rather than become bored with it? A thought indeed. Perhaps an infinity of happiness and luck for others rippling out from the good thoughts shared on this day. That would be nicer. Thank you Ken, best wishes, John.
August 10th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Ah I remember meeting John for the first time as a fellow undergraduate in Wollongong in 1977. There he was … a mere boy and a beardless youth, His mother kissed them both goodbye each morning.
John was noteworthy in my year in that his musical interests ran to a band called Jimmy and The Boys (featuring a man named Ignatius Jones, who went on to much bigger things elsewhere) featuring a transvestite singer named Joylene Hairmouth.
I must record one other memory of John. One Thursday on campus I was due to return home in Sydney that night, and found I was suffering from some ailment of some sort – perhaps prompted by the undergraduate love of drinking. John very unpromptedly drove me back to my college, then picked me up later to drive me to the train. I was struck by this act of kindness from a bloke whom I really did not know well at that time.
The difficulty I have with these memories is that they seem so recent. I forget where I parked my car this morning but I vividly recall John’s many learned dialogues on David Bowie. I can close my eyes and recall these memories as though they happened last week; then I try to run for a train and get reminded that this time was a wee bit longer ago. John figures prominently in these memories, complete with that cheeky grin and a little bit more hair.
So, we all grew up and moved on. John pursued studies in education, too k a minor detour via a bank, and then returned to the fold. He is now respected in his field and well loved by all who know him. (and no Shao Ping is not paying me to write this.)
Well done, John, on reaching your 50th birthday. My wife & I wish you many more such birthdays. Many happy returns, mate!
And by the way, this post is lovely. The pictures and your recollections of family life as a kid are rather moving.
August 10th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
John, thank you for your kind epistle. Ah, those were the days. Yes, Jimmy and the Boys were a source of considerable amusement yet it was Iggy and The Stooges that had really captured my attention back then. Music was such an incredible form of escape.
I always admired you John. You were our fearless student rep and your acting talents in the various uni musicals always blew me away. And not to forget your cricketing and umpiring skill and sharing a cup of tea with you always seemed so civilised and genteel no matter where the brew was consumed.
I was still avoiding the drink at that stage. Dad had consumed my share well and truly and hence I was always putting off that first imbibe. I think I was about 22 or 23 when I had my first drink. Yes, David Bowie figured heavily back then. I obtained some of my first Bowie bootlegs while I was at uni. They were such good days. I wish I had kept some of the examination essays that had excited our lecturer so much ~ Dorothy Jones.
Thanks for the memories John! Cheers, John.
August 28th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
John,
As you know we have known each other absolutely yonks and I feel ashamed that I forgot your birthday this year of all years! I have had a lot going on, but that’s no excuse. I hope you can forgive me. My memory is obviously not as powerful as yours. I could do with some brain training to help me recall to the same level of detail that you do. Really enjoyed your brief run down of the first 50 years of your life.
the son of a good friend of ours also has his birthday on 08/08. This year he was 18 and he is Chinese. His parents made quite a thing of it, obviously, and threw a great party.
First time I’ve dipped into your blog for ages and as always am impressed. We must keep more regular contact, miles are no longer a barrier between friendships.
Age gracefully and keep young minded!
All the very best in your 50th year!
Your Pomme mate, Craig.
October 7th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Thanks matey, It was good to catch up again. Shao Ping and I hope to get across to you and the family soon. Cheers, John
October 24th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Thanks for a nice blog - i am from Dapto, and I stumbled on your site whilst searhing for “jimmy and the boys” the punk rock band.
Take care.
Ian N
October 1st, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Nice way to reflect your 50th birthday John
Congratulations and many hopes for the future !