HAPI BETDE!

A friend here at the office turned 40 today and was shocked when I informed him that he was beginning his 41st year here. He told me that factoring in the time he was in his mother's womb didn't count. I assured him I was not considering that time at all.

"Your birthday records the number of years you've COMPLETED," I explained, "Not the number of the year you are in."

"Come again?"

"When you turn 1, you're not starting your first year...you're DONE with it. Your first birthday celebrates an entire tour of duty here. One full year completed. When you turn 40, you're celebrating having gone around the sun 40 full times. So you're actually ushering in your 41st year. You just kicked off year 41 of your life."

"So when I was 39..."

"On your 39th birthday you were actually beginning your 40th year."

He suddenly walked off muttering something under his breath and hasn't spoken to me since.