Who's birthday is it?

Does anyone have a birthday today? Anyone?

It might be mine, I'm not sure. It's kind of hard to tell. I might need your help with this one.

 

As some of you may recall, I celebrated my official birthday on 20 April. Thank you for all the birthday wishes. Much appreciated.

 

But here's the other side of the story. That side is the official Sharkbait mascot. If you look at my profile picture you'll see that it is a photograph of an actual key ring with a stuffed clownfish on it. I was given this key ring two years ago on 14 July 2007. It was a late birthday / just because present from some friends. They thought it was perfect because I had just written and presented a teaching series entitled Finding God in Finding Nemo. It was a good joke.

 

Then the next day, Sunday 15 July, I put the key ring on my bible bag and took it to church with me. Once there, I showed it to the person who had bought it for me, and said "This is my new friend, Sharkbait." The name just jumped into my head because of the scene in Finding Nemo.

If you don't know which scene I mean, then look here:

With me so far.

Well it was a few months later when I decided to start a group on Facebook to discuss issues of faith etc. I didn't want to do it under my own name, so I created a profile for Sharkbait, and he set up Sharkbait's Reef. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

 

Well.... Sharkbait just took off! Soon he had more friends than the guy who had created him, and was all over the place. And I discovered something interesting. He could say things I couldn't. It gave me a huge freedom, and people started listening to him.

To a stuffed fish I ask you!!!

 

Anyhoo... Sharkbait, both the Facebook character and the mascot became quite popular, and started getting invited to parties and having fun. I kid you not.

 

So when I decided to start a blog here, it was natural that I thought of Sharkbait. I decided that I would use the same name as I used to have on Facebook, before they deleted me, and the rest is history.

 

I never imagined that I would end up with so many friends in the blogging world, or find so many amazing lives to follow. It has really been an amazing time, and I look forward to continuing the ride with you.

 

So here's the thing; I might have been born in April, but in a very real way, Sharkbait was not born until 14 July. So when do you think I should celebrate my birthday? I'm thinking I'm going to claim 14 July as my birthday, and 15 July as my christening.

 

What say you?