ArchaeoWolf Explains:: My Birthday is coming: No, I don't like it, but here's some suggestions.

It is, as it is every year about this time, coming up on my birthday. As you can imagine, and if you know me I've already said this, I don't like my birthday. Depression and anxiety and trauma all usually lead to not being interested in or not willing to acknowledge one 's birthday. I'm well aware that's such the thing affects people differently, but for me, I feel guilty.

Family trauma does that. I went for years not enjoying my birthday because I always had a birthday or was celebrated or got presents with a catch. There was always some sort of caveat or reminder that they weren't celebrating me they were celebrating what I could do for them.

It is in this way that Facebook is of course a major asshole, because it has done a fantastic job for the last week or so reminding me that

A. My birthday is coming, and

B. That I can use my birthday to encourage my friends and family to give money to things.

I can't seem to get away from that “we're not celebrating you, we're celebrating what you can do for us” vibe.

So, OK.

Let's do it that way. Because here's the thing, I genuinely feel guilty and unworthy of gifts. I have gotten them in the past from my followers and while I have been thankful, I also don't know how to not feel bad about receiving them. And seeing that so many people are interested apparently in giving something to me on my birthday, I've decided to take a page from the book of face, but not do it in a way that Facebook benefits from it: you know their links have a catch.

Here are a number of organizations, cultural programs, or museums but if people feel like they need to give me something, they can donate to these places. As I have said before, archaeology and cultural resource programs suffer from a lack of funding, and this lack of funding can cause problems with site protection and preservation, curation, creating educational material and programs for both children and adults, the list can honestly go on for a while.

So I've put some down here, but if people are feeling so very inclined these are places or programs or projects that can always use help. This is a short list, but every state has museums and historical societies that can be found through your home state’s Historic Preservation office (this link helps https://www.archaeological.org/programs/educators/more-resources/statemonths/ )

I do not have an expectation nor demand that people do any of this, and I am thankful to everyone for even considering. Money helps, but if that’s not feasible, volunteering at these places does also help immensely.

Cheers all.

The Archaeological Conservancy.

https://www.archaeologicalconservancy.org/about/gift-estate-planning/

Archaeological Institute of America

https://www.archaeological.org/donate/

Archaeologists for Autism

https://archaeologistsforautism.com/

The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

https://fortmissoulamuseum.org/donate-form/

First People’s Buffalo Jump State Park

https://fwp.mt.gov/first-peoples-buffalo-jump

https://fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/volunteer