happy birthday

As of the 23rd May 2022 this website is archived and will receive no further updates.

understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

Many of the animations were produced using Flash and will no longer work.

I was working alone at a playgroup, digging a hole on an outdoor project. I was 22 and still recovering from depression at the time, after my mother had died of leukemia 5 months ealier. It was my birthday and I was worried about being pregnant because I felt I was in no fit state to bring up a child. I was listening to a portable radio. My mum's favourite musician was Stevie Wonder. I played his songs at her funeral. I was religious at this time and on hearing the DJ say he was going to give a special request for any birthdays, I started praying for some sort of sign that my mum was watching me. The DJ played "happy birthday to ya "by Stevie wonder. This event contributed to the choice to keep my baby. Many years later, in 2010, I had another huge episode of reactive depression and needed hospitalisation. My psychotic thoughts responsible for my erratic behaviour all revolved around an abortion I had had prior to my 1st child (above). I had worked for the Glastonbury Festival for 18 years and was hospitalised on a locked ward throughout the festival and the solstice period so could not work that year or attend the event. A hugely important event for me was therefore to see any of the concert on TV on the ward. The only show I was able to see turned out to be Stevie Wonder, the star attraction, main stage, who sang "Happy Birthday to ya" to the Festival with the owner.
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Date submitted:Sat, 14 Jan 2012 10:10:52 +0000Coincidence ID:3791