Background

• The 6th month of the old Roman calendar had 30 days.
• Renamed August in honor of Emperor Augustus Caesar
  Given an extra day.
• August is the 8th month of the Gregorian Calendar.
  Has 31 days.

Special Days

August 8

• 8-8-88
  Start of a long struggle to restore Democracy in Myanmar
  
• 8-8-08
  Beijing Olympics

August 13

• Sayadaw U Silananda (Rector, IMBTU) passed away on August 13, 2005
  
• My father-in-law passed away five decades ago.

GBNF in August

My spouse’s family

• My spouse lost four of her family members in August.
• Her father passed away in his mid-50s.
• Her mother passed away in her late-80s.
• Her elder brother passed away in his early 50s.
• Her nephew passed away a few days back in his mid-30s.

Sayadaw U Silananda

• Rector, IMBTU
  Chief Resident Sayadaw of Dhammananda Vihara, Half Moon Bay, California
• Sayadaw passed away in his late-70s on August 13, 2005
  
• Served as Master of Ceremonies at Sayadaw’s Memorial Service.
• Served as Committee Member and Contributing Editor for “Paying Homage to Sayadaw U Silananda” Book.
• Accompanied Saya U Myat Htoo (C68, President, TBSA) carrying the box of Sayadaw’s ashes to be scattered from a yacht into the waters near Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Birthdays in August

Extended Family

• Several birthdays in my extended family.
• Eldest sister
• Younger sister
• Grand daughter
• Yours truly
• Several cousins

Birthday Soon Kwyay in 2016

• In August 2016, U Maurice Chee (M75) organized a birthday soon kwyay for me at the Dhammananda Vihara in Half Moon Bay, California.
• The sayas and alumni presented me an Appreciation award.

Friends

• Daw Mu Mu Khin (spouse of Saya Allen Htay)
• U Myint Swe (EP74, NorCal RITAA)
• U Thein Naing (Patrick, La Phet Yay Waing member)
• One or more hosted an August-born Birthday Party.

Lunch Gathering in 2018

• In August 2018, U Patrick (Thein Naing) and Daw Mie Mie hosted a lunch gathering for the August born at Moss Beach Distillery.
• They gave me a best-seller book “The Greater Journey (Americans in Paris)” as birthday present.
• Daw Mie Mie translated several short stories of Ah Myothar Pyinnya Wun U Po Kyar. She plans to publish them as a book.

Is 8 lucky or unlucky?

• 8-8-88 (August 8, 1988) and the following days mark the hope and then despair of the people longing for the end of the Adhamma Era.
• Grapevine says that the event was inspired in part by numerologists who remembered the historic event (about Mingyi Yan Naung) in 888 Burmese Era and extrapolated the magic of No. 8 from three 8’s to four 8’s.

• Most Chinese think that the number 8 is lucky.
• For example, Beijing Olympics was opened on 8-8-08 (August 8, 2008).