28 Responses

1. Payal

   January 30th, 2008 at 6:55 pm

   1

   Just get into a conversation where u convince him that celebrating certain days like birthday etc is so clishé and that u believe in celebrating ur life, ur presence on earth everyday and not wait for some day to arrive… and tell him thats y dont wish people on their birthday and remind them “ah! u were born today!”
   by saying so he will not feel bad, and to carry on with the conversation he might mention whether it is his birthday today or not.

2. Payal

   January 30th, 2008 at 6:58 pm

   2

   Just get into a conversation where u convince him that celebrating certain days like birthday etc is so cliché and that u believe in celebrating ur life, ur presence on earth everyday and not wait for some day to arrive… and tell him thats y dont wish people on their birthday and remind them “ah! u were born today!”
   by saying so he will not feel bad, and to carry on with the conversation he might mention whether it is his birthday today or not.

3. Aditya Kulkarni

   January 31st, 2008 at 2:25 am

   3

   haha … Good idea. I’ll try it on your bday. by the way, posting twice improves your chances of winning only slightly.

4. Asif

   January 31st, 2008 at 3:29 am

   4

   Say something like:

   “Under my new religion, Adityaism, I am not allowed to wish anyone you-know-what but since the world may not understand my true intentions and might misconstrue it as carelessness, so let us assume I have wished the person, you-know-who, who has his you-know-what today, with the right words, you-know-which, so what should we do after that? Why don’t we start with you treating me?”

   Say all this with a very knowing smile.
   If he looks completely clueless, then its not his birthday and you can just pretend you were trying to confuse him to treat you.
   If he treats you, well, you now know

5. navin

   January 31st, 2008 at 5:11 am

   5

   tell him that you want to use the loo, (excuse) call his mom., and ask her, confirm, and proceed…. problem solved…..
   problem 1 (that might arise) - he might get the urge to go to the loo as well, solution 1 - in which case., you tell him, “DUDE…guys dont go the restrooms in pairs!!”
   solution 2 - you let him use the loo, and you make the call, you can also lock him up in the bathroom and yell “surprise!” once you confirm and open the door.

   any better ones??

6. Sach

   January 31st, 2008 at 5:27 am

   6

   Well the conversation can go on like this —- hey so today will be your treat buddy? So definitely he will act blank and will ask Why? So you will play your cards ‘Oh come off it .. you know why.. why you always want explanantion for everything? dont be thick in this d day yaar ok lets go to —- (some posh restaurant) .. shall i dial others also.. they will be dying to join us…’ dont give him a chance even to open his mouth. Go on with your blabbering. He will go completely blank and will forget it even if it is his B’day by thinking about the loss of money and time he is going to incur. If it is not his B’day (if by chance you come to know that) the reason for treat can be for the happy get together after a long time…

7. Aditya Kulkarni

   January 31st, 2008 at 5:39 am

   7

   ROTFL! All you folks are geniuses! How do you come up with these?

   Asif: Dude, that’s brilliant man. I can tell you’ve been studying rhetoric!

   Navin: Hehehoahahaa… I can just imagine the dude’s face when I tell him I have to go to the loo!! And what will I tell his mom? “Ma’am, I’m calling from the loo to find out when your son’s b’day is.” Heheohahaha…

   Sach: I really like your solution man. It has the highest probability of getting a treat!

8. Chirdeep Shetty

   January 31st, 2008 at 5:40 am

   8

   I think you should call Chitradeep Chetty and ask him for advice. He seems to remember quite a lot of b’days. I vaguely remember him calling and reminding you of his b’day for the last 8-9 yrs.
   Oh and btw… when you call him for advice, do remember to wish him for his b’day today.

9. Sundar Rajan G S

   January 31st, 2008 at 5:42 am

   9

   It is a “Hard problem!”, But has an “Approximation” which can be solved in polynomial time!!

   As a part of the conversation.. Ask his zodiac sign.. I am quite sure he/she will remember it and spurt it out immediately..

   If the day of meeting falls outside the range of the zodiac sign..
   he heheehaaaa not a birthday!! return;

   If the day falls in the range.. then, just suddenly say.. happy birthday!!! or give a hug.. The whole thing should happen in a short while.. that it should shock him/her.

   If the day of meeting was indeed his or her birthday.. then there will be some sentimental exchange of thanks.. etc..

   If it is not.. the person will say.. it is not today!! But dont stop shaking hands or hugging.. Just say.. belated happy birthday!! and start talking .. dont stop.. if the person says thanks.. just continue the drama..

   If it so happens, that the birthday is yet to come.. just adjust by telling.. I meant.. happy birthday in advance.. Just slip of the tongue

   For this algorithm to work well.. u should mug up the following:

   Aries MAR 21 - APR 19
   Taurus APR 20 - MAY 20
   Gemini MAY 21 - JUN 20
   Cancer JUN 21 - JUL 22
   Leo JUL 23 - AUG 22
   Virgo AUG 23 - SEP 22
   Libra SEP 23 - OCT 22
   Scorpius OCT 23 - NOV 21
   Sagittarius NOV 22 - DEC 21
   Capricornus DEC 22 - JAN 19
   Aquarius JAN 20 - FEB 18
   Pisces FEB 19 - MAR 20

   Let me tell you one thing… It works like gem..

   Especially with girls!! (which is what you care about i guess)

   

   If you get a better solution.. please let me knw.. I use the above solution.. And I can be the brand ambassador for my solution..

   

   I am quite sure I will win the contest!!

10. Sundar Rajan G S

    January 31st, 2008 at 5:51 am

    10

    btb, the mugging will get amortized

11. Aditya Kulkarni

    January 31st, 2008 at 5:58 am

    11

    Holy crap! I forgot Chirdeep Shetty’s birthday again this year, but he was kind enough to remind me that it was his birthday today.

    Please join me in wishing Chirdeep Sheety a happy birthday today! Happy B’day maga!

12. Aditya Kulkarni

    January 31st, 2008 at 5:59 am

    12

    @Sundar: Oh MY GOD! You wrote an algorithm?!? Talk about nerdy geeks

    But it sounds interesting! I should try it sometime!

13. Anonymous

    January 31st, 2008 at 6:20 am

    13

    Hmmmmm . big deal birthdays!! u just grow a day older, i dont think ny1 wud mind if u dint wish thm

14. Saravanan

    January 31st, 2008 at 8:30 am

    14

    I too have the same problem. this is were the “sales talk” technique comes in handy … a sales friend of mine suggested …. and I have been following it for quiet some time …. success rates at 99.99%

    … you start with a praise like …. “you seem to be cheerful and bright as if you were reborn…” … mostly you will catch the prey …. atleast you will get a “clues” for your suspicion …. and you know how to act thereafter … the words are important … it throws a lot of insight into the other person’s mind and you get to know what you wanted to know …

    another way … rather hitting straight …. excerpts from my experience…

    Me: “…. looks like you are in the mood making me happier …. i am here with you … let me choose the place and you pay the bill …”
    He : why….
    Me : ( Acting as if not disturbed … ) I throw a question back “why should not it be … you look happier than ever … there should be something special today …. come on …. i could read you well ”
    He : ( with murmuring …) not sure how he catches perfectly … ( pretending that I have not heard … ) … so, today is my ……
    Me: ( let it be anything …. ) Ah! there you are … so, let move on then …
    gotcha ….

15. rahman

    January 31st, 2008 at 9:35 am

    15

    simple maga… just ask him this ” so how many have called u today”

    he will either turn blank n say ‘why u asking this’ which means NOT HIS B’DAY or

    he will say with a count and then u say so i;m the nth person callin to wish u.. not that bad….

    wat say

16. Aditya Kulkarni

    January 31st, 2008 at 9:39 am

    16

    @Saravanan: Brilliant man! It’s like Zen Karate - Using someone’s power against himself - hehe…. Too good!

    @Rahman: Dude! Simple and effective! Well done, man! Well done!

17. rahman

    January 31st, 2008 at 10:03 am

    17

    now that i get a well done and effective response… wher’s the secret prize…

18. Aditya Kulkarni

    January 31st, 2008 at 1:12 pm

    18

    Well, it’s a secret gift, so I can’t tell you

19. Tamanna

    January 31st, 2008 at 3:50 pm

    19

    If he is your friend he should know that you never remember b’days. So, ask him if it’s his b’day today and when he gets mad that you don’t remember it then you yell at him saying “do you not know me at all, man? so much for our friendship if don’t remember anything abt me!” Take offense. He will probably feel guilty and give you a treat too and you won’t even have to worry about remembering his b’day next year and years after that.

20. Drinivas

    January 31st, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    20

    Why change for others?! PK - you are what you are - a jerk - and you know it

21. Haseeb

    January 31st, 2008 at 7:48 pm

    21

    This is a long term solution. This requires creating a particular image that requires some time. Here is how you do it.
    When you know its someone’s birthday and you meet them that day, dont wish them. Keep giving hints showing that you know its his/her birthday, but dont wish. Talk about everything related to birthdays but dont wish. Make the birthday boy/girl crave to be wished by you. He/She will break down and say something like “Oh come on, wish me”.

    After the above thing is done many times, your friends will think that this guy remembers birthdays but pretends to forget and plays around. So later you meet some friend on his birthday and you dont remember that its his birthday, then your friend will think that you are pretending and you will never come out as a jerk. He will tell you that its his birthday thinking that you are taking the prank a little too long by acting as if you dont remember it at all.

    p.s : Disadvantage of this solution is that you should somehow remember birthdays till your image(as described above) is created. You might use some of the amazing ideas already posted. Then after your image is created, you dont have to worry about using any ideas.

22. Aditya Kulkarni

    February 1st, 2008 at 6:09 am

    22

    @Tamanna:Ooooo I really like your solution. Reverse Psychology!

    @Drinivas: OOooooo…. Are you picking a fight with me, man? Ooo you just wait…

    @Haseeb: Sounds like a good solution man, but it seems like it needs work on my part. And as you already know, I’m rather lazy, so…

23. Vinay Murthy

    February 1st, 2008 at 6:15 am

    23

    As you approach the person, start hymning “Happy Birthday to you…..” so that the person can hear it well. Or you could even wait for moments of silence in your conversations to pick up the hymn. If you get a weird/unresponsive look in exchange, stop hymning and wait for another day or tell how much you love that song. If you get a pleasant “thank you so much” kinda look, you’ve nailed the day alright.

    If it really was the person’s bday and the person really didnt respond in a discernible manner, he/she cant get back to you saying you didnt wish…you did hymn the bday song, didnt you ? Singing is tantamount to wishing.

24. Asif

    February 11th, 2008 at 8:20 am

    24

    So who won?

25. Aditya Kulkarni

    February 12th, 2008 at 5:58 am

    25

    I WON. Muhahahahaaahahaha!

26. DI

    March 21st, 2008 at 5:10 pm

    26

    Just a suggestion…ask him..”So wat did you do special today?” If its his/her bday the answer is inevitably “Replying to calls that were pouring in for my bday” or “went to the temple for my bday” if its not, the answer will just be..”Nothing..just the usual” or something on those lines…my guess is it has a 98% chance of wrkin all the best

27. Sameer

    June 1st, 2008 at 7:42 am

    27

    Geee…

    Can’t you just use your cellphone’s reminder facility… ????

28. Aditya Kulkarni

    June 12th, 2008 at 5:39 pm

    28

    See, using the Cellphone’s reminder functionality would make me a rational, logical person. And being rational and logical is a sin in Adityaism.