The Day I Was Born

The Day I Was Born: Revisiting August 30, 1978

As I reflect on another year, I wanted to take a moment to look back at the day it all began—my birthday, August 30, 1978. It was a Wednesday, the 242nd day of the year. The hour of my birth is a mystery, though my mother believes it was sometime between 1 and 2 a.m.

I was born in the South Bronx, New York, to my teenage parents, Miguel and Annette. My father was just 16 and living with one of his older sisters in Manhattan. His mother, my grandmother Juana, had passed away when he was only 12. My grandfather, Rafael, wasn't able to raise the younger children, so each went to live with their older siblings. My mother was 17, living with her parents, Vidal and Lydia.

Join me as we travel back in time to see what was happening on that day and in that year:

The Music Scene

The #1 hit song in the U.S. was "Grease" by Frankie Valli, as compiled by the Billboard Hot 100.

Other top hits on August 30, 1978, included Three Times A Lady by Commodores, Boogie Oogie Oogie by Taste Of Honey, and Dreadlock Holiday by 10cc.

Movies on the Big Screen

The year 1978 saw the release of several notable films. Among them were The Silent Partner, directed by Daryl Duke, The Paper Chase directed by James Bridges, and Mysteries directed by Paul de Lussanet.

Popular Video Games

On the gaming front, some of the most popular video games of the era were Cosmic Conflict and Tournament Table.

A Global Perspective

• Based on data from the United Nations Population Division, an estimated 335,996 babies were born on August 30, 1978.

• At the time, the world population was approximately 4.3 billion.

My Place in History

I was born right in the middle of Generation X.

The US President

On August 30, 1978 the US President was Jimmy Carter (Democrat).

The UK Prime Minister

On August 30, 1978 the UK Prime Minister was James Callaghan (Labour).

The Pope

On August 30, 1978 Pope John Paul I was leading the Catholic Church.

Today, I am 47 years old.

I have lived for 17,174 days.

That's 565 months, 412,176 hours, and over 24.7 million minutes!

My Zodiac Birth Sign

Virgo.

Famous Birthdays

Warren Buffett, investor, born in Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.

Cliff Lee, American baseball player, born in Benton, Arkansas.

Sinead Kerr, Irish figure skater, born in Dundee, United Kingdom.

Swizz Beatz, American record producer and rapper, also born in Bronx, New York.

If I had saved just one cent every day since I was five, I would have now accumulated $171.74. It may not be much, but it's a fun thought!

This research was a fun journey, and I learned so many interesting facts about the day I was born. It's a great way to connect with the past and appreciate how far we've come.

Thanks for reading!

Don't forget to comment, like, and share. And enjoy some baby pictures of me!

Baby portrait of me, New York, circa 1978-1979.

This is a cherished photo from my baptism at the Church of the Ascension in New York, NY, on February 23, 1980, with my mother on the far right and my father on the far left.

My Life Psalm

Psalm 139:13-16

(The Passion Translation)

You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside

and my intricate outside,

and wove them all together in my mother’s womb.

I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex!

Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking.

It simply amazes me to think about it!

How thoroughly you know me, Lord!

You even formed every bone in my body

when you created me in the secret place;

carefully, skillfully you shaped me from nothing to something.

You saw who you created me to be before I became me!

Before I’d ever seen the light of day,

the number of days you planned for me

were already recorded in your book.