I was thinking hard about resisting the temptation to make a big deal about my birthday, so near George Washington’s.
If you used to celebrate that on February 22nd with no regard to day of the week, by the way, you’re probably around my age!
But then I said, heck, why not? I actually LIKE getting older.
Because I am open to learning new things all the time.
I decided to open up the trivia machine, and share some tidbits.
Ready?
The U.S. Postal Service was created on this day in 1792.
The “Met,” New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, opened in 1872. Pretty cool.
The Batman & Robin newspaper comic strip premiered in 1944.
Walter Becker, the iconic guitarist of Steely Dan was born in 1950. May he rest in harmonic peace.
“African Queen” with Bogie and Katharine Hepburn was released in 1952.
A 16-year-old Jimi Hendrix played his very first gig in a synagogue basement in Seattle. My source says he got fired from the band after the first set. That was the same day I was born, 1959.
John Glenn became the first American to orbit the earth in space in 1962, my 3rd birthday. That one I’ve known since I was little and a total science fiction nerd. I was 10 on 7/20/69 when Neil Armstrong stepped out on the moon, and it was a magic day for me and my friends.
(I remembered that date without looking it up. Nerd!).
The two closest famous people I have written down to my own birth year are Kelsey Grammar (Frazier), 1955, and Charles Barkley (now a hilarious basketball commentator on TNT).
Supermodel Cindy Crawford, 1966.
Kurt Cobain was born in 1967. Another musician that died young, in his case tragically.
Another highly amusing fact I can’t get over since I learned it last year is that Mitch McConnell, he of the blocked Senate appointment of Merrick Garland in 2016, was born in 1942. He turns 80 today, tee-hee-hee. Old fart.
By the way, does anybody think there ought to be a mandatory retirement age as well as term limits for these people?
I always liked that bumper sticker that says politicians are like diapers; they should be changed often, and for the same reason.
But I digress. For a change!
Birthdays are fun. I’m a big believer in benchmarks, and it not only gives us an opportunity to be spoiled and fawned over by our closest family, but it’s a nice opportunity to sit back and think about what I’ve accomplished.
On this last thing, by the way, I thought it would be fun to do this whole “birthday weekend” thing I’ve been seeing on social media for my wife last month, and she’s been doing that for me in like kind since Friday. I got to pick a movie that I like more than her Friday night, the Coen Brothers remake of True Grit, and it made me very happy.
Plus a delicious surprise Scooter’s coffee yesterday morning.
I am richly blessed.
I know I’m not saying much about how to make more money or save more tax today, but hey, it’s my friggin’ birthday, and I’m exercising a little creative license here.
But now, let me end with a benchmark thought to wrap up this meandering trip through time.
I made a big noise the first week of January about preparing to qualify for the Boston Marathon in 2024, because they will run it 2 months after my 65th birthday when I can qualify with a 15-minute slower time.
Remember that?
Well, because I have two full years, and have been working mightily to make major changes for the good in the business as well as the usual tax season hilarity the past couple of months, I managed to put 12 unwanted pounds back on.
Why is that always so much easier than taking it off, anyway?
Because…food is good.
Duh.
Speaking of benchmarks, I ran a half-marathon last week because my local running club does a Super Bowl Sunday race every year, without training for it and shaking the earth with every step.
It was the slowest official time for a half I ever had. And my quadriceps sang a hallelujah chorus of pain for 3 days afterward.
Duh!
I need to say this out loud, and in writing – enough is enough.
I am at my fastest at 172 pounds, and I’m currently 190.
That’s like carrying twin infants on your back as a handicap.
Enough is enough.
Starting tomorrow, of course!
Because – birthday dinner.
Oh, and for those of you fellow Pisces with a birthday coming up today or in the next 30 days, all I have to say is God bless you.
It’s not easy being fish, is it? But we are the sensitive artistic creative ones.
If you believe in that stuff, that is. I guess it’s a little true, in my case, and a little bit cool.
If you read this far, have an amazing rest of your Sunday, and let’s wrap up February swinging for the fences!
Oh, and don’t forget to support your friend’s online businesses.
It’s a warm and fuzzy thing to do.