Birthday Reflections

From Clip Art, http://www.clipartbest.com/clipart-4nTBRLbiA, public domain claimed

Greetings All:

I'm celebrating my birthday today.  First and foremost, thanks to all for the well wishes, especially from my family.  I was thrilled to realize that a birthday doughnut awaited me this morning.  It won't be the last bit of "low-value" calories I consume today, I assure you. :)

Before I go out for a run in a futile attempt to mitigate the above-mentioned future gorge-fest, I thought I'd take a couple of moments and reflect on birthdays past and the more memorable moments thereof:

Best Birthday Party

I'm kinda cheating with this one as it was more than just a birthday party, it was our local wedding reception.  We got married out on the East Coast and then had a reception here at the Elks Lodge.  Aside from the power going out as the food was being prepared, it went off without a hitch.  My wife's paternal grandma was a great sport, staying up way late into the night.  We even had our friends Bill and Greg DJ it.  I recall them pulling out from God knows where a Viennese waltz and doing play by play as my Dad and my Mom-in-Law impressively and deftly navigated the dance floor. 

Best Birthday Gift 

It's hard to narrow down the great gifts I got as a kid.  However, if there's a genre that wins out, it is the G.I. Joe stuff from the 70s.  Now granted, getting access to my Mom's '73 Buick on my 16th birthday (and thanks Gary G for getting the Kraco tape deck in it) was a very good thing.  However, for pure gifts, this is the tops.  With all due respect to the G.I. Joe with the "Kung-Fu Grip," I'm actually more of a fan of the old(er) school G.I. Joes.  

As an aside, I remember my mom yelling at me when she caught me with my Dad's razor as I shaved off the beard of one of my G.I Joes.  Sorry Mom, that's not IAW with the reg...

Here's a link to some of the great G.I. Joe toys if your interested:

http://biffbampop.com/2013/03/29/yo-jo-glenn-walker-goes-retro-joe/

Best Musical Experience

A couple of years ago, I found myself in Nashville for work.  It was late afternoon and we headed downtown.  In an almost empty bar, we heard the musical talents of "The Sid Yochim Band." Led by Tucker, his sister Sydney, and the rest of the band are a great young group of musicians and I should add, fine young people.  We had a great time hearing them.  So much so that we sought them out the next night.  The band was formed as a tribute to Tucker and Sydney's Dad, Sid, the band is doing Mr. Yochim proud.  Here's a couple of links to the band:

http://www.sybepk.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SidYochimBand

Most Unique Birthday:

A few years' back, I spent a year in a rather warm place several time zones forward of my current one.  That was unique in a bunch of ways.  My friends from the "First Team" made it memorable and I'll always be grateful for their friendship.  Still, I won't feel cheated if I never have a birthday in that part of the world again.

And finally,...My 21st.

Ah, turning 21.  I'll simply say this:  Thanks to the  generosity

and hospitality of my fraternity brothers, I celebrated with Tequila and Wild Turkey.   There is a reason why they're called "shots."  Bang.  Ow.  Once is enough, plenty enough.  Well, here's to youth and learning from our experiences.  

Birthdays can and should be a time to celebrate.  I'm grateful for the people in my life and the experiences I've had.  I realize I'm not a kid anymore (and thank God for that!) but there's no reason not to still enjoy life and have fun, just with the absence of certain distilled spirits.  

As Jimmy Buffett sings-

"Oh, yesterdays are over my shoulder,
So I can't look back for too long.
There's just too much to see waiting in front of me,
and I know that I just can't go wrong..."

Be well my friends,
The birthday boy

Buffett lyrics:

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jimmybuffett/changesinlatitudeschangesinattitudes.html