Happy Birthday to me, dammit!
Yep, it’s another birthday in what has been a long line of them so far. It seems as I get older I become more and more introspective as the next birthday gets closer. I feel like when the day arrives I should have some insight into life, or at least into my life, and yet it always arrives without any great revelations. I feel no wiser today then I did a year ago even though simple logic would suggest that I must have learned a thing or two along the way and, by pure chance if nothing else, there has to be something of some significance in the past year I’ve picked up.
If there was it fails to come to mind now, though I suspect that one of the aspects of wisdom is you don’t often recognize it until you have to apply it to something. It’s a good bet I’ve learned a number of profound lessons in the past year alone, but until I have some occasion in which to put them to good use I’ll probably remain ignorant of my new knowledge. Which is an interesting concept: To be ignorant of knowledge one has gained until it is needed. I know it’s an accurate description because I’m often surprised by what I know about a subject when it comes up. Especially stuff I don’t have any good reason to know much about beyond simple curiosity. Which isn’t to say I don’t have my moments of stunning ignorance as well, but those aren’t as fun to think about.
So today will be celebrated by heading off to Lansing, Michigan to do another day’s work in my current two-month or so long contract job. Once I get home tonight my buddy Bob will come over to take me out for dinner. Anne is hoping to get out of work early to join us if at all possible. Then I’ll come home, go to bed, get up tomorrow and carry on with the job. No birthday cakes or presents this year, just business as usual with a dinner out with a long time friend afterward.
Which isn’t to suggest that I haven’t been the recipient of massive generosity. Many of you were gracious enough to donate when I put my hat out and asked and I cannot begin to express my gratitude in words. Thanks to you surviving until my first full paycheck from this job arrives on Friday will not be a problem as the deficit we were running is just about taken care of. Thank you, again, for the help. I hope that I will soon be in a position where I won’t have to ask for it again.
As far as birthdays go, all things considered, this one is shaping up to be pretty good. I am still breathing, we still have a roof over our heads, and there is the promise of better things tomorrow. Everything else is, if you’ll pardon the pun, icing on the cake.
Happy Birthday.
Happy Birthday Les! I’ll refrain from comments about going to work, party hats and birthday suits.
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, Les. Always enjoyed reading your blog.
My second born supplies some elegant communication on a situation in life that we all face. 43 years of living, learning, laughing, and loving is an accomplishment you can be proud of. Know also I am proud of you. Happy ‘Brithday’ Son.
Happy 43rd! Tomorrow I’ll be five years ahead of you in years, but perhaps not wisdom. As you said, I can’t see how I may have grown in the past year. I hope to be a kid until I die.
I stopped counting birthdays when I couldn’t put enough candles on the cake to reflect my true age and still be able to eat it afterward. I’ve been thirty for twelve years now.
Happy Birthday anyway.
“Which is an interesting concept: To be ignorant of knowledge one has gained until it is needed.” or as a wiser man once said…”stupid is as stupid does” Ha! Happy Birthday, Les.
Joyeux anniversaire! Bon appetit!
Well, Happy Birthday. I’m 41.5 and yes I count the 1/2 year. Enjoy UR blog, I hope you do it for 43 more years or whatever.
Kriss
Happy birthday, Les.
Happy Birthday Les..I hope things on the Job Front improve for you soon. That is my Birthday wish for you.
Thank you all for the birthday wishes. I ended up staying in last night and postponed the dinner until the weekend as my day was longer than I anticipated and I came home tired.
Sorry I missed the day, but … Happy Birthday, Les!
Have a great birthday, Les. I’ll hoist a cold one in your honor!
Congratulations Les. Seriously Happy Year to you, till next Bday.
You’re 6 years further ahead of me in line to see….nothing…when we die. LOL!
So enjoy it while we can!