September 30, 2008
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I will not go gently into that good night
I WILL NOT GO GENTLY INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT
My 50th birthday has come and gone. Thanks to everyone who expressed birthday wishes and condolences.
On my 45th birthday I learned how to skydive. For my 50th birthday my wife enrolled us in a scuba diving certification course (we have completed the class work and our confined water dives, and next weekend we do four open water dives to finish certification.) In a few months I’m going whitewater rafting in Wyoming, and for my next birthday I’m considering learning how to base jump while I’m on fire and simultaneously wrestling an alligator.
I bet you’re thinking that my pursuit of these hazardous diversions is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to hold onto the fading remnants of my youth and the waning vestiges of my masculinity. My reply to that is…duh…of course it is. By God, I’m not going gently into that good night; on my 60th birthday I’m going over Niagara Falls in a barrel even if I have to take my walker with me.
I started to post pictures of me in my wet suit from this weekend, but you would have been forced to gouge out your eyes.
Speaking of the waning vestiges of my masculinity, my wife and I went to see “Nights in Rodanthe.” I realize that this admission will revoke my membership in the man club, but I happen to like romantic movies. Of course this was one of those movies that is so predictable you know in the first 30 seconds that somebody is going to die, but I’m ok with predictability. Sometimes it’s nice to go along for the ride even if you know where you’re going. My favorite thing about the movie was that there were several teenagers in the theater and you could almost audibly hear them groan; “old people having sex…that is sooooo gross.”
It was a great weekend. There was a semi-surprise party on Friday night at a Mexican restaurant where many margaritas met their demise, my fabulous son came up for the entire weekend and on Saturday night he fixed dinner for us (pan seared steaks…mmm), on Sunday we scuba dived, and on Monday my wife and I took half a day to go to the state fair, the above mentioned movie, and dinner. Does life get any better than that?…I don’t think so. Many thanks to my wonderful and beautiful wife for planning such a great birthday.
I’ve got to go…I’m taking off work early today because I’ve enrolled in a class on how to repel off sky-scrapers. I only hope they give an AARP discount.
Comments (19)
I liked Nights in Rodanthe — even if the Ecuador scenes were obviously not on location, and the topography was all wrong. LOL … the movie was good. Predictable, yes, but good.
(I saw it on Sunday afternoon) You know, I find myself doing more daring things, too… don’t know if it’s an age thing, or just “I didn’t get to do that when I was younger, and I don’t want to not do it just because I’m not younger anymore” 
Belated Happy Birthday!
hahahahaha
happy belated!
Scuba diving in Oklahoma? I don’t get it.
Working on a bucket list already?! I’m not all that brave so I just learned to Foxtrot at 50. And let me just say that it can be plenty dangerous – run ito walls, posts, and other dancers, whiplash from the head turning, and having toes mashed!
Thanks for the SPOILER!
Happy belated, scuba diving is terrifying.
What date is your b-day? Just curious as mine comes every single year on the 24th!
Eh, shut up already y’old fart.
RYC: I feel honored that you decided to forward my post to all the Republicans in your office!
A belated Happy Birthday!
I guess a belated birthday greeting is in order
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
Glad you are having fun in your old age. LOL.
Happy Birthday! You’re just a couple of months behind me.
Um, my AARP invitation letter came today. I can’t decide whether to fill it in or shred it.
Reading how much fun you had, I can (almost) be jubilant about my leap into the Abyss of 50 in a few years! :-p
Don’t you wish you could record those kids in the theater and play it back to them when THEY are old people having sex? LOL
Glad you’re still posting. You always make me laugh!
Kathi
i loved the open water dives. see the fish swimming around made me kind of hungry though.
At least you didn’t buy a Corvette. I’m right behind you, with less kicking and screaming. I’ll be FiveOH in April.
I’m sad I missed the party! But, really, the move was kind of an overwhelming first priority. I’ll be there for your 60th, how bout that? (-:
ROFL isn’t the thought of being thrown in an open vastness of water with just 1 oxygen tank comforting? All in all, you need to plan to come over to this part of the planet to dive, its f’ing blowsome. Happy birthday papi
Well, it’s been six weeks since your last post. Should we start to assume that the skyscaper repelling lesson didn’t go so well?
It’s about time for an update, wouldn’t you say ? Please. Otherwise I’ll be forced to spend my time chatting with the freak who wants to pay me to come clean my house. Don’t do that to me, Mark.
Hey Mr. 50-something, it’s been over six months! You still kicking? Since you’ve been in absentia, you might not have heard that Xanga is sucking bigtime these days. Oh, it’s all about Facebook, lol. Hope all is well with you, and hope you’ll let the parched remnant on Xanga hear from you one of these days soon!