It's my party,
And I'll cry if I want to --
Lie if I want to --
Die if I want to --
You would cry, too,
If it happened to you.
OK. Maybe that angst-ridden parody applies to my partisan American friends and their political parties. But it certainly does not apply to me.
I am 60 this week.
Friends and work colleagues are turning the full week into the equivalent of Chanukah. I am not just having a birthDAY celebration. I am having eight days of revelry. Lunches. Dinners. Gifts. General whoopee.
I keep trying to convince all of you that I am the king of postmodernism. I do not care for celebrations -- for symbols -- for tradition. But I am a sucker for all of the attention I have been getting. This day is starting to take on a special meaning. And for some good reason.
As of this month, I start receiving my federal service retirement. That bit of income will allow me to retire at least two years before I had originally planned. In effect, those 28 years of active and reserve duty have now been translated into my road to independence in Mexico.
And for each of you who pay American income taxes, I thank you. You will have to stop by the house in Mexico to lap up your portion in the form of your favorite libation. Anyone asking me to crack open the Dom Perignon better bring his 1040 along for bracket verification.
That is as profound as it is going to get today.
As Bilbo Baggins said at the end of his birthday party: "It's time for me to go."
So -- go I will.
18 comments:
Happy Birthday Hombre! Welcome to the seventh decade club.
Happy Birthdayweek! Enjoy it for all its' worth. Next year we will teach you the Mexican tradition of birthday cake and a mordita!
As I do not know the exact day and my spanish is still *cough* - let´s say sub optimal:
Feliz cumpleaños, amigo!
Steve - You made it this far, now it's smooth sailing ahead. And I don't mean downhill. I wasn't able to do it and head here until 61. I have since learned that LIFE IS GOOD!!!!
Happy birthday and enjoy your parties.
Larry Lambert
Feliz Cumpleaños y Happy Birthday!
Debi
Hey Steve, I'm January as well. In fact I just had a b/day on Monday the 12th. Ah I'm glad age is but a number. Happy Birthday Steve and may you have many more.
My hugs to Jiggs.
Happy Birthday!
Hopefully you'll keep blogging.
Fond regards,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Happy Birthday. Enjoy all the festivities.
YEE HA my friend - as we say in Texas! It just gets better now.......this time next year you'll slowly shake your head with a big grin on your face and say, "All that work was worth this!"
Happy Days!
Happy Birthday! When you get your FM3 you can also apply for your INSEN card (well not at the same place, you need to do it in Mexico). We jokingly call it the old guy card, but the discounts that you get are no joke! 30% to 50% on travel, some restaurants give discounts, movie theatres and pharmacies!
I personally like the week long celebration idea.
regards,
Theresa
Have a great time, Steve. Congratulations. Maybe next year you can have a pinata!
Happy Birthday! Sounds like you're having a fun week. Hope you new adventure works out well.
Happy Birthday, my friend!
You are all very kind. Thank you very much. Ironically, I stole the Chanukak reference from Colette about 30 years ago.
Two things: 1. Happy birthday, sonny. 2. Congrats to Calypso for knowing that you enter your seventh decade, not your sixth, when you turn 60.
Michael -- Thank you for the greetings. I also doffed my sombrero to the wily Calypso.
I'm late to the party but want to wish you many more happy returns nonetheless. Hope you had a fabulous birthday week!
Cairelle -- Thanks. Never too late. In fact, the celebrations are not yet complete. I have lunches and dinners through this week.
Post a Comment