Happy Birthday Dad

Today Dad turns something old. What? 60? 70? Something like that. Go Dad.

Seriously, I should watch out. I've been calling him old for quite awhile now. Old and out of touch, and certainly not cool. As best I can remember, it started when he was about my age. That means that either I'm now getting old or I'm a bad judge of what old means. I don't actually feel all that old. No, I take that back; the Mizz can make me feel ancient even though he's not even trying, but from what I hear, it's the kids that make you old anyway.

Most of the time I feel a lot younger than people who are clearly my age, but act, um...what's the word? ... Mature. Yeah, that's it. On the other hand, I feel pretty old when I work at a college, or, God forbid, a high school. Wow. Just wow. They're such...kids. They don't have a clue. Not like when we were in high school. We had a pretty good handle on things, but these kids these days really don't have any idea about the world. I pity the future. Now get the hell off my lawn.

But seriously, I mainly feel like I have more in common with people younger than me than older, at least in general outlook, although that's becoming less true as time goes on. Most likely it's happening to all of us, so plenty of people older than me are sitting around thinking the same thing. To (probably mis)quote a caller I heard on a radio show about aging gracefully, "I usually feel the same way I did when I was in my early 20's. The trouble is I still look at young women the same way I used to, but then I realize that they aren't looking at me the same way." Not that I'm trying to pick up high school girls, but you get the idea.

For another take on the idea that probably doesn't reflect well on me, I'll quote David Wooderson (Matthew McConaughey) from Dazed and Confused, "That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age."

Not that I'm... Oh, never mind.

Anyway, that brings me back to the idea that I might not be a very good judge of what it means to be old. I do hope that's the case. I'm not really ready to feel old yet, and if my attitude is any indication, I don't think I'll be ready anytime soon. I'll leave it to the Mizz to imagine that I'm old and out of it and follow Dad's example instead. I'll continue to enjoy life and do what I damn well please, which as it turns out, I now see as pretty cool.

Well, how egotistic is that? A happy birthday message that's mostly about me. What a wonderful child I am. Anyway, Happy Birthday Dad. I'm sure you're doing just fine. When I checked earlier today, you were enjoying a book and a beer on your back porch on a sunny afternoon overlooking the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Sounds like a fine way to celebrate to me.

Not here. It was raining on me all day. You should have seen the drive down I-5. I could hardly see... Whoa. There I go again about me. Happy Birthday!