Thirty Five

Birthday … didn’t I have one of those last year?

Well, there are worse things than turning 35.

Despite little problems here & there, I can knock on wood … um, simulated wood grain finished office furniture with metal legs and supports … and say that my life does not suck. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m way better off than most of the world’s population.

I have my wife, my friends, fun hobbies, a job at the same employer for almost eleven years and a 401K that keeps acting like a good financial idea. Many of my problems end up being solved by not spending a lot of money on the wrong thing, or deciding to spend more time on X than Y.

There are many things I can’t fix with just money or time … and those are the things I really want for my birthday. This seems to annoy my friends who want to buy me material objects as a token of their happiness that I made it through 3.5 decades of life. Please know that the cards, well-wishes, Amazon gift certificates and randomly selected CDs will still make me happy.

But the list of things I really want this year are not for me, they are for others …

• I want my wife’s mind to be clear and focused. I’ve seen her reawaken the past few months, and it has been great to watch.
• I hope for friends that have lost loved ones to find peace.
• Some of my friends are going through other life drama & job problems that can’t be properly described here. Here’s hoping they sort it out without excess drama.

I would muse more about turning thirty five, buy my wife is waiting to pick me up from work. A good dinner with the spouse is the best present so far … time to go open it.