Ah, another birthday.  No great insights or wisdom to impart upon turning 58.  Although it can truthfully be said that I am less of a man than I used to be.

I’d say the worst thing about getting older is an acute awareness of the inescapable reality that the number of remaining birthdays is growing smaller.  Of course, that’s always been the case.  But now I recognize that my best case scenario is probably twenty or so more to go.  If I’m lucky.  Nevertheless, having a birthday sure as hell beats the alternative and by the time I finish this post I will have banished thoughts of mortality from my feeble brain.

On tap: Jee Yeun is taking me to her favorite place for breakfast–Waffle House.  And of course later I’ll be eating the traditional seaweed soup.  Tonight I’ll be heading downtown to scope out some darts venues and throw a few games.  I’d call that a good day!

What’s a birthday without a birthday song?  Here’s mine courtesy of Bob Dylan:

Crimson flames tied through my ears
Rollin’ high and mighty traps
Pounced with fire on flaming roads
Using ideas as my maps
“We’ll meet on edges, soon,” said I
Proud ‘neath heated brow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.

Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
“Rip down all hate,” I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.

Girls’ faces formed the forward path
From phony jealousy
To memorizing politics
Of ancient history
Flung down by corpse evangelists
Unthought of, though, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.

A self-ordained professor’s tongue
Too serious to fool
Spouted out that liberty
Is just equality in school
“Equality,” I spoke the word
As if a wedding vow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.

In a soldier’s stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach [no offense to Kevin Kim intended]
Fearing not that I’d become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I’m younger than that now.

http://youtu.be/XMea-eGmd8c