Attn Fates: No Hubris Enclosed!

This is a posting that I am terrified to write.
This past weekend, I celebrated my birthday.
I hate my birthday.
I hate acknowledging that I am that much closer to the finish line than the starting gun.
I hate thinking of mortality and celebrating myself.
And I hate being the focal point of all of the above.

Years ago, I banned acknowledgment of my b-day in my office. Everyone respected my wishes. They probably all thought I was a dick (still probably do), but they still left me alone... in fact for many years, I just took the day off. This week, I actually brought doughnuts into my department... and sent out a "Happy Birthday to Me" e-mail inviting folks to partake.

Mrs. Nomad and the Nomad children are always stymied, as I tell them I want nothing. They always do OK by me... this year I got a neat Johan Santana Mets jersey, and some really cool homemade t-shirts --- mine says Hall Of Famer and the kids made ones for themselves that say "My Dad is a Hall Of Famer". And I got a really cool old school NY Giants baseball cap. And the missus made a kick ass cake (with banana pudding and vanilla frosting and NO chocolate!) mmmmmm.

Well, I also went to see these guys the other nite. Tasty show, too.

Last nite, Miz Nomad and I dined at a brewpub (dunkelweiss and smoked porters). Double mmmmm.

The bottom line is... I really don't need anything. I really have all the material stuff I need/want/desire.

As long as everyone is healthy and no one has any school/work/personal drama... what more could I want (aside from world peace, $30 million bucks, etc)?

These daze, I am pretty even keeled.

This is a pretty big departure in mindset for old Nazz, since before my chemical conversion of 11 weeks past, I was pretty damn miserable and on the edge for the preceding few months.
In fact, the last 2 months have brought the well known horrors of the economy, bad tidings at work with regard to job cuts (I'm safe, but others will not be), and some deaths and illness's in the extended family.

I dare say, that if not for Nazz's little helper, I would have either been in the "laughing academy" by now, or thinking of jumping off a ledge everyday.

All of which is a long way of saying that maybe I've turned a corner. If so, the best birthday present I gave myself was coming to my senses and hitting old Dr. Benway back in the summer for a 'scrip. I am sure that they were holistically effective (I scared myself straight- if I have to take something for medication other than recreation, that's a powerful incentive!)

And Obama being elected was a great gift too!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday To Me indeed!

Now that I said that, I spit on the ground, knock wood and pray that the fates do not see this post as hubris and conspire to destroy me!!!!!!!!!

In fact, why is my back starting to ache big time?


Toonage:
NOFX - Happy Birthday (You're Not Special)
Husker Du - Birthday (live 3.1.84)
The Vandals - Happy Birthday To Me
U2 - A Celebration
Mudhoney - Brief Celebration Of Indifference