November 10, 2008

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

11 comments:

Dead Rock n Roller said...

Happy Birthday. I wish I could go out and get some good dunkleweiss, but alas, Alabama has terrible laws in regards to beer.

Unknown said...

Every year above ground is another good year! Cheers on your birthday.

Unknown said...

Happy belated, Nazz! I had a birthday last week, too... on the 4th... I got the best present I've ever received: A new president!

jeffen said...

Good tunes for a (sober) happy birthday - and nary a trace of 'ubris.

Anonymous said...

and to think, you still have a framed Giants photo waiting for you at the home of god-daughter Nazz in New Jersey...Just say when before it goes on the wall, this weekend :) - Happy B'Day

Piley said...

hope you had a good day... all's considerin'!

Know what you mean about not exactly looking forward to em anymore, but what can we do about it anyway?! May as well enjoy it as much as we can (and breathe a sign of relief that we are, at least, still here to enjoy it!).

My birthday next week, so will be goin thru much the same!

Best

Piley

Michael Verity said...

Happy Birthday...I'm interested to know what was your "chemical conversion of 11 weeks past". Did you find a new drug? (Sorry, didn't mean to quote Huey Lewis.) Music Junkie at Fusion 45.

Sugarmag said...

Happy birthday, Nazz!

gomonkeygo said...

Happy Birthedday! And congrats on the show - feel free to post pirated bootlegs anytime!

aikin said...

I'm a few days late, but Happy Birthday!

dammit, I miss going to decent brew pubs

Anonymous said...

I'm late. But Happy Belated birthday!