Can't actually believe I'm here already. I mean, how did that happen?
However, 40 it is today. Yep, officially middle-aged. Hair is going a bit grey, and also a bit thinner than I'd like to admit. (Granted that's at least thinning. Rest of me, not so much.)
I'd long ago planned on how I'd like to spend my 40th birthday, or the days leading up to it. You see, I've visited or lived on 6 of the 7 continents in this world. I really wanted to go and see Antarctica prior to my 40th birthday. Sadly, that is not to be. Instead of sitting at the bottom of the world in careful contemplation and having an existential crisis (oh and whale and penguin watching!) I will be at the airport picking up the advance team for the very large visit headed my way at the end of the month. Not great, but it's something, right? As I heard once said, "If I wake up and read the obits and my name isn't in them, then I know it'll be a good day."
The truth is, I'm doing ok right now. The next year will be a bit different with Lovely English Lass moving with the kids to the US, while I add Pakistan to my list of countries I never thought I'd live in but, lo, I am. I'm in a much different place now than I was 10 years ago entering into my 30s. For my 30th birthday I had a party at The Brickskeller in Washington, DC along with a whole lot of friends. That was the beginning of it all, as about 3 weeks later LEL and I discovered we were going to be parents. Since that time, life on 4 continents, a little brother for Lovely Little Girl, and some great memories. Heck, even the Brickskeller is gone.
As I approach the next phase of my life, which I'm going to label as my dashing curmudgeon phase, I feel that I'm at the age where people start to take stock of their lives. However, to quote one of my favorite movies, "Leave your live stock alone." I'm going to continue to wear my Batman shoes and read my comic books and go to the Comic book movies if I want to (and if it's ok with LEL, of course). I'm going to continue to make corny jokes every chance I get. I'm going to walk into my office every morning to say hi to everyone to let them know how much I appreciate their work. I'm also going to spend as much time with my kids as I can, since I will be away from them for a while this year, ensuring that they always know that their daddy loves them very much. And I will continue to treat my LEL like the queen she is to me, bringing her tea every morning, and trying my best to let her know she'll always be my one and only.
Thank you to my family for supporting me these first 40 years. My parents, brothers, nephews, nieces, my in-laws. All of them are special to me. Also a big shout-out to my friends that have been with me through it all, and continued being friends with me even when it was difficult to do sometimes.
If this is mid-life, the next part of it looks to be great!
