39 Years: T-minus 365 days and counting

Because I am your classic type-B ego-monster (yes, I realize those two things don’t seem to go together…but ask the Puddinette, it fits me), when my birthday rolls around each year I prefer to avoid making a big pompy to-do (which is NOT to be confused with a big, poopy to-do), but yet feel compelled to write a post marking the occasion.  Last year I went back and read the post from the year before, which I guess is now officially a custom since I did the same thing today.

I have to admit, last year’s post was pretty solid.  I’ll stand by that one.  I’d say an RPG-style character stats sheet is still the best way to gauge one’s advancement year-to-year.  That said, though, how’d I stack up this year?  Something like…

Finished a novel: +1 Constitution (perseverance!), +1 Intelligence (So. Much. Learned!)
Revised said novel: +1 Constitution (thick skin!), –1 Intelligence (Typos! Bad word choice! Adverbs! D’oh!)
Guest Bloggers: +1 Charisma (convincing others to do my bidding), –1 Charisma (learning they get better web traffic on my own website than I do)
Query Letters: +1 Strength (trust me), +1 Intelligence (So. Much. Learned, already!)

I’m sure there’s more I ought to include in the analysis, but that sort of thing takes time.  And if there’s one significant change between last year and this year (and especially over the past two years), it’s that when you start filling your free moments with an activity that means something to you, Time skitters away faster than a three-year old with a handful of ill-gotten cookie.

For example, in years past, I’ve always set up an evening out for friends, family, neighborhoods, and suspicious-looking vagrants (or, as part of last year’s great social experiment, anyone interested).  Planning for this sort of thing usually begins a month or six weeks in advance of my actual birthday, giving me something to look forward to.

This year, though, I’ve barely even given the custom any thought.  That’s not to say I won’t do anything, because, well, if you think I’m going to let an opportunity to go out, have a nice meal, and act like a degenerate fool slip past, you might want to think again.  But odds are good that by the time I manage to put something together, it’ll be April, if not August.

But you know what?  It’s a good problem to have.  I used to have time and now I have to make time, but that’s because I’ve been steadily setting achievable goals and knocking them down for the past couple of years.  So, am I another year older today?  Yes, but still only one day older than the day before. And if reaching 40 is the price of finally realizing where I want to be and making steady progress to get there, well, I won’t complain about a single day.

It was Time well spent.

Pud’n

OH OH OH!  PS and stuff: It looks like the Hoperatives post I wrote last week about the new Moerlein Lager House is linked on the front landing page of Cincinnati.com’s Living section today.  How’s this for a surprise birthday present, eh?