I only get to do this once, so I had better do it right

"The thing I love about getting older is, the birthday cake tastes better and better every year." - my mother

Madchen, astoundingly, I 'get' the allusion. Thank goodness I've read Wodehouse.

Kenan, if your mentor declined to explain Steppenwolf to you, then I must fall in line with that judgement. It might be right or it might be wrong, but I'm not going to step in middle. Apart from that, the 'respect' duly received and appreciated.

Le Coq and nickalicious, thank you for calling me wise. Inuit women soften rawhide by chewing on it, so eventually it can be made into articles of use and beauty. Life has been chewing on me long enough that I'm almost soft enough to make something of.

Rumpy Pumpkin, I am glad my advice proved sound. It must have been in regard to a subject where I know which end is up. This is not always true.

apex of nadirs, happy birthday back at yer! I have a great fondness for November 8 and all its manifestations.

Matt, I'll raise a glass Ormskirkward. Do not fall into any ditches. You might hurt whoever is down there already.

Casuistry, my reaction to your wish for 'fifty more' is OH NO! OH NO! That's one briar patch I genuinely don't want to be thrown into. Not unless I can acquire a harem of adoring 70 year olds to fawn over me.

Huk, I impress myself. I'm glad to see I am not entirely alone in this regard.

One thing that is nice about the Internet is that I can mingle with ILxers without anyone being concious of the age difference. Well, that is to say, I am concious of it when I thumb through the thousands of posts devoted to mating rituals and their convolutions, and the thousands of other posts devoted to the tribal identifications of the current youth culture. But that's really incidental and unimportant.

Being here helps to remind me that I had learned just about everything I needed to know at age 25. From there on out it was just a matter of navigation and application, trying to keep the boat afloat and get somewhere - when the only map you've got is a picture in your head you half-doubt you ever got a good look at.

Fifty years of waking up breathing - it's a gift. I've got my share of sorrows, but thank god no regrets. Thanks again, everyone.

you don't seem too old.

About to turn 60 on Saturday. My age now seems to me like an unconscionable pile of years. My childhood is so far behind me now it seems almost completely effaced by time and weariness.

The best thing I can say report is that my health is excellent for a being of my advanced age. Not like those prodigies who swim the English Channel at 60, but very encouraging nonetheless. I can still carry a pack up a steep trail almost as well as I did 30 years ago. I just pace myself differently.

However, I am old enough now that I can see over the horizon to where I shall eventually leave ordinary adulthood behind me and enter some new epoch that is more about staying alive than anything else. Thank goodness I am not there, yet, but it feels real to me in ways it didn't ten years ago. You may soon look forward to me posting daily reports on ilx about the state of my bowels and joints. When I do, you may all just FP me out of my misery. I'll understand.

Happy birthday and anniversary!

Happy birthday, you eminence grise!

I'm 65 today! uh, whoopee?

Happy birthday old man!!

happy birthday aimless! your op in itt is very, very good by the way. hope you've enjoyed your big day, you deserve it

yes, happy birthday!

Happy birthday, Aimless

happy birthday, aimless!

very happy birthday to you

Happy Birthday !

Hoping there's many more trails.

happy birthday Aimless!