In Ancient Rome I'd be LV

I have my computer well trained. When I woke up this morning there was a message embedded in the top of my My Yahoo! page. It said "Happy Birthday, Johnny!" (My computer calls me Johnny because I told it to.)

Today I am 55 years old. That means:

• I have the combined maturity of 5 eleven year olds.
  
• If I was half my age I'd still be too old for most of the girls at the mall.
  
• I will never be able to die young.
• The best I can hope for, is to live young and die hard.
• If I am middle-age, I should make it to 110.

They say that "with age comes wisdom" -- that's what they say. I find I am the same man I was at seventeen. Sure I've messed my body up big-time but, hell, I take it everywhere I go! I've never had any broken bones (although I've had my heart broken a few times) but if I took the time to bang out a few dents and knock the rust out of my quarter-panels I'd still look pretty good cruisin' past the malt shop. For a classic.

So far in this crazy journey of mine, I have accomplished more than I had ever hoped to and far less than I could have. I guess most lives are composed of odd assortments of triumphs and regrets -- and mine is no different. But the beauty of middle-age is in knowing that there is still time to work on lost goals.

I don't view 55 as much of a milestone. A lot of old people have done it. But it is a day to take a deep breath, reassess some priorities, and blow out a few candles. I still have my health, I am young at heart (some would say immature), and my best girl is still clinging tightly to my arm.

What more could a birthday boy ask for?

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