Shorter Of Breath And One Day Closer To Death

 

 

Today is my birthday, one of my ten least favorite days of the year, including Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day and generally any holiday when the post office is closed. I don't like official timeouts. I don't like change. I'd prefer all 365 days of the year to be exactly the same, allowing me to decide when I should rest or take a long weekend or not mail out records. I'd also prefer every day to be sunny and in the low 80's. This winter crap is for the birds, though I guess thanks to global warming, I may get my wish, if I live that long. If you live in or around NYC, you've seen the endless reports of our snowless winter. "Oh my, when will it snow? I can't believe it hasn't snowed!" Shut up already! You know who wants it to snow? The ones who don't have to shovel it. I hate snow because I have to shovel it. I hate snow because I don't ski. Enough with the damn snow.

Uh...sorry. Okay I'm back. Where was I?

I don't like my birthday simply because the attention makes me uncomfortable, which is odd since, I celebrate me all year round. I crave the attention the other 364 days of the year, just not today. I have no problem with getting older. Aging doesn't bother me. I don't obsess over gray hairs or losing hair. I don't care if my Thin Lizzy tee shirt isn't age appropriate. I still enjoy Motorhead and the Dead Boys as much as I did 40 years ago. If I need to take a minute after walking up a flight of stairs, I take a minute. And who doesn't have three pairs of eyeglasses? I just feel like people are more concerned about my birthday than I am. That's not a bad thing. It's a wonderful feeling to have friends and family who look after you. I love the text messages and phone calls. But just like those bank holidays where I don't want to be told that I can't buy postage today or that because it's "Washington's Birthday" the subways have to run on a weekend schedule, I don't want to feel like I need to do anything to commemorate the year of my birth. I'm happy to celebrate yours. Mine, not so much. A few drinks, some good music and a pizza, that's an ideal birthday because it's what I like all year round. It ain't special. It's just another day. Of course, I wouldn't turn down two weeks in New Orleans, either.

Something else happened on my birthday, exactly 50 years ago today and I'm disappointed in myself for not knowing this until recently. Todd Rundgren's "A Wizard/A True Star" was released. I've always known I shared a birthday with Lou Reed and somedays I love that, especially when I listen to "Transformer" or "New York." But when I am reminded of "Growing Up In Public" and "Lulu," it's not as much fun. But sharing a birthday with my favorite Todd Rundgren album? That's what I'm talking about.

So aside from sending money, please celebrate today by listening to "A Wizard/A True Star." If you lose patience midway through Side One, don't tell me.