Thursday, November 10, 2005

A cowboy looks at 40.

I can't help but recall the line from Jimmy Buffets' song, a pirate looks at 40.
Yes I am a pirate, two hundred years too late
The cannons don't thunder, there's nothin' to plunder
I'm an over-forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late

This weekend will mark that milestone for me. 40 years old. Forty freakin years old.

I cannot help but think of my thirtieth birthday, it seems like it was just few years ago. I was a bit wilder, had a bit more hair and whole lot less money. Looking back at what I hope is the first half of my life, it has has unfolded by decades.

It seems that your twenties is spent chasing the opposite sex, and spending most of your money on the pursuit of happiness. I spent a few greenbacks on Camaros and Coronas.

I met my wife in college, we were married in our early twenties, and neither of us went on that 'bicycle across Europe trip' that we all wish we had taken before we had responsibilities. For some, your twenties are the feeling out process for the rest of your life. Give this a try, give that a try, see what you like to do, find out what you are good at, and so on. The bare minimum for that 10 years is try not to leave your twenties with any ex-spouses and without a criminal record.

I seemed to find myself in my thirties. I had a son and started to think a little further down the road than I used to. I was very fortunate to get into network cabling and had a few very good years, and made a few bucks. My daughter was born in my mid-thirties and she seemed to finally extinguish my wild streak.

In your thirties you hope to find the one who was made for you, if you haven't all ready, and to start practicing living like a real life, honest to goodness adult. If you can get through your thirties without a bankruptcy and with the one you love, you are doing pretty good.

Then you hit your forties, I don't have clue what happens then.

Help me out on this.
Comments are more than welcomed, the are requested.

3 comments:

Tex said...

When my father hit 40, his midlife crisis caused him to buy a new truck. I dunno what to do beyond that. I'm a little over 10 years away from that so when you figure it out, pass on the knowledge. Btw, thanks for letting me post the shut up hippie pic.


Tex

Code: lgqqwl

pappy said...

Take it from a pirate whos an over-fiftyseven victim of fate. I still sail the seven seas and feel just great. As the song goes I aint as good as I once was but I'm as good once as I ever was.
Happy Birthday! Cowboy

Ralph said...

The truth is that its up to you.
Your track record suggests that whatever it is will be great.