Happy Birthday!
Posted on 10/28/2005 8:20:07 PM PDT by RightOnline
No big deal to hardly anyone but me, but today.....ol' RightOnline turned the Big Five-Oh. The Half Century Club. Halfway to centenarian and greetings from the fat guy on the Today Show......
I just thought I would take a few moments, after a thoroughly wonderful day, to share a few things I've picked up or things I've reflected on today with my beloved fellow FReepers (and you ARE just that, beloved ......well, as a group....some of ya.....well.....)
1. Whatever 50 is supposed to feel like, I don't feel it. I lift weights 5 days a week and am in better shape than when I was 25. So there.
2. No gray hairs.....nary a one. I feel cheated. I've earned plenty.
3. Nothing.......absolutely, nothing......is more important than your family. My lovely wife of nearly 28 years who has put up with me all these years and still looks 20 years younger than she is, my seven children who have ALL made me proud (ranging from a 26-year-old 2nd Lt. in the Army leading a Stryker platoon to a 4-year-old hooked on Spiderman and Batman). Cherish them, people, and keep them close.
4. Republicans don't have a corner on morality or good ideas or decency or common sense. It's merely that Democrats lack all of the above.
5. I've been playing rock guitar since I was not quite 14. Production and marketing have moved ahead rapidly since the late '60's music industry, but today's music that passes for "rock" largely sucks. I'd take "Live at the Fillmore East" to anything that has been released in the last 15 years.
6. Have a job? Great. Keep it and do the best you possibly can at all times. Have a career? Even better.......just make damned sure you enjoy it. Aim to work for yourself, but plan for it like you've never planned for anything in your life.
7. The most fun I ever had professionally was when I was flying for Uncle Sam (I'm an AF Academy grad). The responsibilities I had as a pilot in the Strategic Air Command during the Cold War have been unequalled in all the intervening years. I don't say this out of regret or a sense of loss; I say it from a sense of pride and to encourage young people to seriously consider the military in their younger years. It'll help you tremendously.
8. Don't number your close friends in the dozens. That's disingenuous. Number them in a small handful and keep them very close, no matter how far away they live.
9. Don't try to keep up with the Jones'. The Jones' are idiots. Set your own goals, care what YOU think, and live well within your means.
10. Love your God and His Son and try your best to live for 'em. You'll fall short as we all do (you wouldn't believe what my church puts up with from me). I WILL say that Jesus took a bullet for me, and I'll never, ever forget it. He'll get my best.......for life. I hope you feel the same.
I've been on this Forum for seven years now, and it's better, more vibrant, more interesting (if a tad less cerebral....no complaint there) than it has ever been. God bless all of you, God bless your families, and let's continue to have fun kicking Lib behind on a regular basis. See ya over the next 50......
And happy (belated) birthday.
Sage advice.
:)
-good times, G.J.P. (Jr.)
My gosh, you sure are a fine looking 50!!! :)
sw
I hate you.
sw
Or should I say whippersnapper since I am three years your senior.
Hey....it's OK at any age. :o)
I hear 50 is the new 30! Congratulations on your milestone birthday and cheers for many more. I like what you had to say, alot of it makes complete sense, others you just have to live and learn.
Happy B'day..........
"So.......how does it feel to be a half century old????"
Is it really that green yet in NC?
Congratulations. At 50 years of age, you are smarter and wiser now than you have been at any other time in your life.
LOL......just got back here. So, no need to hate me. I'm actually just a cute, loveable little fuzzb.......no, wait.......that's been taken.........
Thank you!! Very cool shot. That pic is of a KC-135 with the "new" engines (well.......new to me) that were retrofitted onto all -135's AFTER my day. No, I flew with the old, original "water wagon" J-57's. Scary stuff......lol. :)
Swayze in "Road House", eh? Ironically, you're the second person to compare me to him (I don't see it, but I'll just appreciate it anyway :) ). I've been "accused" of looking like everyone from "Tom Cruise's older brother" (emphasis on "older") to........gulp...........Dan Rather. Damn but that one hurt........
I worked on KC-135s at Beale AFB 66-68 456th AEMS. Took care of the APN 59 search radar and other NAV systems.
Have a great day from a 58 year old.
Have you bought your midlife crises Harley yet???
LOL!
So far, so good.
....and you are far too kind, by the way............
Thanks for leading the way, bub. I'm 42. LOL.
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