One More Trip Around The Sun

Count Your Blessings, No Matter How Sparse They May Be

Well, I was schlepping into work today, feeling out of kilter and depressed because another birthday had crept up on me.

I turned 39 today, and have sweet f#ck-all to show for it. Huge debt, no wife, no kids, driving a gas-sucking redneck sled 'cause it's necessary for hauling my large ass around, my cat's got fleas, the G5 iMac's deader'n fried chicken, & my friends are disappearing into the Great Unknown one by one... Yeah, life sucks.

Then, I get into the office and find out my boss's father died over the weekend, throwing her into a downward spiral requiring hospitalization.

So, y'know, things *could* be worse... A lot worse.

I've got a job that grates at my political sensibilities, but it's honest work that occasionally helps people in need and manages to get the bills paid.

I've got two parents still married to each other after 43 years, & both in good health. My sister has finally settled down and married a good man and now has two beautiful children.

My health is not as robust as it used to be, but the handful of pills I swallow daily keeps the gremlins at bay, and I'm getting better about choosing rabbit food instead of chilidogs.

The friends from years past that I care most about are still in touch, and even if we don't see each other as often as I'd like, I know they're still there to lend support if I need it.

There's a growing list of people that seem to give a shit about my life enough to drop by this hole in the Intarweb most days and see what's going on. Most of 'em I'll never meet face to face, but quite a few I have met, and would be proud to call them 'friend' when we're all old and gray.

Waitaminnit... I'm already old and gray. So are they. Damn.

It's easy to bitch about things. Hell, it's my usual state of affairs. Still, underneath the Monstrous Layer of Suck, there's still a silver lining. Perhaps a bit tarnished, but it's still there.

So, Happy Birthday to me. One more year gone by. Next year might require a party of some sort, I'm thinking.