Black Day

Today is technically the last day of my thirties. It's April 14th here in Korea, which is what they call "Black Day". Feb. 14th is when girls give guys chocolate; March 14 is "White Day" when guys give girls candy and today is the day when all the losers who got no candy or chocolate mourn by eating black noodles or "jajang myun". It's a black day alright. Lincoln was shot on April 14th. The Titanic sunk mostly on April 14th. The Donner Party set out on their gastronomically significant voyage from Illinois to California. Much of the U.S. and Canada's prime prairie soil was blown away during the Dust Bowl during which the worst day was "Black Sunday", April 14th, 1935. This was what caused a lot of people to "go west, young man." One of Apollo 13's oxygen tanks exploded killing the mission and almost the crew. And I was born.

Since I was born in Canada and it's still April 13th there, I'm STILL not 40 years old. But in a matter of hours I will most likely be better than half way through my life. And that's if I make it to 80. And who really wants to make it to 80? Not this ranchero. I don't want to lose all my teeth; fall and break a hip; eat more medicine than food; stop drinking; be so blind I can't drive; use a walker; start forgetting who people are; blend steak before I can eat it; wear diapers again; or see the day when "The Captain" becomes just a private again. If you know what I'm saying.

It's not every day a guy turns 40. So what should I do to celebrate this auspicious occasion? All the things an octogenarian can't do of course! I should go out, eat a great steak dinner, (maybe a ribeye at 3 Alley Pub), listen to some REALLY loud L.R.D. music, (they're playing again tonight at Stompers), dance a little, drink a lot and maybe get my thirty-something year old ass laid.

What do I want to do? I want to stay home, drink a few glasses of wine, have a cigar, watch a movie or three, maybe stay up late and watch golf on TV and if I'm really lucky, chat with a family member online at 3 AM. I guess that's what happens when you're getting old.

I gotta say, though, I have a cold. I'm not really sure it's a cold. It has all the symptoms of a cold but I usually get the sniffles and a cough and a nice little ear/chest infection during this time of year in Korea because the Chinese sand is in the air. Not quite as bad as the dustbowl pic but I sure notice it and it's irritating. So I've been feeling like crap lately.

Still, is this a good excuse to stay home on my 40th? Foregoing all my birthday freebies and maybe even a birthday lay? I am in a quandry. In about 7 hours L.R.D. begins to play. That is how long I have to decide what to do. I'll let you know in my next entry.

Happy birthday to me.