The Big 3-9
Thursday, January 3rd, 2008, 3:57 pm
So I’m playing poker last night and this unconscionable bastard calls my big raise with 9-4 off. He outflops my Kings and I end up losing a pot that wasn’t big but wasn’t small either. I seethe as the pot ships the wrong way and then I look at the clock at the corner of the monitor. 12:01AM.
"Happy Goddam Birthday," I snarled.
Yes, today I turn 39, perhaps the least significant birthday there is. Everyone makes a big deal about 40, but poor 39 gets the shortest of shrifts. Really, who cares? And having been born right after Christmas and New Year’s means that every birthday is an anticlimax. Everyone is still recovering from the last two weeks, they’ve had their fill of cake and strong drink. Most folks are heading back to work, kids have to go back to school. January 3rd might not have the same horrible historical connotation as September 11th or December 7th, but I don’t think it’s a day most people look at fondly.
Except for me. Because it’s my birthday, dammit. And I’m gonna enjoy it. I’m gonna have myself another Sierra Nevada, meet some friends later for pizza and beer, and then head dahntahn to see the Penguin game. I might buy myself a throwback Penguin jersey for my birthday, and if you saw the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, you know why. Tres sweet. And of course I’ll get what I get every year for my birthday–drunk. You go ahead and pretend that you enjoy your midsummer birthday parties more than I’ll enjoy the rest of my special day.
9 Responses to “The Big 3-9”
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January 3rd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Happy Birthday Darlin’.
My birthday is two days after the IRS tax filing deadline. Not too many people feel like picking up a round after they’ve just taken their annual federal bad beat. Sometimes you just gotta take what you have – put a bow on – and call it yours.
January 3rd, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Reaching the ripe old age of 39 beats the alternative of NOT reaching it at all. If it makes you feel any better, you just caught up to me…BUT not for long, since January 22nd will mark my passing to the BIG 40. (I think the Spartans would prolly shove me into the big pit in the center of town.) For what it’s worth, it’s just another year, and hopefully there’ll be MANY MORE! Happy Birthday Gene!!!
Regards,
cheer_dad
January 3rd, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Happy Birthday, Geno! So glad you were born 🙂
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Happy birthday, Geno!!! What happened to the pic with you and the cat?
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
Happy Birthday mate! And speaking from someone with an annoying birthday myself (Dec 30th here) let me say this: moving to the Southern Hemisphere transforms the date into Mid Summer.
Just sayin’.
January 3rd, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Happy Goddamn Birthday.
January 3rd, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Geezer.
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Happy Birthday Gene! Geez. You’re almost as old as Paterno 🙂
January 3rd, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Time for Gene to get crunked! Happy Birthday–I’ll eat some nachos for you…