Ya I'm grumpy today ... what's your point?

My fifty-eight birthday is imminent ... I'm moments away from being my Dad. I could fake it up to this point but now I even look like his not so younger brother. Damn that was a fast trip. Of course he warned me that this day would come ... the dreaded you're the oldest guy in the room day. The day you realize that you remember things well before everyone else in the room was born, yet they're all taking about shit that happened yesterday of which you are blissfully unaware. To make matters worse you're convinced that they're only calling you sir because you look like a bad ass.

Now I really am trying to do this ancient warrior thing gracefully, but sadly there are moments when I want to reach across the table at the earnest, bright eyed MBA totting, bigger office holding graduate in front of me and ask them … steely eyed, if they are ready to talk their way out of an old fashion ass kicking, one which I erroneously continue to believe I can deliver.

Sigh … my Dad once told me, rather sadly (and it’s been said by others) getting old is about disappearing. People stop seeing you he claims … well I’m not quite there, although some have tried. I suppose historical lore suggests that is as it should be … older generations giving way to the young. But there’s just one slight problem.

I have no frigg’in intention of slipping quietly into the void.

I guess that’s the trouble with us late boomers … we are a tenacious, and yes somewhat self-indulgent, bunch … determined to be middle aged for … well ever. While some in my Dad’s generation feel old and eventually succumb to the siren call of farting unashamedly in public places (some don’t) … boomers generally are not so much inclined to do so … we’re too vain.

Now I know that the currently (note the word choice) bright eyed millenniums, forced to live in the shadow of this ridiculous baby bubble are getting a tad (that means a little) frustrated that boomers continue to hog the lime light (I mean the whole music thing alone has got to be annoying … the Stones still touring), I have to say … well … that’s just too bad, suck it up, you’ll be fat and dimply soon too … in fact, health statistics suggests you might beat most of us grey walls to that look. 

Sorry I started this rant to be apologetic … but as I wrote it … I realized I don’t have anything to apologize for … I’m living my life the best I could with what I had … and no I’m not talking personal responsibility for all the shit that’s happened while I’ve been living it … if you can do it better … good for you … let me know what your kids say in twenty years …

Oh ya … I’ll still be here … just a little smellier.