A 38 special

It’s that day many of us dread. I sit here, six something in the morning, the only soul awake in a house where even the dog has forsaken me to sprawl across my side of the bed.

It’s my birthday.

The cynic in me takes this fact in stride, looking back at the last year. For all that I’ve almost accomplished, nothing has yet been actually done. I continue to write, though I’m gradually becoming aware of a flaw in my writing, whether short or long form, that is no doubt the crucial difference between making my stories publishable and not (I speak of the “meandering” comment, of course). My health is better than it was a few years ago, but a long stretch from what my be called “fit and healthy” – I’m still as rotund as a rotunda, and my soup of daily pills is no substitute for a healthy lifestyle. If anything, the last two weeks of related discomforts just hammers that home. Baby steps are great, but eventually you have to start walking.

Of course the optimist in me says screw it all – it’s your birthday, have a hard cider, eat some confectionary, and enjoy the hell out of it, we only live once, kid. (Maybe wait until the kids are up and have had breakfast before opening the hard stuff, though, eh?) This is the same creep that convinced me to do most of the other hair brained things I’ve done in life. I like this guy, we have a great time together, but as often as not his antics come back to bite me in the ass.

That jerk. Him and his “enjoy it while you can” and “my body’s a temple – dedicated to Bacchus” is the reason my health is in the shape it’s in right now.

I think this is the point in the birthday post where I profess that the coming year will see me do something spectacular and grand, lose all the weight, and achieve professional acclaim and recognition.

Pfft.

This year, I want to do more than tread water and stay above the bar. That’s it.

Oh, and happy St. Patrick’s day.

(Yes, this was grumpy – let this be a lesson in blogging before the first cup of coffee is completely ready.)(This post’s image was chosen because A) it referenced Bacchus, and of course B) it made for a great cover art inspiration for the Crash Test Dummies!)