I'm 29...

It's my favorite line.  Jack Benny used it for years on the radio, upping the ante to 39 when he made the switch to televsion.  I feel entitled to use the line as Mr. Kubelski and I share the same birthday.

These days, I tell people that I'm 29... with experience.

There are certain advantages to having a birthday on a holiday, as certain other members of my family can attest.  I have a sister who was born on Groundhog's day and a brother born on April Fool's day.  Add a departed aunt who was born on Christmas Eve (just missed Christmas), a step-daughter born on New Year's Eve and a wife born on March 16th (just missing St. Patrick's Day), and you can see that holidays are a special time at our house.  Makes it easy to remember... like having several Lynnes or Linns planted among the family tree.

The biggest disadvantage to having a birthday on Valentine's day has to be finding a place to have a decent meal.  The good restaurants are crowded with romantics depleting the world's supply of lobster and chocolate at an alarming rate, leaving little room for a pilgrim celebrating another orbit of his home planet around the sun.

I occasionally find others with my same malady, usually with the same complaint about getting dinner reservations.  (I salute you, by the way.)  Well, at least it's better than being born on February 29th, although the few people I have known who were leap year babies take it stride.  Much better than I, I'll admit.

Time to quit my whining.

The past year has been relatively good to me.  The book (bets that I can get a table at "Zeke's" for lunch), the class reunion (yes, realizing that I really did miss those people) and family milestones come to mind.  I've really had it good this year whether I want to admit it or not.  Looking forward to another birthday... when I'll be 29 all over again!

Be Seeing You.

bdharrell