Hurry up and smell the roses

Hmmmm. So many things to write about. So little time to write. When did it all get so fast? Some days I just want to slam on the brakes, and other days I have that cancer survivor symptom of feeling like I’m racing the clock—that time is short, so I’d better get a move on. It’s a weird sort of internal conflict. You know, “HURRY UP TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES BEFORE IT’S TOO LAAAAAATE! AAAAGH!!!!”

Maybe I just have a heightened awareness of time these days because of a major milestone I hit last week. I know I’m going to totally lose what little young adult street cred I still had, but I will confess to you right here that I am now…gulp…40 years old.

Wow.

So I have been enduring all of the standard phone calls and emails and cards full of smart-ass cracks about dentures and Depends and being over the hill (I also was turned onto the best e-card site EVER: www.someecards.com , with the genius tagline of "When you care enough to hit send"). And I think it’s kind of funny that the generally accepted principle is that everyone hates turning 40 and that it’s terrible and most people just want to ignore, deny or lie about it.

Me? I love birthdays. The more the better, and you better believe that a celebration is ALWAYS in order. My parents and our younger brother threw a huge party for me and my twin brother Chad. Lots of friends and family from near and far descended upon Austin--it was better than a wedding, and without the performance anxiety. :-)

A little background on Chad: he is also a recent cancer survivor, as are my mother and father. (That’s a whole ‘nother story, but suffice it say that I refer to my family as the “genetic cesspool”). He is also a non-drinker because of some liver damage he sustained in the past. So he was in to see his liver doctor the week before, and informed (threatened?) him that we were turning 40 and that he planned to have a few cocktails to celebrate.

His doctor replied, “I think you should. After all, you two haven’t had the easiest time getting there!”

So here’s to just getting there. And to celebrating it! Now hurry up and go smell some roses.