mattdaddy.net info that bounces inside my brain that makes sense to me, maybe you.

Four Oh

So what does it mean? What does it signify? Am I at a crossroads, turning point, milestone in my life?

Dude, I'm turning forty, big deal. It's another day, another birthday, why is it such a big deal?
Because when I was 10, 40 was ANCIENT! When I was 10, my Dad was 40 or so. I don't feel that old, or at least that mature.

Lets see what's up...

• I work out 2x a week in the gym, I do Jujitsu for 2 hrs on sunday and Kendo for 2 hrs on Wed. Okay, I'm in better physical shape now than when I was 35.Unfortunately, when I put in my info on the treadmill, now I'll have to put 40 instead of 39. Why is that feeling like a big deal?
• I still play D&D with my kids every once in a while and No, I'm not sure who gets a bigger kick out of it.  Sue me
• I am on Facebook less now than I was a few weeks ago, but i am playing World of Warcraft more now.  Tho even that's getting lame, love the 10 day trial, not paying the 15$ a month fee.  Not that big of a dork.
• I'm  lot more confident than I was 5 years ago.
• I'm a better father than I was 5 years ago.
• I'm fairly close to where I thought/wanted to be when I was 'old'.

I remember in South Side High School, when it was a few weeks before graduation, one of my teachers asked us to take out a sheet of paper and write down what we thought we'd be doing when we were 20, 30, and 40.  I think I wrote something to the effect of married with 2 kids and happy.

Well, I'm pretty close   My joints ache a little more, it takes me longer to warm  up my left knee and right ankle, and my shoulder is STILL kinda messed up. Considering the whole accident that I somehow walked away from after rolling my car three times, I am pretty lucky to be alive, much less have walked away with some shoulder issues.

I want to thank the good people of this country for getting together and getting me a decent present this year.  Y'all decided to all chip in your vote and give me a decent President to lead my country.  I am hopeful for the first time in 8 years.  I am not embarassed to be an American for the first time in 8 years - don't get me wrong, it has only to do with the person Representing us to the world.  My wife made a great joke the other day.  "We've all spent the last 8 years sleeping under a Shrub (Bush)" and it feels that way.  It feels like we all took  deep breath in the beginning of 2008, shook off the doldrums, helped Obama get the nomination and then helped him win the election.  I haven't been as involved in politics as I have been lately, and I haven't had someone to vote for, to respect, to be happy and hopeful about in such a long time that I feel like I can take a deep breath and be hopefully optomistic about the future.

Is he going to solve things immediately?  Nope.  Is he going to be scrutinized more?  Yup - the media won't have someone to make fun of anymore.  Will he be the charasmatic leader we need to salvage our tarnished and dented image in the world?  YOU FUCKIN BET

So as I spent the last hours before middle age, I leave you with a parting thought...

Look what happens when all of us think globally and act locally?  Look at what we can do.  Look at the change that is possible and the hope that is possible after so many years of disappointment and slumber.  Here's to us.  Enjoy tomorrow everyone!!!