I Am 43
Today, I’m officially 43. No longer am I the answer to everything. Instead, I feel blessed for everything I’ve experienced.
Life isn’t all smooth and silky. There are bumps along the way. There are tears. There’s blood and guts and all sorts of unpleasantness. But you know what? There are also smiles, laughter, sunsets, sunrises, friends, lovers, mysteries to be explored, things to see, and all sorts of other things that make it interesting and many times exhilarating! You have to embrace it all. As has been said numerous times, if you’re ever going to see a rainbow, you have to stand a little rain.
Me? I’m a dance in the rain kind of gal. Not always, but I try. I’m going to keep at it, too, as long as I possibly can.
Last night, my mom made dinner for me. She worried over every little bit, especially because she ended up not feeling so well or so steady, and then fussed because I finished cooking up some of the components. Honestly, I didn’t mind. I was worried about her and it seemed like such a simple thing to pull the chicken out of the oven, to boil up the noodles, and to steam the broccoli. Then she fretted because she hadn’t made me a homemade dessert. THEN she fretted even more because she’d forgotten that I can’t eat strawberries and she bought those, along with an angelfood cake. After repeated “stop! Everything’s fine” admonishments from me, she finally settled down and we enjoyed the meal. It was wonderful.
She’d invited my dad over. A very rare thing. And very sweet. When dinner was done, he actually even helped clear the table. Everyone then retired to the living room while I did dishes. Mom was a wreck over that and all I could think (and say) was how nice it was to be able to clean up the kitchen for her. It was like a present I gave to her that she gave to me, if that makes any sense.
Speaking of presents, she gave me the prettiest little glass heart. I’ll have to photograph it for you. I was planning on doing that anyway, so you’ll just have to wait and see.
At the last minute, she exclaimed that she had another gift for me. It’s actually something she gave to LD a while back (she’s been rather forgetful lately, but then again, she’s really not feeling well). It was a picture she painted of him from a photograph I took. She had it framed for us and she even included the third place ribbon she won at the county fair. I love it. I love it all! The dinner, the evening, the gifts, hearing a slightly rowdy game of cards (followed by Scrabble) in the other room, each and every bit of it.
While I had originally been hoping to score a ticket to the second day at Doheny so I could see B.B. King yesterday, I’m really glad I was with my family instead. The only thing missing was Mojo and I know I’ll catch up with her this week some time.
As for Doheny on Saturday, well, let’s just say this: it was fantastic! I took over 700 photos. I know not all of them turned out and I’m okay with that. I was belly up to two stages, and not nearly as close as I would have liked to the other. Considering I got in free? I’m happy. The people? Most people were really great, some weren’t so much. Kind of like that mixed bag you get with life, so too are the crowds at music festivals. All I know is that one day I will have a photo pass to Doheny. Just you wait and see. One way or another, I will get it. Until then, I’ll volunteer for a shift at a booth. This year? Oh man, I got to work with three of the nicest gals ever. They were so much fun! Stories. Jokes. Lemon vodka shots snuck in under the table or behind a wall of people. There was one point where we were laughing so hard…I can’t even remember why. And that’s often the best kind of laughter.
I saw: Brian Setzer & The Nashvillains, The Keb’ Mo’ Band, Elvin Bishop with special guest John Németh, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, John Hammond, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, Sven Zetterberg, Cedric Burnside & Lightin’ Malcolm, Big Sandy & The Fly-Rite Boys, Whiteboy James & The Blues Express, and The 44’s. I missed out on Gregg Young and also missed San Diego’s own Taryn Donath (I did, however, hear the crowd’s response to her — which you wouldn’t think possible where I was — and it was overwhelming), but I couldn’t see and do everything. Admittedly, I only got to see a bit of a couple of the bands, though not for lack of trying. I knew who I really wanted to see and made the most out of the opportunities available to me. Except for one. Which is a rather funny story. Maybe someday I’ll tell it, likely when I’m even older and less in control of my mind.
Anyhow, I’m happy things turned out as they did. 43 is a good number. It’s not 42, but it ain’t dead either, so I figure I’m coming out ahead on this deal*.
* One of my movie quotes of all damn time.
60 is a good number, too.
Comment by Mike — 2009/05/18 @ 01:59
yes it is.
Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/05/18 @ 02:10
It sounds absolutely wonderful and isn’t it nice that the older we get, the more we realize how precious time is? Otherwise, we’d just fade away.
I don’t think you’re fading.
Happy Birthday
Comment by mannequin — 2009/05/18 @ 05:26
Happy Birthday, Joanie. Glad it was such a great day for you.
Hugs!
Comment by Omnibus Driver — 2009/05/18 @ 05:36
Happy Birthday!!! 43 is an absolutely stellar number! Though I have to say, 51 has been good to me.
Love how you described dinner with your parents and how you try to enjoy every second with them. Smart girl!
Comment by Pam — 2009/05/18 @ 05:40
So how was Brian Setzer? There are times when that big band rockabilly stuff is just what the Dr. ordered for me. I can’t handle a steady diet of it by any means, but on those occasions when I’m in the mood for it, it doesn’t get much better…
Comment by Stu — 2009/05/18 @ 06:26
Happy 43rd! Glad you had a nice time with your family. 43’s gonna be great!
Comment by Chris — 2009/05/18 @ 07:50
A very Happy Birthday to you!!! Sounds like it was a wonderful time with your parents.
Here is a little classic jazz for your birthday – I hope you like the old timey stuff. :biggrin:
http://www.wgbh.org//program-info?program_id=30322
Unfortunately they don’t put it out as a podcast. *sigh* But we listen every week.
Comment by Teresa — 2009/05/18 @ 08:09
Happy birthday! 44 hasn’t been too bad, but I compare all of them now to 38, and anything’s better than that one. Every day that you’re still breathing is ahead of the deal…
Comment by Jan — 2009/05/18 @ 11:35
Happy Happy B~day!!!
I’m right behind you. I’ll be 42 next week.
Comment by DogsDontPurr — 2009/05/18 @ 12:17
Happy birthday, Joanie! :yay: I wish you joy in this life and that you avoid this guy :devil: in the next.
Comment by Peter — 2009/05/18 @ 13:26
Happy Birthday babe!
Comment by rob sama — 2009/05/18 @ 13:55
Thank you, everyone.
I’ve spent today resting and just being…me. This week gets busy quickly, though, so consider yourselves warned.
I may have to share photos.
Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/05/18 @ 14:16
Elvin Bishop? Wow. Did you fool around and fall in love?
Happy, happy Birthday! :nana:
Comment by Cheri @ Blog This Mom! — 2009/05/18 @ 14:46
Happy Birthday, Goddess! :yay:
Comment by Amanda — 2009/05/18 @ 17:31
Cheri, I actually missed him playing that. I was pretty much enjoying a show at another stage. I ran over to see Elvin briefly, but that was it.
Thanks, Amanda!
And thanks everyone. It’s been a good day.
Oh, and Stu, Setzer was better than I expected. Wish I could have been closer to the stage for photos, but that just wasn’t going to happen. So, I sat back in the booth and watched from there. It was like I had my own little private viewing room.
Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/05/18 @ 17:41
Happy birthday sweet thing! :nana:
Comment by Mrs. Who — 2009/05/18 @ 19:30
Congratulations, it sounds as if it was a great party too.
Comment by The Gray Monk — 2009/05/19 @ 03:03
it was a wonderful weekend. Thank you all again.
sigh. I feel like such a :princess:
Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/05/19 @ 03:50
Happy Birthday–sometime the simple celebrations are the best.
Camping at Doheny is one of our favorite family things to do.
Comment by Jenn @ Juggling Life — 2009/05/19 @ 08:21
Camping would have been fun…except the cool, damp air was killing me on Saturday.
Comment by DaGoddess — 2009/05/19 @ 14:31