I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Saturday, April 26, 2008

42!

Saturday is the day I turn the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything. So to celebrate, I've finished with my facial hair trimming.

This is, as my wife calls it, my Baby-Faced Steve look.


As you can see, I have my friends with me. My counsellors fantastique. On one side is the angel of cute snuggly civic pride beaniness. On the other is the High Lord of Snarkitude. You can see which one I listen to.

This is the year. I think my past block was a by product of several issues, but now that it's no longer winter, the trickster is waning, and I feel more at ease, the ice has gone out. Work is backed up, but I feel I can handle it.

These past few months I've been re-evaluating many parts of my life. I knew a change needed to be made, I'm hoping that having shorn the facial whiskers, that is enough of a symbolic gesture to break on through to the other side. I have thought about giving up on writing (not going to happen), quitting council (still an option), continuing to rid myself of bad habits (no, I'm still not telling, but I have had successes in knocking them back), focusing more on myself than others (although, I can be a selfish prick about that, which I need to watch out for), once some of these projects are done I'm really going to cut back the freelance design job (although, I now have a few more clients I like, sigh), and rededicate myself to a promise I made when I broke my leg. That promise was to do new things and not be such a tight-ass stick in the mud.

So, the difference between beard and no beard, 1) you can see I have a double chin (I'm working on it), and 2) my face gets really hot. Oh, I still look really cheesy in just a mustache. Yes, I showed Bette, she agreed I shouldn't take a picture. Real cheese, like what they have in Wisconsin. Cheese with porn jazz kind of cheesy. Some guys can pull the look off and make it work for them. I'm not one of them.

This is the year I get published, this is the year I finish the first draft of the book (and more), this is the year I go farther, relax more, and have fun. The old plan of waiting to have fun until later isn't working.

I probably won't be online tomorrow as I will be enjoying being me. Go enjoy being you. Here's to a good 42.

I'm going to be hopeful, optimistic, full of piss and vinegar, because the alternative is to face 42 like this:

13 comments:

Ken McConnell said...

Welcome to the 42 Club, we have a table waiting for you at Millie Ways. Come on back and we'll order you a round of prune juice - you know, the Warrior's drink. ;)

I sold my first story at age 42 and it's due to finally go live on May 11. I know you will get yours this year too!

Take care Steve and get back to writing. Wait, I need to do that too! Enjoy your birthday.

David Klecha said...

Go, Steve, Go!

Nice look, without the fuzz. And you are, as the kids say, going to "pwn" your writing goals.

Todd Wheeler said...

Congrats and Happy B-Day!

I'll be joining the club as well in seven months. Let me know if there are any surprises I should expect. Haven't liked all the surprises after 40 so far.

Jim C. Hines said...

Happy birthday, Steve! Hope you're having a great time celebrating and being you!

Anonymous said...

Happy b'day!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday!

Change is good, and doing new things is even better!

Maybe next you should try an amish-style beard, if only to frighten Nathan. ;-D

Is there any way to cut back on freelance design work, so that you are left with only the clients you like? Or would that still be too much?

Steve Buchheit said...

Thanks for the well wishes, everybody. I had a great day.

Random Michelle K said...

Happy Belated birthday!

Steve Buchheit said...

Michelle K, thanks. Late wishes are fine, I'll be this age all year.

Anonymous said...

I am deeply saddened by the choice not to show us your 'stache.

*restrains self from using the "hair" brush in photoshop...*

Camille Alexa said...

I'm with Ms. Haskell on the mustachio sadness.

Happy Birthday! If I'm too late for this year, consider it a reeeeeeaaaaalllllly early one for 2009.

Steve Buchheit said...

Mer, sorry about that. I did have it all set up to take a photo, but then I looked at myself, asked Bette, and we both said, "Nah." Sorry.

Steve Buchheit said...

Camille, again, real cheese on the mustache. And it's never too late, I'll be 42 the rest of the year.