Countdown To Fifty

Sure, there are pills, potions, programs and classes all designed to show you the way to eternal youth.

You can drink the waters and allegedly stay young. For some the solution is plastic surgery.

I have found a stay young alternative.

A method to stay mentally alert, test my reflexes, demonstrate my foot speed, and practice my stretching.

Meet Oliver:

Oh, there’s nothing like chasing after a 14 week old puppy to keep you young and on your toes!

Unlike most birthday’s of my past, my 48th this past May 7 was downright unusual. Not bad, just unusual. As mentioned in earlier posts I have started a new gig: shorespeak. In this role I am traveling the country as a speaker/consultant/coach. Timing being what it is I got booked for a job in Baltimore prior to a conference in Washington DC. This meant that for the first time in memory (which is suspect to begin with) I was not home to celebrate.

Instead I spent the day:

• working out – a 90 minute cardio and weight program in the hotel gym
• a long self guided tour through our nations capital
• dinner with my DC based nephew and his girlfriend

The good news: it was a pleasant day albeit one spent primarily alone. But hey, if I can’t be with myself after 48 years then who can I be with?

The bad, self inflicted news: WAY to much good cheer. In fact I was as hung over the following morning as anytime in recent history.

Perhaps we never learn.

As I’m now 2 weeks into the 48 year I have been reflecting on:

• where exactly did my eye sight go and how could it go so quickly – if I do not have the cheaters at the ready I am effectively handicapped. Yes, handicapped. I cannot see shit up close without glasses and it is getting worse quickly. I have finally made an appointment for an optometrist visit.
• working out 2-3 times per week is not enough – I have added yoga to the mix to alleviate stiffness and back pain
• the spark that powered by frenetic career existence for 30 years has dimmed. No not gone out by any means, simply gone down a notch. Making the most money possible as quickly as possible is not the goal anymore. Enjoying what I do and having a schedule that is mine is much more attractive.
• the inevitable decline of parents is imminent – Dad just isn’t the same as he is showing signs of wear at 76 years of age
• marriage is a full time job and one that is damn hard as well as cyclical
• making new friends later in life is exponentially more difficult than when you are young
• cell phones are the greatest invention in the history of communication as well as the greatest curse
• pets are like Valium on four legs…calming

to be continued……………

Over the last 90 days I have spent hours and hours at the computer in my office getting the speaking and coaching businesses started. Three times per week I break up the sit-fest with trips to the gym to see my trainer. Coincidentally I have developed the following symptoms:

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Over my morning coffee and a bowl of cereal I caught a segment of the Today Show about the challenges of men turning 50. Optimistically the subtitle for the piece was ‘planning for the

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Just needed to get this off my chest and onto ‘paper’. As a fan who grew up in the Orange Bowl and watched the 17-0 season from [Read more →]