I turned 40 and threw myself a roller skating birthday party. I rented out the whole rink and rolled myself around on that black-lit oval until I was dizzy with happiness.
On the 50th anniversary of NASA’s moon landing, I made cupcakes with gray icing and placed a flag on the table with pride as if I’d been the one leaving my dusty footprints there myself. And who doesn’t celebrate the Kentucky Derby (it’s the first Sunday in May, if you want to join in next year) by putting a hat on and pretending you know how to make bets on horses you’ve never heard of?
kAmx’5 ?6G6C 3@F89E >:?E 7@C 2?JE9:?8 :? >J =:76[ 3FE E92E D66>65 ?646DD2CJ 7@C E96 2FE96?E:4:EJ @7 E9:D A2CE:4F=2C 46=63C2E:@?] %FC?D @FE 2 ?@?2=4@9@=:4 >:?E ;F=6A :D DH66E6C E92? DH66E 2?5 ?@E ?62C=J 2D >:?EJ 2D J@F’5 E9:?<]k^Am
kAm(9:=6 E96D6 2C6 52JD 2?5 6G6?ED >2?J A6@A=6 ;@:? :? @?[ :7 :E’D 2 (65?6D52J 2?5 J@F H2?E E@ 46=63C2E6 E92E J@F’G6 7:?2==J 7:?:D965 2 =@?8 3:?86 @7 2 %' D9@H E92E H2D A@AF=2C 2 564256 28@[ x’> C625J E@ H@@9@@ C:89E 2=@?8 H:E9 J@F]k^Am
kAm(92E’D 7F??J :D E92E x 5@?’E ?@C>2==J 6?;@J 2 82E96C:?8] x H:== DE2CE A6CDA:C:?8 @G6C 56E2:=D 2D D@@? 2D x’> :?G:E65 E@ 2?JE9:?8] (:== x <?@H 2?J@?6n (92E H:== x E2=< 23@FEn (92E’D E96 C:89E E:>6 E@ D9@H FAn (92E 5@ x H62Cn s@ x E6IE D@>6@?6 6=D6 H9@ :D 2EE6?5:?8 E@ 7:?5 @FE H92E E96J 2C6 H62C:?8 =:<6 :E’D D6G6?E9 8C256 2== @G6C 282:? W@9[ E96 9@CC:3=6 7=2D9324<DXn (9:49 :D H2J =6DD 3C2G6 E92? 92G:?8 E@ A:4< FA E96 A9@?6 2?5 DA62< H@C5D E@ D@>6@?6 23@FE H92E E96J 2C6 H62C:?8 =:<6 :? E96 @=56? 52JD]k^Am
kAm%2<6 2 EC:A H:E9 >6 E@ `hh`i “(92E 2C6 J@F H62C:?8 E@ E96 52?46n”k^Am
kAm“%96C6’D 2 52?46n Wx <?@H E96C6 :D 2 52?46[ 3FE 49:== :D >J >:55=6 ?2>6[ @3G:@FD=J]X x 92G6?’E E9@F89E 23@FE :E] (92E 2C6 J@F H62C:?8n”k^Am
kAmu66= 7C66 E@ DE62= E9:D D:8?2EFC6 8@\E@ E24E:4 x’G6 FD65 5@K6?D @7 E:>6D E@ ?@E D66> =:<6 2 4@>A=6E6 72D9:@? :5:@E 2?5 D42C65J\42E] x’== 7:?5 @FE H92E D96’D H62C:?8[ E96? x’== H62C D@>6E9:?8 D=:89E=J =6DD 2AA62=:?8 9@A:?8 E@ E2<6 2== 2EE6?E:@? @77 >6 D@ x 42? DE2?5 :? 2 4@C?6C 2?5 AC6E6?5 E@ 6?;@J >JD6=7 3FE C62==J ;FDE H2:E E@ 8@ 9@>6]k^Am
kAmx DFCAC:D6 >JD6=7 D@>6E:>6D E92E E96 D6G6?E9 8C256 8:C= H9@ H:== 8@ :?E@ A2?:4 2EE24< >@56 @G6C 2? @FE7:E 2?5 H:==[ 6G6? ?@H 2D 2 8C@H? A6CD@?[ DE6H @G6C 9@H E@ 6?DFC6 E92E @E96C A6@A=6 2C6 92G:?8 2 8@@5 E:>6[ 4@?E:?F6D E@ 46=63C2E6 6G6?ED[ >:=6DE@?6D 2?5 2 C2?5@> H66<52J ;FDE 3642FD6] |2J36 x’> ECJ:?8 E@ >2<6 FA 7@C E96 46=63C2E:@?D x >:DD65 3642FD6 @7 :?D64FC:EJ 2?5 5@F3E] qFE >@C6 =:<6=J[ x’G6 ;FDE 5:D4@G6C65 E92E :E’D >@C6 7F? E@ >2<6 2? 6G6?E @FE @7 2?J[ @C5:?2CJ 52J[ 6G6? :7 x 92G6 E@ A@H6C E9C@F89 E96 DH:C=:?8 D64@?5[ E9:C5 2?5 7@FCE9 E9@F89ED] x 92G6 E96 7F? 2?86= @? @?6 D9@F=56C 2?5 E96 A2CEJ A@@A6C 56G:= @? E96 @E96C] x’> 2=H2JD 8=25 H96? x =6E E96 7F? 2?86= H:E9 DA2C<=65 H:?8D 2?5 2 A2CEJ 92E H:?]k^Am
kAm~? >J 72G@C:E6 6A:D@56 @7 “!2C<D 2?5 #64C62E:@?[” {6D=:6 z?@A6’D 36DE 7C:6?5 :D >@G:?8 2H2J[ 2?5 D96 E9C@HD 96C 2 A2CEJ x H:D9 x 925 E9@F89E @7 >JD6=7] xE’D 2 A2CEJ H:E9 6G6CJ 9@=:52J C6AC6D6?E65 :? @?6] (9J D9@F=5?’E J@F 46=63C2E6 t2DE6C[ u@FCE9 @7 yF=J 2?5 w2==@H66? 2== 2E @?46n p7E6C 2==[ 5@?’E E96 DE@C6D @G6C=2A 2== @7 E96D6 BF:4<6C E92? H6 42? <66A FA 2?JH2Jn #@3 {@H6’D 492C24E6C H@F=5 H9@=6962CE65=J 36=:6G6 :E H2D “{x%\6C2==J” E96 36DE 46=63C2E:@? 96’D 6G6C 366? E@] x :>>65:2E6=J 25565 E9:D E@ >J 3F4<6E =:DE @7 A2CE:6D E@ E9C@H] ~9[ {6D=:6[ x 9@A6 x >2<6 J@F AC@F5]k^Am
kAm(:E9 E96 A@AF=2C:EJ @7 ?2E:@?2= 9@=:52JD[ :E’D 62DJ E@ E9:?< J@F 2C6 46=63C2E:?8 “q6 2 s@C< s2J” @C “vF>>J (@C> s2J” 3J A@DE:?8 2 D6=7:6 @7 J@F 36:?8 2 5@C< @C 62E:?8 2 8F>>J H@C>[ 3FE 766= 7C66 E@ 3F>A E92E FA 2 ?@E49 2?5 4C62E6 2 >6>@C23=6 6G6?E] %CJ >2<:?8 FA 2 7F??J A@6> 23@FE 8F>>J H@C>D 2D 2 72>:=J 2C@F?5 E96 5:??6C E23=6 @C H2E49 2 9@H :E’D >256 G:56@ @? *@F%F36 W3642FD6 J@F <?@H E96C6 :D @?6 @FE E96C6X]k^Am
kAm%96 :?E6C?6E 567:?:E:@? @7 “46=63C2E:@?” :D E@ 24<?@H=6586 W2 D:8?:7:42?E @C 92AAJ 52J @C 6G6?EX H:E9 2 D@4:2= 82E96C:?8 @C 6?;@J23=6 24E:G:EJ] x’G6 5:D4@G6C65 E92E 6G6? E9@F89 >J 49:=5C6? 2C6 @=56C ?@H[ x 42? 6?;@J 2 =2F89 2?5 766= =:<6 2 <:5 282:? ?@ >2EE6C H9@ :D 2C@F?5 >6] w6C6 :D H92E x 92G6 =62C?65 D@ E92E x 2> C625J 7@C “$F?52J[ |@?52J[ w2AAJ s2JD] %F6D52J[ (65?6D52J[ w2AAJ s2JD …”k^Am
kAmq6 C625J[ 3642FD6 A6@A=6 H:== C@== E96:C 6J6D 2E J@F 2?5 6G6? E6== J@F E92E :E’D =2>6 @C H6:C5[ 3FE >@DE @7 E96 E:>6 E96 H@C5 E96J 2C6 =@@<:?8 7@C :D “7F?[” D@ :? 2 76H 52JD H96? E96J >6?E:@? :E E@ J@F[ C6>:?5 E96> E92E E96J E9@F89E :E H2D 5F>3[ 2?5 E96? 86?E=J E6== E96> E96J H6C6 HC@?8] x?E6C?2==J 46=63C2E6 J@FC H:?]k^Am
kAmw2G6 2 G2C:6EJ @7 92ED @? 92?5[ @C J@F 42? DE:4< 2?JE9:?8 :?E@ 2 A@?JE2:= 9@=56C @C @? 2 962532?5 – 2?J D>2== 7=28[ 7=@H6C @C 32==@@? H:== H@C<]k^Am
kAmq2D:4\4@=@C65 2?5^@C H9:E6 r9C:DE>2D EC66 =:89ED H:== 255 DA2C<=6 E@ 2? @C5:?2CJ 52J]k^Am
kAmz66A >2C<6CD[ >2C<6CD 2?5 >@C6 >2C<6CD @7 6G6CJ D92A6 2?5 4@=@C 92?5J] x’> ?@E 23=6 E@ 5C2H[ 3FE x 42? HC:E6 H@C5D[ BF@E6D[ 7F??J 2?645@E6D @? D:8?D[ H:?5@HD[ >:CC@CD 2?5 A2A6C A=2E6D E@ :?:E:2E6 2 8:88=6]k^Am
kAms:5 J@F <?@H J@F 42? 7:?5 AC:?E23=6 3:?8@ 42C5D 7@C 2?JE9:?8n }@ H@C< @C 2DD6>3=J C6BF:C65P %92E’D 2 A2CEJ C:89E E96C6[ >J 7C:6?5D]k^Am
kAm|@DE :>A@CE2?E=J[ <66A 2 328 C625J H:E9 ?@:D6>2<6CD[ 3F33=6D[ 4@?76EE: 2?5 8=:EE6C] x?DE2?E 46=63C2E:@?P s:D4=2:>6Ci x7 J@F 92E6 8=:EE6C[ A=62D6 D66< 96=A] xE’D ?@E D42CJ] xE D66>D >6DDJ[ 3FE E96? :E >28:42==J 5:D2AA62CD D@>69@H[ D@ =6E E96 8=:EE6C 7=J]k^Am
kAm~?46 J@F 92G6 E96D6 E9:?8D =@4<65 2?5 =@2565[ J@F 5@?’E 92G6 E@ DA6?5 2?J >@?6J E@ EFC? E96 ?6IE 52J :?E@ 2 A2CEJ 2?5 AC@323=J 2 7F??J DE@CJ E@ E6== 7@C 2 =@?8 E:>6] *@F 42? 9@E 8=F6 J@FC 962CE @FE 2?5 J@FC 7:?86CD E@86E96C :7 J@F H2?E E@[ 3FE E92E DF4<D E96 7F? C:89E @FE @7 :E 7@C >6] z66A :E D:>A=6[ =2F89 2?5 ;FDE 36 C625J E@ =:G6 :? E96 >@>6?E 2?5 3@EE=6 :E FA H:E9 @E96C DH66E >6>@C:6D]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.