"37"

I hear it asked more nowadays I think, although it might be that Im more sensitive to the question now.

Ive been saying 37 all month instead of my technical age, which is still 36. It felt.. feels.. untruthful... to say otherwise, even if Im jumping the gun.

But 37 is different. From 24, 27, 29, 30, 32, 34, 36.

Those have been the significant numbers so far.

Age is not just a number, and yet it is.

I can no longer say "I dont FEEL like Im .." anymore, because, really, no one takes that crap seriously when youre WELL into "thirty-something". And 37 is now closer to 40 than it is to 30.

I cant say "Im prematurely-grey" with a straight face anymore.. :-)

I actually liked being 36. Its a great age, I highly recommend it. You get to still straddle the divide and be both 20-something and 30-something at the same time.

The 20-something where I could be all self-absorbed and worry about whoami-whatdoiwannabewhenigrowup, act silly when I want to, live in and for the moment, and yet secretly hold teenagers in disdain, even if I still feel like one.

The 30-something where Ive learned a few things in the school of hard knocks, worry about if Im ever gonna be able to live my dreams, am I ever gonnna grow up, sometimes act like Im grown up, look at teen-agers as beings from another planet, listen to all kinds of music, cause there is all kinds of music, treasure and appreciate the moments,.. and secretly wish to be 20-something again.

Now all that shit is over. Yeah, pretty much.

I am now 'almost 40', and thats a different club.

Right,B? Heheheh.

At least now, being held to a higher standard, I can answer one question Ive been asking in various forms all my life truthfully.

whoami-whatdoiwannabewhenigrowup-amievergonnagrowup

Translation..."Who am I?"

Answer.... I am who I am.
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One of the polish/sicilian ladies at the Bakery

Her: "How old are you now?"
Me: "37"
Her: "Ach, yer still a young a man..."

Heh. Good. :-)