What a difference a year makes

Dec. 22, 2008



Dec. 22, 2009

28? You're over the hill.

Hey, it's not me. It's science.

According to scientists, our mental abilities begin to decline from the age of 27 after reaching a peak at 22.

Old Age Begins at 27

Age-induced fear

We started softball season this week, and I had a moment where I thought "Damn, is this what it means to get old?"

It wasn't that I was sore the next day or that I couldn't do what I was able to do last year. It fact, it wasn't anything physical at all. Instead, it was all mental.

You see, playing coed softball you get these guys trying to recapture their glory days of high school baseball. They step to the plate and crush the ball. And, occasionally, they'll crush it right back at the pitcher aka me.

I've had close calls before. Jen was there for several of them. Line drives right at my head. Ones that I was just able to get a glove on before being decapitated. I've had guys intentionally try to hit back up the middle when their team was losing. I've taken linedrives off my thigh, whiz between my legs and knock my cap off.

This year, however, it felt different.

Going into the first game of the year, I was worried about getting injured. Hell, I was scared. That was new. That was unexpected.

At first, I thought turning 40 triggered some new "Be careful" mode. Then, I wondered if I wasn't subliminally worried about getting hurt while Jen was pregnant. I couldn't figure it out. So I did what every guy does in that situation, I told myself to quit being a baby and go for it. I can protect myself if another rocket comes at me.

Through three games over two nights, no line drives yet. Only two more months to go.

OK, here goes

Jen keeps bugging me to blog about the surprise party. Honestly, I don't know what to say about it. Word fail to explain how much that night meant to me.

I was shocked. I'm talking completely and totally caught off-guard by it. Sure, I'd seen Karen and Nash wearing the shirts, but that didn't set off any warning bells. I chalk it up to being preoccupied with dealing with the new guy I've hired and trying to help him find a place to live. If I'd seen the shirts and then had time to sit around thinking about it, I would have been much more suspicious.

I was playing with a map creator yesterday, looking at how far some of you traveled to surprise me. It is humbling to know SK flew in from Boston, the Browns came in from Florida, Craiggers drove down from St. Louis (and left his pregnant wife!), Ed drove up from Austin, Dennis came from Tulsa, Mark and Sarah from Springdale and my in-laws trekked all the way from Walnut Ridge just for that party.

My mother wrote "I'm proud of the man you've become" on the picture frame by the door. I've been thinking a lot about that the past few days. Thinking about how I've grown and changed over the past 10-plus years. I realized I would not be where I am or who I am without your friendship, support, encouragement, laughter and love.

Thank you for helping me become the person I am today.

Wow

Still trying to recover from the weekend.

No, I don't have a three-day hangover. I'm talking about getting my head around the idea that Jen plotted and planned this spectacular surprise birthday party. And that even though I saw Karen and Nash wearing the tee shirts, I still had no clue what was happening.

The fact so many people took the time and spent the money to come to Fort Smith for it absolutely floored and humbled me. I freely admit I still start to tear up when I think about it. Thank you all for being my friend.

Photos have been uploaded onto our home Mac. I'll post some of them later.

Another Saturday night

Avoiding the pub crawl, we went to the Crooks' house on Saturday night to celebrate my birthday, Steve's birthday and eat burgers and brats hot off the grill.

The burgers were absolutely spectacular. Perfectly cooked to me, a little rare and juicy, even though some of the women said they were undercooked. I was in heaven.

The Colleys got me gag gifts, including a pair of old man Blueblocker style sunglasses. Brownie will be jealous, since he'd wear those (sorry that it's sideways, I'm kind of new at this photo stuff) ...



Mmmm, cake. Wish Jen had let me bring some home. I could use a slice right now ...



My wish was to win the Powerball on Saturday night. Didn't happen ...

The day after

It was a grand birthday, even though the bulk of it was spent covering a baseball game and then waiting for copy from the other guys until after 10 p.m.

Jen then had 40 gifts waiting for me at home. They increased from a single elk-hair caddis fly to a pair of Sanuks and a Patagonia sweatshirt to an iPhone. In between those extremes, there were lots of goofy, inexpensive gifts that only somebody who lives with me could have ever thought of getting.

The stuff from the Browns, Martins and Livingstons was all great too. (Though I wish the Browns would have shipped the entire six-pack of Yuengling instead of one bottle!)

Everything is still piled up in the middle of the living room floor. I might have to build an additional wing on the house to store it all. And yes, I am using the iPhone today. It rocks.

I do not deserve a wife this beautiful and thoughtful nor friends as great as y'all, I must have been a saint in a prior life.

So now the birthday is over. Yet the Year of Scott continues. We have weddings, new jobs and babies to celebrate in 2008.

Birthday lunch

I could explain it, but instead here is Jen's account of what happened to me today ...

I met Scott & his mother for lunch today, for his birthday.
We had lunch at Goodson's at Cornerstone, which is near where Scott's mom works.

Scott & I eat at Goodson's pretty regularly, and Scott has become friends with the owner, Mark. Mark is a very talkative, fun-loving, jovial type of person -- always fun.

When we got to Goodson's today, it was PACKED. Every table was filled, and people were waiting for tables to open up.

When we took our seats, Mark soon comes over and says "I hear it's your birthday. Happy Birthday."

Scott: "Yes, yes, it is. Thanks."

Mark: "Well, we're going to sing for you in a minute."

Scott: "Oh no, no you're not."

Mark then loudly says "Can I have everyone's attention please?"

The entire restaurant falls silent.

Mark: "We have a great sports editor here at (our newspaper), and he's a regular customer here. Well, it's his birthday, and I want everyone to sing 'Happy Birthday' to him. Scott, stand up. Come on now, don't act like a little kid, Stand up."

So Scott stands, and the entire restaurant sings "Happy Birthday" to him.

Scott's face was so flushed with embarrassment, I don't think I've EVER seen it that red.

I wish now I'd used the video function on my phone to capture it for you guys!! HILARIOUS.

Thanks y'all

Yes, I'm 40 (kind of)

It's March 13.

But under our house rules, your birthday (or Christmas or whatever) doesn't start until you wake up on that day. So while I'm technically now 40, I won't officially be 40 until I wake up in a few hours.

In the meantime, how many 5-year-olds could you beat up in a fight?

28

Zappos.com is awesome

Skipped out of work a little early and came home to two packages on the front steps. One of them was from Zappos, the site where Jen ordered the tie-dyed Chuck Taylors.

Seems she got a free upgrade to priority overnight as a thank you for making an order.

So, yeah, I'm wearing them right now ...

Sweet

How awesome are these?



UPDATE

My dear bride surprised me with an early birthday gift tonight. Yes, she ordered these today. (Thanks for the tip, Angie.)

When I got home from work, she asked if I wanted an early birthday gift. I'd been joking about how I should be getting one gift each day leading up to my birthday. I figured she'd bought me some Swiss Cake Rolls (nom, nom, nom) since she'd just come from the grocery store.

Instead, she shocked me with the printed-out receipt for these super-sweet, totally-groovy sneakers!

The celebrations begin

Birthday lunch at mom's today.

I got some help from my niece Erin in blowing out the candles.




Sarah's birthday was celebrated too.




See the resemblance?

It's that time

As of today, I've worked 12 consecutive days and 17 of the last 18. I will work Saturday, and maybe Sunday. My next definite day off is the 15th.

But it's less than one week to my birthday. So you know what I need?

Am I crazy for liking these pants?

From the new Orvis catalog ...



Tell me I wouldn't be stylin' and profilin' in those. Sean Brown could never top a pair of shamrock pants.

Obviously, I'm not paying $129 for them, which is the current price. How low should the price drop before I order a pair? $50?

UPDATE

Angie mentioned it in the comments, so i checked. Yes, these glorious pants are also available as shorts ... for $79.

The Month of Scott begins

And the final countdown begins.

Happy Leap Day

Been busy, sorry for no blogging today. But I couldn't let Leap Day go by without mentioning it.

Plus, as Craig pointed out, it delays my birthday for another 24 hours.

I've been playing this song a lot lately

And notice what's hanging behind Buffett's right ear. Now you know where I got the idea for the braid prior to my 30th ... 10 years ago.

Maybe I need to come up with lyrics for "A sports writer looks at 40."

Time for the countdown again

I feel naked

So the other day, my last hemp anklet finally fell off.

I'd been wearing them around my ankles for about 15 years. At one point, I think I had three on my left ankle and two on my right. As one would rot off from being worn in the shower, I'd replace it. But now I don't have any left ... except for one I make out of some spare poly-pro string (like a small climbing rope).

Jen says that it's a sign I should enter my 40s without my old long-haired, tie-dyed ways.

But it still feels weird to take off my socks and not see an anklet there. It'll be really weird when warm weather arrives and I'm back to shorts and sandals.