50

Turning 50 is a big deal. Sure, there are other birthday milestones. 13 for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. 16 to be able to drive. 18 to vote. 21 to legally drink. You should be a (somewhat) responsible adult at 25 and certainly at 30. You become a man at 40. But 50 seems different. A half century is a long time. There seems to be a sense of mortality. While I’m in decent shape and my kids help keep me young, there’s a realization that you have lived at least half of your life. I could live to be 100 but that doesn’t seem realistic.

I’ve started reflecting a little bit. Am I where I want to be? The answer is yes and no. I love my family, but I'm not financially secure. I mean, while I'd like a bigger house and more/any disposable income, the kids get what they need in terms of playing sports, being involved in activities, and going to summer camp. They’re certainly not getting designer clothes and shoes. Plus, I am my father's son. Did I go to Costco on Monday hoping to get a discounted Mother's Day cake for my own birthday cake? Just turn the cake upside down and Mom becomes Wow! Oh, the answer is yes I went to Costco, but they didn't have any remaining Mother's Day cakes.

What I’m realizing is that I need to be a better friend. While being busy with work and my kids’ activities is certainly an excuse, I have not done a good job of keeping in touch with friends, particularly those who live out of town. I also need to reach out to my family more. I never had a big family, and it’s even smaller with my parents now gone. 

I definitely want to travel more. My wife and I are planning a trip abroad this summer to celebrate my 50th birthday and our 20th anniversary. In addition, my goal of visiting all 50 states is still a strong possibility after going to North Dakota last year. 

There’s no big ending to this post. I didn’t get any media credentials to cover any awards shows or athletic events in honor of my 50th birthday. I actually spent my birthday itself going to work and then driving my kids to basketball practice and a Scout meeting in the evening. It was just another day with more phone calls and a lot more messages on Facebook. I’m going to celebrate more soon and with the vacation this summer. Overall, I’m glad that I made it to 50, and I know there’s a lot more to do.

My Brother, The Yinzer

A blog post to make fun of brother? Yes! Over the weekend, my brother attended a wedding and rehearsal dinner in the New York/New Jersey area. (Actually, I’m not exactly sure where it took place, but the key as you’ll soon see, is that this didn’t occur in Western Pennsylvania.) Here is a picture from the dinner:

Once you get passed the fact that I don’t have Photoshop and simply colored in everyone’s faces, you’ll notice that the people pictured are dressed nicely (including the waiter.) Except for that one guy on the end wearing a Steelers polo shirt. That's my brother! Look, I've heard stories about people wearing Steelers jersey to church and other more formal occasions, but an out-of-the-area rehearsal dinner just doesn't seem appropriate.

Since I'm making fun of my brother, I should probably make fun of myself too. In one of my first jobs about a month or two after moving to DC after grad school, I attended a meeting on Capitol Hill only a few days or weeks into that job. For this meeting, I wore a Steelers polo shirt similar to (though nicer than) the one in the picture above. My boss at the time made sure to tell me to wear a tie for the next meeting, though I did get a compliment or two from folks from the Pittsburgh area. I should also mention that I was only 25 or 26 during this time as opposed to 41 like my brother is now. Basically, I didn't know better then but he should know better now!