jeudi 30 juillet 2009

The roaring forties

I'm in mourning.  Although not dead yet, a good friend of mine is at death's door.  Not long left at all.  Hours, in fact.

Who is this friend?  It's my youth.  My younger years.  My pre-middle-age.

That's right folks, I turn forty tomorrow and I'm pretty sad to be leaving my thirties behind.  But hey, time waits for no man, right?  I guess I'm lucky to still have these rugged good looks.

With it being my fortieth and all, I thought I'd give you a list.  We bloggers love these lists, right?  The big question is what kind of list to give you.

I've been thinking about it these last few days, and in the end I decided that it would be a happy list.  A really happy list.  A list of the things that make me smile, things that I love, things that bring me joy.

Here goes.

1. Waking up in Paris, never gets old.
2. American Boy, the song, not the Floridian.
3. But while I'm at it, Florida Boy also makes the list
4. My 5 year old niece and her curiously well formed opinions
5. My 7 year old nephew and his big heart
6. Dancing to seventies disco classics
7. French toast, with maple syrup
8. A hairy chest on a handsome man
9. A cold beer with a view of the sunset
10. Trainers/sneakers - all of them
11. The Air France Lounge at Roissy 2E
12. Thorntons Continental
13. Overnight train journeys
14. Massaman curry at the Thai Rainbow
15. My Mom and all of her little foibles and idiosyncracies
16. Yes sir, I can boogie
17. Gin and Tonic, with a squeeze of lemon
18. Big C and nights out being stupid
19. New glasses, choosing them, buying them, wearing them
20. Late night taxi rides in foreign cities
21. Holding hands with someone I love
22. The DumbAss Yank and his ropey Aussie accent
23. Tokyo
24. Falling in love with a book
25. Sudoku
26. McVities Digestives
27. Friends meeting me at the airport
28. Free upgrades.  Anytime, anywhere
29. Hawaii
30. The Fierce People and their Paris madness
31. Arguing about what rocks with my Lovely Dutch/Welsh friend
32. Café Crème, rue de Birague
33. Trocadéro at sunrise
34. The first view of the sea
35. Sex, of course
36. Weekends in foreign cities on my own
37. Blogging
38. My Friends
39. My Family 
40. My Life

How's that?

I realise I'm lucky.  I realise that I have everything I could wish for.  

So many things on my list are just luxuries that make life great, but you know what?  

You could take them all away and leave me just my friends.  

I'd still be the luckiest guy on earth.  

My life is good and complete because of my friends.  

Without them, it'd be an empty shell, an idea of a life, a life unlived.

I know that the good times are officially here.  Instead of hoping for better things round the corner, I'm just going to ask that things stay as good as they are at the moment.  

Whilst I mourn the passing of my thirties, I step into my forties as a happy, lucky, smiling man.  

Really.  How great is that?

19 commentaires:

Unknown a dit…

what an awesome list! i turn 41 at the end of august. i still have to figure out what turning 40 meant to me still. ;-)

L a dit…

Happy Birthday TBNIL! x

cb a dit…

Awww how sweet!! Yet I fear I made the list purely because I read your blog!

Daryl a dit…

Extremely great .. and I wish you the happiest of birthdays ever .. with many many many MANY more xoxo

Anonyme a dit…

40 eh?
Well, with a charmed life like yours it's all good. Love the list. Much to be thankful for and much to celebrate.

Happy birthday old chap!

aims a dit…

ahem - I thought -......

Aren't you missing another 10?

Anonyme a dit…

So you are 24 years older than me. Wow.

I agree with a lot on that list. In particualar:2,6,9,16,21,and 24.
But you missed out Turkey - magic place that I still really miss.

Happy Birthday babes! xxxxx

Anonyme a dit…

what a great list m made me gulp
Happy happy burpday hunny xxxxxxx

Anonyme a dit…

Happy Birthday TBNIL! I hope you have the most wonderful of days...

Thank you for sharing your list it really made me smile. When you see everything listed like that you can't help but see how sweet life really is.

Anonyme a dit…

Happy birthday! xo

A Lewis a dit…

I've ordered a sheet cake, punch, and warm nuts with little baby pink mints for the party. Happy Birthday! Spank spank.....

Tony a dit…

I like number 23. I REALLY like number 23 :-)

The Mutant a dit…

Hang on a minute. This post sounds a little bit grown up. Who are you and what'd you do with the real TBNIL? Don't tell me you've decided to *gulp* ACT YOUR AGE?!?!

I just won't have it. You're not going to make it as a middle-aged man sweetheart, so dust yourself in glitter, throw on some camp runners and don't give up on me you saucy little tart!

Oh yeah, and have yourself a rip-roaring, legs in the air, three-day hangover kind of birthday!

Victor a dit…

Happy Birthday but as someone who just turned 60 I must say 40 is still pretty young!

The Pixy Princess a dit…

Happy Birthday to you! Thanks for sharing the list and I'm sure that the 40s will be just as Fab as the previous years.
Can't wait for the posts! ;)

tornwordo a dit…

Happy happy! You've still got a few years before everything starts falling apart. Lovely list.

Anonyme a dit…

Great list! Happy 40's!!!!

Swearing Mother a dit…

Happy Birthday Travelling, and to think I knew you when you were just a lad.....

You still are, enjoy your forties!

Louise a dit…

It's great. I'm with you on #8 and love #15.