My 70Th Birthday

My 70th Birthday
by Shale
November 8, 2014

This is called a milestone birthday, those ending in decades. My seventh decade begins today. I have been reflecting on this for some time and had thot of taking a cruise like I did last year but nothing going my way cheap enuf and, while spending 4 days at sea alone with thousands of other ppl has its appeal, I've done it enuf times.

Therefore, I'm staying in town and celebrating my B'day by myself, doing what I enjoy doing most on this anniversary, reflecting on my life: past, present and future. One thing ppl often hear me say is that I have had a good life, mostly enjoyable and any pain obviously not too hard to bear.

Another thing I have often said for the past decade or so is that I have more history than future. Let's face that fact, unless I plan to live to 140. So, I decided to get that permanently inked onto my skin, which was yesterday. Now, the present has become more history of my future, however long that may be.



BTW, this is an extension of another tat I had put on my butt this year, one of a drawing I did in 1984 at the young age of 40. It represents a white guy and black woman, very similar to me and Brenda at that time. The artist did some touchup to that as well since I wasn't satisfied with how the original guy did my artwork.



Ppl under 30 are prone to say that "age is just a number." An interesting thing occurred at the Tattoo shop while filling out my consent form and entering information on a tablet that the girl gave me. Along with my address & fone number it asked for my birthdate. it was one of those aps that have pull downs with all the information, so I clicked on the 8 then scrolled down to November and for the year I scrolled down and scrolled down and scrolled down to 1950. It did not go below 1950. This new computing device did not accommodate anyone older than 64. Yeah, age is just a number, as long as it is small number.

But that was yesterday. Today I had a very enjoyable day doing my usual weekend stuff. Biked to the Cinema on Lincoln Road in SoBe and saw a very good movie (Interstellar). The bike ride itself seemed to be a gift with perfect sunny weather and cool air. In fact, I usually stop at the Publix supermarket in North Beach which I pass on my way home but it was so much fun riding my bike that biked another 3 miles to the Publix in Surfside and back.

As I have for several years I did a foto study of my ageing body. Some ppl might not find a man over 65 fysically attractive, but surprisingly a lot of guys do. IDK how long I will do this - if I reach 80 will anyone want to see my naked pix except for curiosity of how the body deteriorates. Even that could be enlightening. But, I did both nude and clothed sexy pix in my bathroom, which gets good lighting. Well, if Hanes tighty-whities could be sexy to anyone. But, young underwear models wear them why not a more realistic 70-year-old model. There's also the off-the-shoulder disrobe.






One thing that several ppl have said to me when finding out I am now 70 is that I "Look Good for a Man My Age." Well, I guess I do considering many guys in their 60s who are out of shape and in bad health but I tell them it is like seeing an elegant old building that has been kept up. It looks good but when you go inside you find the floors creak, the windows stick and the doors don't close flush. Oh, and the plumbing - don't even want to talk about the plumbing in an old house.

I did get a phone call today from a co-worker who is from Russia who knows my B'day (one day after the Russian Revolution). It was nice talking with her. Also, I got an e-mail from a man I knew decades ago whom I do not hear from often but he complimented me on my fotos and the fact that I am so free to be out there.

It was a very enjoyable birthday.

 

Happy birthday, Shale. I'll second the notion that you look great for a man of 70. Something about Sobe keeps people young. Best wishes to you and your youthful spirit.

 

Happy birthday! Here's to 70 more!

 

Hey, Ramona, thanx. Haven't heard from you in a while.

 

Happy Birthday, Shale!!!!!

I am wishing you alot more future than you think....and happiness with it.....

 

with these photos I think you can make it to 110 and still do military pushups..

 

Happy birthday Shale,

70 is just a number........which is 3 1/2 times 20

 

Happy belated birthday and many more! :sunny:

 

Lulz.

 

Happy Birthday, Shale. The nerd in me wants to tell you that you are actually beginning your eighth decade.

 

70 is the new 50 :daisy:


Happy birthday shale :sunny:

 

congradulations on having survived that long. it'll be another four years before i get there. if i live that long.
well that is something. a fairly large percentage of the population don't.
although some people even make it into their 90s.
a small number of those, are amazing in other ways.
may you have the good fortune to be among them.

 

Shale - you look great. An old friend, but not yet an "old" one...

 

Happy B-day brother. 75 here and I still can do some roofing and reach right down and touch me toes!.

( I'm built about the same as you--10 pounds over my HS grad weight. Yup. Just keep your mind as young as you show us around here.

 

Its totallly bizarre how some guys just seem to fall apart even from 35, whilst others seem to barely change.

Mick Jagger is 71, makes Shale almost the same age, Mick has been a big health nut for a long time, but lately is REALLY starting to look like death warmed up....whereas as Shale could still really pass for 50 something....what IS that magic formula?

 

Happy Birthday Shale. =)

 

All the very best Shale :sunny: :sunny: never grow less young

 

VG---my people died young. Dad at 56, mom at 62, uncle at 48, cousin at 48,etc. So, the trick for me was going veggie, keeping busy with hard physical work. Worked for me, I think, because all those I mentioned had sedentary jobs and were overweight. The mental part is very important also. I'm old--but not OLD! I'M still a

young jack-ass at heart!

 

Happy Belated Birthday! 70 is a milestone! Wishing you many happy returns of the day.

 

Happy belated birthday. I like your attitude, man!