scrobble.life
Reflections

Turning 138

@galenkp@galenkp (84)519d

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We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.

- George Bernard Shaw -

*** *** Birthdays come and go mostly unrecognised and uncelebrated for me, I like it that way - I mean my own birthday, just to clarify that point. I just don't feel right celebrating something that I didn't work towards achieving and certainly don't expect others to do it either. Popping out of a womb and into the world required no effort on my part, I just sort of slipped out then got a smack on my little cute ass by the doctor to get me breathing and that was that. No effort on my part, although I'm still trying to track that fucken doctor down as I owe him a smack...with compounding interest.

So anyway, recently I had a birthday and, against my usual strict and uncompromising no celebration policy I allowed celebrations to occur. My girl-person made somewhat of a big deal out of it and I had @mrbonkers here and he was really excited to do a birthday celebration with me (which has never occurred before). I love that kid, the best nephew ever, so it was a nice and pretty special time...and I enjoyed it a lot but don't fucken tell anyone I said that or they may want to do it again next year.

It was pretty low-key.

I did a BBQ at home: Steak and chicken (marinated with my secret marinade that'll I can't tell you about) and chorizo sausage, a couple salady things, garlic bread (I even had a slice myself), a legit cold cuts/cheese platter and later on some cheese cake. (No candles of course, I'm not fucken 5 years old.) I made all the food, cooked the BBQ and did all the cleaning up. I know, right? I chose to do that though as the whole birthday thing makes me feel awkward and uncomfortable so I used that as a way to sort of divert those thoughts and the attention away from me. I relaxed as well though, had a water fight with @mrbonkers because it was hot and had a pretty decent time.

Now I'm 138

I'm at an age when I can legitimately think about retirement the non-work phase of my life.

I recall being a kid when I didn't have a professional job and life's complexities and remember fondly all the awesome things I was able to do, the enjoyment and lack of stress and all that...and I'm now close to regaining that situation which I'm looking forward to. I have a lot of things lined up and think I'll need another 138 years to get them all done, but I'll be happy to die before then knowing my life was designed and created (largely by me) and that I chose to live it as best I can rather than be a wage-slave for its entirety. I have a full life now but it'll open up a little more in my non-work phase.

Turning 138 wasn't so bad and neither was the little celebration I had with a small portion of my family; we're scattered all over the world so it's difficult to all gather together but on the night we had a video chat with my brother @tarazkp and my niece @smallsteps which was nice. As for getting older, well that's not something I'm all that worried about, it's going to happen. Sure, I'd like to be 32 again but if I was I'd not know what I've learned in the intervening years and it's those things that help make my life better in the moment.

I like the quote by George Bernard Shaw above and it makes me think about how I've managed my life.

Yeah I've had bad times, (monumentally bad), and I've had the best times too but throughout I've never lost that part of me that sought to have fun, be my genuine self and have the honesty and individuality to live my life my own way and under the code of honour and integrity (as I see it) that's so important to me. I am responsible for my own life so moving into the next part of it (the part before I fucken die and become forgotten) I maintain that same ethos and seek to keep playing...until it's game over.

Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp

[Original and AI free] Image(s) in this post are my own

Comments · 18

  • @hive-lu(65)· 511d

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  • @tamaralovelace(70)· 518d

    Happy BBQ Day! Doesn't matter that it happened to coincide with another auspicious day which shall remain nameless. mrbonkers had a great day and that's worth the discomfort you felt. 138 isn't so bad and there's a whole lot of time before 139 rolls around. One day closer to that non-working phase!! Nice bike ya got there :D

  • @relf87(76)· 518d

    No H**** B******* shoutouts but stay healthy and happy as always! :)

  • @mballesteros(74)· 519d

    It's not really the years that we celebrate but life, experiences and good health, it's also the perfect excuse to get together with family and friends if you don't do it often. The latter is what I love about birthdays.

    Anyway, I hope you had a good evening with those you gathered with and that you continue to fulfill your dreams and design your life! And of course may you have as many years as you want! 😄

  • @mamani(64)· 519d

    Hello @galenkp respecting your desire not to celebrate your birthday, I will not congratulate you I will simply wait every year for 139 to arrive, 140....and so I will know that we are alive and still here. Although I will tell you that I do like to celebrate mine and get lots of gifts. Bragging about the accumulated years is something I like. A hug.🤗😘

  • @duskobgd(74)· 519d

    A large number of things in life that we do, we do for the reasons of those around us who love us. It's the same with celebrations. If only we (some of us) were to ask ourselves, we would spend those days in nature, in the forest, on the mountain, by the lake. And because of them, we sing silly songs, wear birthday caps and blow out candles on the cake. In fact, that's how we just play, stopping our aging for a while, as Mr Shaw said. May you be alive and healthy for another 138 years, whether you are forced to celebrate or not!

  • @ukrajpoot(66)· 519d

    Well will it be awkward to say happy birthday to person who doesn’t like birthdays to be celebrated. Well wish you best of luck mate. I can also relate this with you as I have also lost the zeal for my birthdays from many years. I actually don’t want them to be treated as special day. It is bad or good ,I don’t know but it is

  • @livinguktaiwan(81)· 519d

    You're such a boring old git even when you're not!!! Think of it as having a party with your loved ones which just so happens to be on your birthday, rather than having your birthday party. If it makes them happy, surely you don't have the heart to stop it 😃

  • @avdesing(80)· 519d

    Very happy 138 years or maybe 12 if I add up the numbers! Congratulations!!! If you knew the work your soul did before it got into your body to come... a lot of work!

    You celebrated life, and the day you decided to go out into the world to learn things about humans, because you are not human are you? Well, that's something to celebrate! Well done!

    I'm glad you had such a beautiful birthday!

  • @enraizar(71)· 519d

    Hi @galenkp, I don't know if I should say it? happy birthday 🎂.... glad you will celebrate it in such a special way.... I guess in 138 years there will be another celebration. I'll be watching for it. By the way, I like the George Bernard Shaw quote, I didn't know it.

  • @zakludick(75)· 519d

    I am with you. I don't like to celebrate my birthday. My girlperson loves to celebrate everything and everyone.

    But this year I really just want it left alone!

    Happy birthday anyway.

  • @krazzytrukker(70)· 519d

    Marked on my calendar/bucket list...

    139th surprise B-Day bash for the G-Dog.

  • @hdez781220(66)· 519d

    Well, I do like to celebrate mine,but you've just made me have 2nd thoughts now with that effort analysis, nahhh, I'll keep doing it. If you track the doctor, please, do some brief interrogation to him to get the location of mine, they all know each other, I'm tracking the bastard too, he stroke me with a stick as I was informed some time later...his stick is stored here and waiting for the payback day. 😁

  • @preparedwombat(79)· 519d

    You don’t look a day over 125.

  • @ryivhnn(73)· 519d

    You don't need the whack on the arse to get breathing otherwise none of my kids would have survived birth XD

    Given that you could get into a traffic accident any given moment I sometimes think getting to the next birthday is worth at least some reflection. And even if you don't think you're worth celebration I hope you let other people celebrate you because at least some of them are glad you're around and find you worth celebrating.

    I'm pretty much like you and will routinely forget my own birthday because I don't care, but other people's birthdays are important because I'm glad they were born, so I had to apply the reverse so I wouldn't be a hypocrite

    Happy 138th birthday old fart XD I'm glad you're around :) And moreso that you got to have a birthday party with MrBonkers! :D (and presumably his family too but we all know the kids are the most important and their adults are just kind of there XD)

  • @jacey.boldart(73)· 519d

    Happy Birthday!

    Our family has traditionally celebrated birthdays, so I never really thought about whether I should be celebrated or not. I kind of like it. Although I did no more than you to get here, I have at least done whatever it took to still be here and not end up on with a Darwin Award! LOL....Looks like you have too and sometimes that takes some effort. So, you may have done nothing to get here, but you have done many things to still be here.... or that is how I see it.

    However, if you choose not to celebrate, there is nothing wrong with that either.

    Glad you had some extra family members there on your special (or not special) day. It sounds like it was fun.

  • @chyxille(67)· 519d

    Happy birthday @galenkp,enjoy your day and keep healthy all the time,may god bless you🤍

  • @bozz(83)· 519d

    Happy Birthday even though you don't like to celebrate. I don't really like to celebrate my birthday either, but it's always a little nice to know when people acknowledge it. It sounds like you had a really great day. I grilled some steak and chicken myself today too.