Happy Birthday Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen; born September 23, 1949
Showing posts with label Birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birthday. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Monday, September 23, 2013
Happy Birthday, Boss!!
Happy Birthday to a man I consider the world's greatest living songwriter, and an personal hero.
An artist who embodies self-reliance and actualization while never forgetting our duty to our fellow man.
A man who, in the face of a tough, cynical world, writes songs and stories of transcendence and heart-on-your-sleeve earnestness, that really inspires me. Inspires me in the sense that I can rarely drum up that myself.
You show us the way, Boss. Happy Birthday.
An artist who embodies self-reliance and actualization while never forgetting our duty to our fellow man.
A man who, in the face of a tough, cynical world, writes songs and stories of transcendence and heart-on-your-sleeve earnestness, that really inspires me. Inspires me in the sense that I can rarely drum up that myself.
You show us the way, Boss. Happy Birthday.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Happy Birthday Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen turns sixty-two today. In honor of that, I post one of the most electrifying performances I've ever seen. Twenty minutes of genius.
Happy Birthday, Boss.
Happy Birthday, Boss.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Oh My God...I'm 40.
When you're young, you really don't have any concept of age, y'know? Time passes, and it passes so, so very slowly...God, I remember when getting through the 4 months from my birthday to Christmas seemed like a decade. A week of school? Torture.
Of course, old was OLD. Thirty seemed like a million years, and forty? Hell, my Grandfather was FORTY!!
You never even suspect that you'll be that old, ever. I don't know what we all think is going to happen, but the concept, the idea of spending four decades on this ball of mud just seems...unthinkable. It's weird how easy it is to live in the moment when you're young, and and how impossible it is when you even get a little old.
I make a lot of jokes, I do, but I'm not OLD. Yet, I'm not young, anymore, either. That's for sure. Just ask my body every night when I get home from The Double.
Aches.
Pains.
Groans.
Yeah, that's life. I've probably been rougher on my body than most. "Oh, throw myself across the stage? Sure. You need me to drop to my knees 45 times during this rehearsal, and we don't have pads? OK." I've tended to throw caution to the wind, and rely on my ability to recuperate, and to work through the pain.
But that doesn't last forever, oh no, it does not. I suppose it's a bit of a cruel, cosmic joke, having my 40th coincide with the most physical show I've done in a long while. The real pain of it is...I love being physical. I love getting rough and tumble, mixing it up.
And, let's be honest...It's only going to get worse. There's no magic wand or surgery to make me feel 20 again.
But that's not the worst part.
And, please know, I'm not writing that in a "oh, woe is me, I never did the things I wanted to" voice. I'm OK with my life. I have regrets like everyone, that's impossible to avoid. That said, I have done well, I married a good woman that I love very deeply, I have made my effort to live my live in the most creative way I could. I have tried to create, and leave a little bit of myself for others to enjoy/think about/reject. I set out to live my life so that I could be artistic and creative, and I have succeeded.
BUT...
Yeah, it will always nag at you. It comes down to...Is this all there is? When you're 20, 25, 30...You have your list of things you'll "have time for later?"
You won't. You'll put things off. You'll decide something's "too hard," or is too much of a burden, too much of a sacrifice, to give yourself over to, and years later realize you should've just done it. Even something as simple as going to SDCC. I first went when I was 35, but I wanted to go when I was in my teens. If I'd focused myself, controlled myself, and made choices that were directed at my goal...I could've been going for 20 years, rather than 6. That's just a stupid convention.
Why haven't I gotten the tattoo I keep talking about? How simple is that to get done? It's always some show, or some other stupid damn thing.
Why don't I lose weight? Hell, if I just stopped shoveling nuts down my throat after rehearsal, and just went to bed, I'd probably lose 10 pounds. I'm proud of the commitment I've made to staying active and exercising, but I know I have to commit to changing how I eat, too.
No, I'm not beating up on myself, I'm not. It's just unavoidable. You live four decades, and the regrets will pile up. The trick is to keep them in the right perspective. I've done plenty to be proud of, but I also feel like I can do more. Push farther, reach deeper, and generally give more of myself.
When I stop feeling that way, then I'll worry....
You never even suspect that you'll be that old, ever. I don't know what we all think is going to happen, but the concept, the idea of spending four decades on this ball of mud just seems...unthinkable. It's weird how easy it is to live in the moment when you're young, and and how impossible it is when you even get a little old.
I make a lot of jokes, I do, but I'm not OLD. Yet, I'm not young, anymore, either. That's for sure. Just ask my body every night when I get home from The Double.
Aches.
Pains.
Groans.
Yeah, that's life. I've probably been rougher on my body than most. "Oh, throw myself across the stage? Sure. You need me to drop to my knees 45 times during this rehearsal, and we don't have pads? OK." I've tended to throw caution to the wind, and rely on my ability to recuperate, and to work through the pain.
But that doesn't last forever, oh no, it does not. I suppose it's a bit of a cruel, cosmic joke, having my 40th coincide with the most physical show I've done in a long while. The real pain of it is...I love being physical. I love getting rough and tumble, mixing it up.
And, let's be honest...It's only going to get worse. There's no magic wand or surgery to make me feel 20 again.
But that's not the worst part.
And, please know, I'm not writing that in a "oh, woe is me, I never did the things I wanted to" voice. I'm OK with my life. I have regrets like everyone, that's impossible to avoid. That said, I have done well, I married a good woman that I love very deeply, I have made my effort to live my live in the most creative way I could. I have tried to create, and leave a little bit of myself for others to enjoy/think about/reject. I set out to live my life so that I could be artistic and creative, and I have succeeded.
Yeah, it will always nag at you. It comes down to...Is this all there is? When you're 20, 25, 30...You have your list of things you'll "have time for later?"
You won't. You'll put things off. You'll decide something's "too hard," or is too much of a burden, too much of a sacrifice, to give yourself over to, and years later realize you should've just done it. Even something as simple as going to SDCC. I first went when I was 35, but I wanted to go when I was in my teens. If I'd focused myself, controlled myself, and made choices that were directed at my goal...I could've been going for 20 years, rather than 6. That's just a stupid convention.
Why haven't I gotten the tattoo I keep talking about? How simple is that to get done? It's always some show, or some other stupid damn thing.
Why don't I lose weight? Hell, if I just stopped shoveling nuts down my throat after rehearsal, and just went to bed, I'd probably lose 10 pounds. I'm proud of the commitment I've made to staying active and exercising, but I know I have to commit to changing how I eat, too.
No, I'm not beating up on myself, I'm not. It's just unavoidable. You live four decades, and the regrets will pile up. The trick is to keep them in the right perspective. I've done plenty to be proud of, but I also feel like I can do more. Push farther, reach deeper, and generally give more of myself.
When I stop feeling that way, then I'll worry....
Monday, August 23, 2010
39
Who would've ever guessed?
thanks to the folks at Garcias last night, and who ate most of the cake, so I won't get too fat.
First off-book run-thru of The Sound of a Yellow Flower tonight. Pray for me.
thanks to the folks at Garcias last night, and who ate most of the cake, so I won't get too fat.
First off-book run-thru of The Sound of a Yellow Flower tonight. Pray for me.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Birthday presents...and other musings.
I'm excited by my lovely wife's gifts to me on my 38th (ugh!).
I'm re-reading my new copy of Star Trek Memories by William Shatner. Easily my favorite book about Star Trek, and the new printing is very, very snazzy. Hopefully a new edition of Star Trek Movie Memories will be forthcoming.
The whole think is, rightly, from Shatner's perspective, and he's an engaging storyteller. Though, I'm certain that "co-writer" Chris Kreski actually wrote most of the book. The stories are entertaining, and he's honest and direct about his poor relations with the rest of the cast, as well as his befuddlement at their hatered of him. A fun read.
I'm also REALLY excited about my new Bone: One Volume Edition, by Jeff Smith. The book is HUGE, well over 1000 pages, and containing the entirety of Smith's comic book/graphic novel masterpiece. Not something I'll be hauling on the train, but I'm gonna try to read a chapter or two every night before bed. I'm kind of ashamed I haven't read this before now, as it truly is a classic, and I've found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions.
Also got a number of DVDs and Blu-Rays, especially cool is For All Mankind, Al Reinert's amazing documentry on the moon landings. I'm so excited to watch this in Hi-Def. New Torchwood and Doctor Who to watch, as well.
In other news, first night of actual rehearsals for Plans 1-8 from Outer Space last night. Of course, I hurt myself. I think I bruised a rib on my right side.
*sigh*
Just figures, right?
Short weeks always go slower, don't they? We're wrapped up for Plans 1-8 this week, but I have the "Trekkie Play" workshops on Saturday and Sunday. Lots of stuff going on, and I feel really tired. The crap with the ribs doesn't help, sucks the energy right out of me. LOL!
Need to get back to working out. Seriously, nothng like going to LA to make you feel out of shape.
I'm re-reading my new copy of Star Trek Memories by William Shatner. Easily my favorite book about Star Trek, and the new printing is very, very snazzy. Hopefully a new edition of Star Trek Movie Memories will be forthcoming.
The whole think is, rightly, from Shatner's perspective, and he's an engaging storyteller. Though, I'm certain that "co-writer" Chris Kreski actually wrote most of the book. The stories are entertaining, and he's honest and direct about his poor relations with the rest of the cast, as well as his befuddlement at their hatered of him. A fun read.
I'm also REALLY excited about my new Bone: One Volume Edition, by Jeff Smith. The book is HUGE, well over 1000 pages, and containing the entirety of Smith's comic book/graphic novel masterpiece. Not something I'll be hauling on the train, but I'm gonna try to read a chapter or two every night before bed. I'm kind of ashamed I haven't read this before now, as it truly is a classic, and I've found myself laughing out loud on a number of occasions.
Also got a number of DVDs and Blu-Rays, especially cool is For All Mankind, Al Reinert's amazing documentry on the moon landings. I'm so excited to watch this in Hi-Def. New Torchwood and Doctor Who to watch, as well.
In other news, first night of actual rehearsals for Plans 1-8 from Outer Space last night. Of course, I hurt myself. I think I bruised a rib on my right side.
*sigh*
Just figures, right?
Short weeks always go slower, don't they? We're wrapped up for Plans 1-8 this week, but I have the "Trekkie Play" workshops on Saturday and Sunday. Lots of stuff going on, and I feel really tired. The crap with the ribs doesn't help, sucks the energy right out of me. LOL!
Need to get back to working out. Seriously, nothng like going to LA to make you feel out of shape.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)