They Say It's Your Birthday

And indeed it is.

Sixty-two. 62. LXII.

Amazingly, this feels pretty good. Why amazingly? Apparently, certain corporate HR departments, executive recruiters, and other assorted knuckleheads believe that being sixty-two is pretty much the same thing as having already entered the afterlife.

I am here to report that it is not so. As Eight Ball says, Decidedly Not So.

The birthday card above right is a piece I made in 2008 called Far, Near. I do not always completely understand the narratives in my visual work, but this one seemed to be saying that at times life is a long dusty journey, at others it's all joyous, shiny and comfy. Whatever. I still like the way it looks; I mean the life and the collage.

What will I do to celebrate my birthday? Glad you asked. First, I am composing this birthday card. Then, I am going to yoga class with my wife, AKA, Darling Girl or DG. If you don't think that's a great present in itself, you have not been paying attention here.

The piece above right is called "7." I just gave it to my great friend, Kitty, who has been a huge supporter of my modest attempts in the studio. She may even be able to do this move; I cannot.

Next,I am going to play tennis. I am considerably better at this than at yoga, having grown up across the street from fifty tennis courts, instead of an ashram.

Come to think of it, Forest Hills Stadium was a kind of spiritual center for me, and it's hard not to think about it on my birthday. Please indulge me.

After that, I am going to the beach. I made the "card" on the right, called Island Time, after a trip to Harbour Island (BRI) in 2008. It is currently in a private collection (Okay, I gave it to my daughter). Although I will not be going to the beach at BRI today, I am incapable of sitting on any beach without thinking about that one. No offense, but please don't try to find it.

Then, to top off the day, I am going to slowly roast a lamb on my trusty Weber, then finish it off in the oven. I will serve it with the magic chimichurri sauce, which I made yesterday, according to the nearly sacred process as described by Francis Mallmann in his book, Seven Fires. 

These times are not for timid people. The world intrudes upon our personal lives and our personal/family lives impact the world. We mistake recklessness for risk and, suddenly, millions are unemployed and pelicans take an oil bath. While looking into our TV, cell phone, and computer screens for big answers to big questions, it would be good to note that we still drive our huge hulks into town to buy a weenie and generally try to trade two seconds ahead of our neighbors. 

The Speaker of The House, Thomas "Tip" O'Neill, once famously said, "All politics are local." My birthday-corollary to that is, " All politics are local, but all local politics are now global."

At 62 or 26, we would do well, I think, to remember that as we continue along, Far and Near.

Ed Note:  All collages shown, Copyrighted by RareBurghers Studio. If you would like to have  a 5 min. tour of Forest Hills Gardens, please go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSVbqroIL2w

We highly recommend Seven Fires by Francis Mallman to anyone who wants to make chimichurri or to cook a steak perfectly, which to say, medium-rare. The collage pictured above, Imagine, really is in a private collection.