End of my 30s

Hi everyone! I'm now 40 years and 2 days old, and on that day, I decided it was time for me to do what I can to manifest all the joy within me.

So, today, and from here forward, I've decided to post at least one positive wonderful thing that happens to me every day - so I can look back on all the small things.

I wanted to start on my 40th, so (though I'm 2 days late), I'll begin there.

Frankly, I was feeling pretty depressed at the idea of turning the big 4-0, and taking stock of all the things I haven't done in my life, all the regrets, all the paths I hadn't taken. But, thanks to my room-mate and friends, I wound up putting together a small picnic up in the park in front of my house (Inwood Hill).

I had a meeting in Brooklyn, where (coincidentally) there was a good friend from my last job. I still remember the first time I really talked with her - she told me about living off the grid in the back country of Michigan and roasting a (roadkill) beaver over an open fire to eat. How cool is that?!

So, funnily enough, though I came into the meeting feeling a bit anxious and sorry for myself - I wound up seeing a warm, familiar face. After that, I went around the Brooklyn Botanical Garden: beautiful. For the first time, I looked carefully at Hydrangeas, realizing that the four little petals are like parasols above actual flowers bursting with pollen-filled stamens. Then, I accompanied another friend back to the city.

We passed a place on 23rd called "Party City", and she dragged me in to buy goofy stuff for my 40th picnic. One irresistible purchase (her present to me)... was a giant inflatable Tiki cooler, which we promised to each other would see at least 30 uses before its demise!

And so, despite myself, I started feeling excited about my birthday.

Now, with only 2 days to go, only a few people had responded... but thy represented a wonderful cross section of folks from my life - AND - though inside I often feel like I'm disconnected from New York, I found that, in fact, there are lots of people I care about here.

In the darkness of an impending thunderstorm, Jim and I ran around the park devising a scavenger hunt - and after the clouds passed, it was sublimely beautiful - bright green against the grey of the sky, with golden light shining through and illuminating the brick buildings near the park.

We noticed (for the first time) that many of our streets have two names - Seaman Avenue, for example, is 'Tommy Dowd' way. Suspecting that most of these streets are named after Inwood folks who died in 911, we then went to the 911 memorial, and finally to a great burger dinner at the crowded "Piper's Kilt".

Then back to the apartment for cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning. And thus ended my last decade here.