Happy Birthday To Me

Ahh it's my birthday today. And it's a milestone birthday at that. You would never know it from the way I was nonchalant about today, as if it were simply just another day. So intent was I to downplay today that I turned off the ability for anyone to put a post on my Facebook profile. I don't know why I did that really, I think it's because I didn't want someone like a Karl making age jokes or something. Still people were DMing me all day, or sending texts, or sending me messages on LinkedIn and I would be lying if I didn't say I didn't appreciate the attention. Still acting like this day was like any other meant that I had to do another Town Hall this morning, this time just for the FRB folks. We sort of left them out of the road show a month ago and they do deserve some attention too. Even as I had to remind the Data Team that this was mandatory and they needed to attend. Anyway, right after that I had to meet with them anyway and so safe to say I was pretty tied up all morning. And then in the afternoon, I got a note from Mar Vista Elementary letting me know I needed to bring a note in order to clear Johnnie to come back to school, whenever that may be. That kicked an urgency tick within me I think because next thing you know I'm making appointments for Covid testing (they told me I needed for him to have a negative test this week in order to get a day pass) and then at Cedars-Sinai. When I couldn't get one for the latter, I thought I'd try the Teladoc option. I keep espousing telehealth in my own company, why not for this one? And true enough I got an appointment really easily and within 15 minutes, got Johnnie a note that it was ok for him to go back to school. I was perfectly ok holding him out all this week. After all, he gets Friday to Tuesday off anyway with the Labor Day Weekend and Rosh Hashanna coming up. But now that i have a note, I think it is perfectly ok to let him go back to school tomorrow. And so I told him that and he seemed not to care one way or the other. He was in play mode that's why. And he wanted to play baseball this afternoon. He is definitely growing taller and stronger. And this afternoon, he was swatting the pitches I threw him, even those I threw overhead and with some velocity. Like the harder I threw to hit, the easier time he had hitting them. And he was really proud of himself too. He's going to end up being a better athlete than we could have imagined I think. Hmmm. Anyway we did have a good time hanging out in the afternoon. I gave him lots of schoolwork exercises too, he had to finish his worksheets Ms Hwang gave him and he had to finish his collage. The damn thing that set Lisa off last week LOL. By evening, he had a full day. Look at the pic of him relaxing. We had to do one more thing this evening. I had to get him a long-sleeved shirt since the doctor recommended that and long pants if he were going to school tomorrow in order to minimize the scratching. He said that might continue for a little while but that he was no longer contagious. Honestly I simply didn't want to push it considering the heightened awareness to anything that might be infectious these days. And so it was that I did get my wish, if in my heart of hearts my wish was to be left alone on my birthday or simply to treat this day like any other. Of course it wasn't though. And as a final surprise, my mom even FaceTimed me in the evening wishing me a Happy Birthday. Johnnie was around of course so it was more like grandma talking to grandson telling him how big he is now and how handsome he is. This after he had made a mess spilling water all over the living room floor and all over himself for whatever reason. All that to say I ended up being so distracted that I never got around to giving Claire her Wednesday evening bath. Instead we all went to bed early. Or should I say I let Johnnie go to bed and I stayed up a bit in the living room and did some introspection of this birthday. I had enough direct messages and texts to know I was remembered and that was already pretty good. I thought about the value I create at work and the value I create for others in general and I think I'm ok even with the latter. And still I know I could do more. My thoughts are a lot on retirement of course and I've already gotten past minimum asset required. Now it's just a matter of making sure money never runs out. I'm good to go. As birthdays go I was simply happy to have spent the day with my son and that we had another good day together.  Nothing more I could have asked for. Happy Birthday to me :)