Skip to main content

Birthday Ramblings on 28

Well, it's my birthday. And yes, I too hear Fifty Cents, "In Da Club" when I wrote that statement. "Go, go, go, shawty, it's yo birthday, we gon' party like it's yo birthday!" Nonetheless, yours truly is one year older, and one year wiser (I think?) at the age of twenty-eight years old. 

In the past two years, I've had the posts of "What Does (Fill in Age Here) Mean?" (What Does 26 Mean?) (What Does 27 Mean?) Quite frankly, I didn't want to go that route this year for the age of twenty eight. And the truth is, I'm not sure if I could if I wanted to. 

Twenty-eight feels awesome. It really does. It still hasn't hit me as of yet, but when it does, I'm not sure if I will have the same amount of life convictions the way I did about the previous two years. I can pose the same question this year - what does 28 mean? -  and instead, literally be searching for answer myself.

Maybe twenty eight has no meaning. It's just what it is. Just another year. Or maybe it's just an extension of 27? A small part of an entire period that leads until the next big step of 30. I don't Know. I really don't, as I'm going on the fly here. Something that could be, and has proven to be highly dangerous for the DP. 

Whatever it is, today as I sit here and punch the keys the way I have over the past few years on May 25ths (New Beginnings), each year having distinct checkpoints in my life, I literally have nothing to focus on in my life. Instead, I sit here and think about my family, my friends, and my wonderful wife. 

Maybe in the wake of watching coverage of the devastation left behind after those wicked tornadoes ran through Moore, Oklahoma, self-evaluation feels shameful. Self-evaluation feels small. Self evaluation feels like it's over-thinking it all. And reacting with the heart is the best evaluation, solution, and reaction to any devastation or situation. You know, the way Kevin Durant did.

[Side Blog: I find it weird that two years ago when I turned 26, the recent tornadoes and devastation in Joplin, Missouri forced similar thoughts on my birthday.]

[Side, Side Blog: How awesome was the donation and efforts of Kevin Durant? Donating $1 Million for tornado relief is such an inspirational offer, not to mention the time he took to visit the site, meet those greatly affected, and has offered to return as well. Much kudos to KD!] 

At twenty-eight, maybe it's a realization that even with thirty on the horizon, certain expectations from life really are insignificant and small. Like the inevitable comparison of your existing life to that of what you projected life to be at this point back when you were twenty one, because you know, you had it all figured out back then. After all, didn't we all?

Or heck, maybe like that confidence-crushing-comparison of your life to others at that point in time. Since we all fall for the grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side syndrome from time-to-time. 

Sometimes, a birthday, a celebration, an age, can be as simple as what it is. Another year on this earth. Another year of being blessed. 

Can 28 be as simple as count your blessings and celebrate life?

I think it very much is. 

Happy Birthday to me...and to all of you, belated or coming, as well.

Recently Read Posts

A Product of Us: Thoughts on Durant Trade

I said back in July when Kevin Durant rocked the NBA world with his trade request, that he "showed us who he was".  It wasn't a negative comment, but one that encompasses his entire career being a product of our current sport climate - success and focus on legacy. We emphasize the value of a career on rings, and thus, Durant has too. Why wouldn't he?!  Upon waking up and realizing that Durant will don the purple and orange for the Phoenix Suns in what is clearly now a team to watch come the NBA Playoffs, I find myself further pondering if Kevin Durant is the prime result of what we - yes, us! - have done to the modern athlete.  Today, Durant is one of the greatest basketball players I've ever seen. EVER. The dude is rare. He's a seven-foot magician which makes defending him even more difficult based on how damn efficient he is on the basketball court. It's downright poetic and beautiful to watch Durant play. And yes, I'm romanticizing his game. I belie

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 3/19/23

3 Up 1. Migrant Help - So much is facing our nation right now. The Migrant crisis is one of them. For me - and again, just me - as I know how easy narratives are to roll right into personal politics these days, you rarely hear about solutions. It wasn't a huge story this week, but it definitely impacted me. We need more of this.  2. College Athletics - From March Madness and so many upsets along with the new landscape of college athletics taking shape, to the NCAA Wrestling Championships - this week was fun. Shout out to Caitlyn Clark who continues to be awesome. Farleigh Dickinson making history. And Matt Ramos gave us the biggest shock of the year - pinning 3-time National Champion, Spencer Lee.  3. World Baseball Classic - People seriously think "no one cares about this tournament". Like, really? The WBC alone is awesome. At the very core of it, I'd take this over Spring Training any year.  3 Down 1. Big Tech Layoffs - Big Tech continues to downsize, with this wee

CM Punk's Return - Perfect Timing for the Symbol of Anti-WWE

Looooooooook in my eyes, what do you see?! The lyrics to Cult of Personality, especially that first bar,  never felt so fitting for CM Punk as it did last night.  For the most part, everything that is CM Punk's return to wrestling last night at AEW Rampage ties directly into my latest thoughts on pro wrestling - the company is making it must-see destination television, an element desperately needed from pro wrestling.  Last night was incredible as again, it was another moment that made wrestling feel alive - with a wild and energetic pulse. It was one of the coolest moments in pro wrestling that you knew was coming, expected, anticipated, and it was everything and more. Again, MUST-SEE television. That's hard to do.  For me, it wasn't just Punk's return to pro wrestling, but the mere presence and voice of his inclusion in today's space. We know that Punk can deliver on the microphone - probably his best and most signature attribute. We also know that yes, he can

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 3/26/23

3 Up 1. Aid Workers Freed - After six years of captivity, an American aid worker who served as a missionary and as a humanitarian aid worker was freed in Niger. The story is one that surely places life in perspective.  2. Shoehei Ohtani - Ohtani sure is fun on the big stage, huh? MLB has one of the most entertaining athletes on the globe. Let's hope they can capitalize on that.  2a. Team Japan - I won't get into the wars of baseball here, but it sure was fun to watch Japan's approach to baseball throughout the tournament. There's a lot to be said about how they play the game, more so, how they teach the game.  2c. World Baseball Classic - Ohtani vs. Trout to end the tournament. You couldn't have drawn up a better script. I completely expect the next one to be just as good.  3. Adam Sandler - Say what you want about Sandler - fan or not - receiving the Mark Twain Prize for his almost-three decades of work is pretty remarkable. I actually had the privilege to meet Sa