Eleven More Days

I turn 40 soon. I have been asked what I want for my birthday from a couple of people. The answer is I have no idea. I am pretty lucky, in that if I want something, I just buy it. If it is an expensive item, I save up for it then I just get it. I definitely spoil myself (and hopefully I spoil Joyce as well.) My logic is that I work my ass off and I should enjoy the fruits of my labor with tangible goods that I can actually see and touch.

So, there is nothing I really need. (Yes, I know how lucky I am.) I think I am an easy person to buy gifts for. Anything with a Cub’s logo on it and I am happy. I love music so an I Tunes gift card is always nice. But, I really don’t want or expect a bunch of gifts. I have never been a gift guy. I like giving them but always feel guilty when I get them. (Damn that Catholic upbringing.) So, if anyone reading this is thinking about getting me something, I would rather you just come out for a beer with me on my pubcrawl.

As far as my 40^th birthday pizza challenge it has had to be a tad modified. I am going out of town for work next week so, I will begin things on Friday the 19^th. I am going to Gino’s East for my brother’s graduation gala. On Saturday before the pubcrawl we were going to meet at Palermo’s. But we are now meeting at Top Notch so, I will have to grab some Palermo’s for lunch instead. On Sunday I will fit in some Fasano's at my Aunt’s house after the Cub game.

Monday I am leaning towards The Villa in Bridgeview. Tuesday then seems like a Little Frank’s day. Wednesday I am going to try to talk the wife into a trip to Vito and Nick’s on Pulaski. That leaves Thursday and a trip to Lou Malnotti’s.

After that week I am thinking I will not want to eat pizza for at least a month. I am going to try to see how long I can go without my favorite food. I want to make it 6 months if I can but it will be hard as I am a pizza junkie.

I also decided to take a week off from running. I have been running pretty much non-stop since October and think I deserve a one week vacation. I will start back up once my birthday week is over with the plan to get in shape for a 10K. I am looking for one to run in the fall.

Other then that I am looking at this milestone with a big shrug of the shoulders. I certainly don’t feel forty. Sure, I can’t drink and eat like I did 20 years ago and I don’t spend my Saturday nights out drinking myself stupid at places like Durbins. I have a mortgage and responsibilities. I also know that I have a person I share my life with and have to consider her in any big decision I make.

I am in a pretty good place. In this economy my job is pretty solid and I am happily married. I have a nice roof over my head and have a great family and friends that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I always like to reminisce to my early 20’s and think back to that being the best times of my life. Now, I am not so sure. I have a pretty sweet setup now and hopefully my 4^th decade will be filled with as much good times as the first three.