43 degrees on May 16th sucks. We bought Cubs tickets for yesterday afternoon. I believed mid-May would have cleared the sleet and snow. I imagined myself coatless, drinking beer in the sunshine. I trusted that we had endured enough crap weather this winter that May would bring flowers… mega bouquets of them. NAH! On Thursday, I talked to Joel and we cancelled the Cubs plan. We assessed the weather forecast and our personal comfort. We decided we were at that age where we’d rather lose the money than go and pretend to be having fun in the shivery gloom.
Joel’s aging comment is still resonating with me. He said, “I’m 44 and you’re 50. We don’t need to spend the afternoon drinking in a bar.” I agreed with him in theory. I didn’t want to spend a cold, rainy Friday afternoon drinking in a Wrigleyville bar. Did I?
I’ve decided there are some things that I might be too old for in theory. In practice, I still relish the youthful idea of it and sometimes the actuality of it. Here’s my list of things I’m too old for that I still enjoy:
*Gas money: My dad lovingly tucked 40 bucks under my rental keys last weekend. Oh, and I took it.
*Christmas: I love the carols, the twinkling lights, the general merriment. It’s the beauty of the season for me. I only gift exchange with a few folks. So, instead of stressful shopping for the perfect gifts, I bask in the joy of the holiday hoopla.
*My Birthday: You’d think after 50 of them I wouldn’t make such a big deal. Yet, I treat my birthday like an annual festival. I celebrate it spectacularly!
*Cookies: My dessert of choice is a good cookie. Given a plethora of scrumptious options, I’d choose the cookie.
*Barefoot: I prefer my feet naked. I never have shoes on at home. I love the idea of walking barefoot in the grass or dangling my feet in the water.
*Animated Movies: I do enjoy a good Disney or Pixar flick. I don’t necessarily wait to see one with a niece or nephew either. I’ll watch it by myself and laugh or cry at these cartoon characters as if they are real.
*Young Adult Books/Films: Harry Potter or the Hunger Games… I read them all and watched the movies numerous times. My imagination believes there is a rebellion out there for me to lead.
*Home: I still refer to my parents‘ house as home. I love my place in Chicago and certainly call it my home in my hometown. Still, when I say ‘I’m going home for the weekend,‘ I’m talking about seeing my parents. Of any place in the entire world, I feel most loved and taken care of in their house, our home.
As I was going home from a play last night, I rode the bus with party revelers. Their nights were just beginning at 10pm. Mine was satisfyingly ending. Although I know I’m too old to start my evening at 10pm, I also know if Joel and I had gone to the Cubs game, we might still be out. I do love a good time with good people at every age.