Reflections

[actor61]

Today is my 65th birthday and proof that I've crossed the line into old age is the Medicare card I've had in my wallet since I received it at the beginning of the month. I don't feel 65 and I'm told I don't look 65 but there's no escaping that I'm 65. I was an actor with a successful - meaning I worked steadily - career for 40 years, then became a professor in the Theatre Arts Department of a very big university. I retired at 60 and slowly tried to resume my performing career. Auditioning has been torture. I live in a major theatre city and the competition is hefty, even for actors of a "certain age." But last Monday, I got a call offering me a lovely role in Love's Labour's Lost for a major regional company, so my persistence has paid off. And I'm thrilled.

 

I'm healthy, pretty happy, financially secure, although I have to be careful, and have a family who loves me. My partner died 20 years ago and I've felt his absence every day of my life. What makes me saddest is growing old without him. He was vital, funny, affectionate, smart and hung like a horse. I'm not being facetious. I miss all of him, including his gorgeous dick and what he could do with it! I've been almost completely celibate since his passing and I miss sex. But my celibacy is of my own doing, so it would be hypocritical to complain about it.

 

The world is a mess but it has always been a mess. When I was a teenager, there was the Viet Nam war. I escaped the draft but had friends who weren't as lucky. Now, we have Iraq, Afganhistan and an inept, incompetent, stupid president but we've had stupid presidents before and survived. The glory of our system is that we can vote them out.

 

What has astounded me as I've grown older is how much more open and accepting and smart the new generation is. Sure, they're glued to their cell phones, and use the word "like" until I want to puke, but among my students I never saw overt racism, homophobia, contempt for the handicapped or condemnation of a religion that wasn't their own. When I was "coming up", as the expression goes, I had to hide my homosexuality. There were landlords who wouldn't rent to openly gay people, and employers who wouldn't hire them. All of that seems to have been justly swept into the trash heap and I'm astonished and grateful that the world has become saner in that respect. Women are still the most oppressed and that has to change. When morons like Bill O'Reilly can comment on a woman's looks instead of her substance and get away with it, we're still in trouble. Our president mocked Ted Cruz's wife, Carly Fiorina's appearance and of course bragged about grabbing pussies on the infamous Access Hollywood tape, and until that kind of attitude and thinking are wiped out, we can't call ourselves a just society.

 

I still take 4 dance classes a week and sometimes moan that I can't execute a particular step because of my age causing me to slow down. A very wise instructor said to me last week, "then do a different step!" And that is my new philosophy. I'm 65 - I have earned the right to do a different step.

 

I wish all of you who also mark another year's passage today a wonderful day and as much joy, success, health and love as I possess.

 

Happy Birthday to us!

[+ MostlyLurking]

If somebody will tell me how, I'll post a picture of the Medicake with which I celebrated my 65th, five years ago.

[+ glennnn]

I love your spirit. I was also a theater guy and it warms me to hear that your talent and experience are being utilized. I hope our paths cross somewhere (Palm Springs?) I would like to meet you. Keep treading those boards and break a leg in LLL, Shakespeare's timeless comedy.

[Mydavid]

Today is my 65th birthday

Happy birthday!

[gallahadesquire]

Happy Returns of the Day!

[N13]

Loved your post! Many, many, many happy returns!

[+ bashful]

Happy Birthday. Your instructor is wise. New to all this, I guess you would say I doing a different step too. Thanks for your post.

[+ nycman]

I still take 4 dance classes a week and sometimes moan that I can't execute a particular step because of my age causing me to slow down.

A very wise instructor said to me last week, "then do a different step!"

 

Very Wise indeed!

 

Thank you for your beautiful post and Happy Birthday!

[EZEtoGRU]

Great post. Congrats on your milestone!!

 

The thread title caused me to remember this song: