Amazing.. I’m writing this as a 49 year old.. by the time I post it I’ll be 50 . What a long strange trip it’s been, too !. I’m humbled to be crossing a threshold that I have imagined since I was a little kid. I clearly remember thinking about the year I’d turn 50.. what would be possible ? what would still be impossible ? How would I feel ? etc.. and now.. it will be like any other day thats ever been .. I’m trying to decide if 50 years went by in the blink of an eye.. or dragged on. I have to say that I think the time has passed about just right. With the terrible exception of Sam’s passing. I would do it all in over again…. every decision, every good or bad break… in a heartbeat. Even with that unbearable loss, I feel blessed in my life. ThroughSam’s passing I have develoeped a deeper view of the course of our lives. Maybe that’s why this birthdate doesnt feel so much like a milestone in my mortality.. What difference does it make if you life 5 years, or 50 or a hundered. We all return to the same source..
I want to take this moment to thank all of you who have been with me somewhere along my path in the past 50 years. you’ve give to me and made me what I am.. and for that I am truly grateful. Thank you ! Thanks you, Thank you !
OK.. enough philosophy.. here are soem pictures from our wonderfull dayt in San Fransisco.. Diane and I spent the day quietly together… it was wonderful and memorable. It began with me assembling a ‘spud gun’ in our hotel room..with the windows open to dissipate the smell of the glue.
Diane and I then went for a run dow n by the piers.. It was beutiful and wonderful running. We got to see soem great civic art..
But alas, Gabe.. no skateboarding !
We came across a marker to teh first settlement in SF.. It was dedicated to Saint Francis of Asisi He’s always been a hero of mine.. after growing up at St. Francis Church in Houston Tx.
Diane and I decided to run up Telelgraph hill.. We loved the tangle of old building up there.. We also really loved the gardens.
The view from on top of the hill was really wonderful !
Dinae and I then spent the resot of the moring in our hotel room, doing yoga, and discussing the fe remaing trouble charts in my talk.. She’s been so much help to me ! We finally filled up our brains on my subject, so we chose to take another walk. .. We went up through the Yerba Buena center.. It was beautiful…
We found a great reflecting pool up there and decided to place a Samstone there.. no one saw…
Aroud 5 I had to head downstairs and do a full rehersal on my talk … It went pretty well, though we got a bit of a late start.
I’m still very nervous about tomorrows talk.. but after todays dry run.. I feel pretty good. I’ll let you all know how it goes.
We ended the day with a really wonderful italian dinner with Larry and Leah . Larry started the dinner converstion with his sotry about fyling down to Tampa to see the super bowl.. He always has to make arraingements at games to make sure his wheel chair will fit.. This time the ball club almost shafted him.. they gave away all the accesible seating.. so Larry was left holding superbowl tickets.. but no superbowl seating.. he took it up with the NFL.. In the end , he and daughter Hannah got 50 yardline tickets with the likes of Martha Stewert and ‘Dwight’ from the office.
Dinner was wonderful
as was catching up with Larry and Leah. I was particulalry interested to hear abotu Leah’s progress on getting some of her kids book manuscripts publshed It really sounds like’s it’s just a matter of time
OK.. I’m statting to fall asleep now. 30 min until my birthday.. and I plan on being already asleep. My talk is tomorrow monring.. I hope it goes well.. Euther way.. it will be doen by this time tomorrow..
Again.. hanks to all of you who’ve made this 50 years meaningful and important.. I look forward to working/living with you for another 50 ..
Good night everyone.. Good night Sam
Happy birthday to me !
me
