Today, April 28, is my birthday.
I cannot believe that I am 57 years old today.
To celebrate the occasion, I took the day off from work, but I won't be lounging around today.
I have some work to do related to my son's future that I really don't have time to do if I am at work, so it all worked out that I took today off.
But rather than not provide a Rant for the day, I figured that I would rerun one. What I said a year ago pretty much still holds true, so here is what I said, in edited form, a year ago about my birthday.
"It seems the years have gone fast.
My mother has often told me that as a young child, I was clearly "Larry the Menace," getting into everything and being a real pain in the butt.
She has told me a story that one time, she was shopping with me, and visibly pregnant with my sister, who was born at the tail end of 1959. I was so bad that she was standing on line to check out, and another woman actually had the nerve to say to her, "And you want another child?"
I could swear that only yesterday, I was playing in the mud in the grime of my old stomping grounds in Rochdale Village, South Jamaica Queens, New York.
Even though I haven't lived in New York City since 1971, I am a city kid at heart, always will be.
The suburbs have been my home since then, but you can take the kid out of the city, but you can't take the city out of the kid.
Fast forward all these years, and I have several layers of education under my belt, married (twice), have two kids, and a halfway decent job.
Looking back five years, one of the most tumultuous times of my life played out back then, and I prefer where I am now.
On April 24, my car died after being on life support for several months.
On April 25, I bought a new car.
On April 27, I had horrible pains in my stomach, and was rushed to the hospital.
On April 28, I had gall bladder surgery, the best birthday present I ever gave to myself.
Wow, what a ride it has been.
And I plan on being here many more years.
I just had my physical, and other than being a bit overweight and having some minor cholesterol issues, I am fit as a fiddle.
I have a great wife, a great family, so why complain?
So happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear Larry, happy birthday to me ...."
UPDATE: Things remain pretty good at the Lapka household.
We are looking forward to our son's imminent graduation from high school, and the question is, what is he going to do afterward? He is not going to college, has a disability that we are trying to get backup for, and he is really like any high school senior, ready to take on the world.
And today, I will be filling out some forms and making some phone calls to make sure that he is able to do just that.
I received some wonderful gifts from my parents, my aunt, my wife and my kids, so everything has been taken care of for today.
Once I am done with the important stuff, maybe I can relax today, but right now, I am revved up and ready to go.
So you have a nice day, I will be back with an original column tomorrow, and I do look forward to the next 57 years on this earth, I really do!
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