Blastoff.

Well.

Here we are.  It happened.  I'm 40.  There were no fireworks at midnight, no champagne while standing on the deck of my fabulous yacht, no confetti.

Not that I REALLY expected that, of course.

One of the things that comes with a 40th birthday is the recognition that the day usually proceeds the way most days do - quickly and without too much drama.  We'll still have lessons here at Ottwork Academy (Yes, we do call it that.  And we have a logo.  The t-shirts are on the way.)  I'll still scoop cat poop out of the litter box and clean up spilled chocolate milk and macaroni and cheese.  But I'll do so with the full wisdom of the ages.

Oh, shut up.  I know it's not all that old, but I do get a little star in the wisdom pin, don't I?  I've lived FOUR decades.  I realize that doesn't make me a doddering old woman, and I'm glad that it doesn't, but I can still impart some wizened truths.  

If only anyone would ask me.  

Instead they say things like, "40?  Shoot - I've got underwear older than you.  You're not old until you're 60."  Sigh.  Does that ever change?  I mean, when I'm 80 and sitting in the nursing home I can just see that there will be some 98 year old know-it-all who will insist I'm too young to know what old is.

Neverthless, I think I should share some of the tidbits of knowledge I have gleaned in my 40 years.  Here we go:

1. Always know how to operate the brakes on the bike you are riding.  You never know when there might be a parked bus down the hill.
2. Never date a boy named "Bucky."

Well - that's it, really.  You can pretty much live your life by those two principles.

And maybe these:

Smile.  Laugh.  Love.  Create.  Sing.  Dance.  Whisper. 

 Shout.  Read.  Play.  Learn.  Embrace.  Smooch.

Thanks for sharing it with me.  I promise to not endlessly obsess over 41.

Peace.