by Marty Coleman | Mar 12, 2019 | Born Day - 2013 |
I drew the drawing and wrote the commentary 6 years ago today. Still true.
Vicious vs Kind
We in the western developed world are not usually reminded so viciously of death as they are where disease and war ravage nations with impunity.
We are also lucky in that birthdays are the kindest way of setting in front of us our own march to mortality, that we will die.
Depression vs Cake
Sound depressing? Yes and no. Yes, we will die and that thought can be a bummer. But then again no, because it also tells us that while we are alive we should eat the dang cake already! The cake may be a real cake, but it can also be a metaphorical cake.
Eat from life, take a hold of what you want, or stretch out your hand and reach for it until you can take hold. It won’t always be there, YOU won’t always be there. Don’t wait.
Drawing and commentary © 2019 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
Quote by Jo Brand, 1957 – not dead yet, English comedian
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 16, 2013 | Born Day - 2013 |
Yes, it’s two for one this week. Caitlin AND Linda both have birthdays. Now you know why it’s Happy Born Day week!
To Linda on Her Birthday
Linda took a trip,
Around the sun this year.
She didn’t try to hide,
She faced it without fear.
She’s taken the trip before,
More than a few.
And since it can’t be helped,
She tries to enjoy the view.
It isn’t always easy,
She wouldn’t mind if it didn’t change.
But she knows that’s not happening,
So she tries to stretch her range.
And that is what I love,
Because I know it’s hard,
That she does her very best,
And has come so very far.
She embraces that the new,
Will always be right here.
She knows that she can take it,
And embrace it far or near.
________________
Happy Birthday to Linda!
Love, Marty
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 15, 2013 | Born Day - 2013 |
I must admit, it’s day #5 of Happy Born Day week!
First, a Question
I want your opinion on this. What do you think of these two elements, a woman sometimes not wanting to admit her age and a man often not acting his? Is it as gender based as the quote states? Are you the opposite, a woman who doesn’t act her age or a man who lies about his? How did that come about? Think about it, read my take on it, and let me know what your take on it is, ok?
My Age Confession
I find myself sometimes not wanting to admit my age, which is 58 as of 2013. Then other times I take great pride in it. Sometimes it’s due to the audience. If I am talking to the runners I coach I readily admit my age because I want them to see that age is not an excuse to not be fit. But if I am talking to professionals in my arena of business I sometimes think twice because I worry that they might see me as too old to participate in a discussion about parenting for example, or a panel about social media, since, given my age, I might be out of the loop on those things.
But the truth is I have set it up so I couldn’t hide my age if I wanted. My birthday is out in the world, when the moment arrives for me to divulge my age I do so with minimal hesitation, even if I do have a bit of worry. It takes one more thing out of my ‘worry equations’ early on and I can get on with the business at hand. What happens happens.
The First Lie
I wrote that confession above so you would know I am not thinking it is only women who don’t like to admit their age at times. But it is true that overall I find women are much more likely to hesitate about saying their age. Why is that and does it really matter? I think it matters a bit. I would like to think I have an honest enough relationship with whatever woman I am talking to that if the matter of her, or my, age comes up we would just say it and move on. But, while I would prefer to know the truth, it isn’t, in most cases, a crucial element in the relationship.
The Second Lie
But what about men? A woman might say she is 45 and actually be 50. But a man who IS 45 but acts 20 is inflicting a far more grievous offense on whoever he is relating to. Why is that? Because he looks 45 and can pretend to be emotionally or developmentally 45, but in truth he is acting. His true age, his true development, was stunted at age 20 and over time he is going to act 20 quite often.
Buyer Beware
What does that mean? It means ‘buyer beware’. This sounds terrible crude and cruel to put the onus on the woman to find out a man’s true emotional and developmental age, but it is the truth. A woman has to be in a relationship long enough and with a clear enough mind to be able to discern who is this guy, really? Not what does he look like, or what job he holds, but what age does he act? If a woman wants a baby who she needs to clean up after, who is constantly making a mess of his own life and the lives of those he should be watching over, then she should choose one of those developmentally stunted men. But how many women REALLY want that man? Not many.
The Triple Play Trap
So why do so many women end up with those men? I think it’s because they are either thinking all men are like that, they think it’s part of the devil’s bargain they have to make to be ‘taken care of’ or they think the man will change once they are married. None of those reasons are very good ones if you ask me.
The Questions Revisited
Once again, here are my questions to you: What do you think of these two elements, a woman sometimes not wanting to admit her age and a man often not acting his? Is it as gender based as the quote states? Are you the opposite, a woman who doesn’t act her age or a man who lies about his? How did that come about?
______________
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who once lied about his height by one inch and got busted on a first date.
Quote by Anonymous
______________
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 14, 2013 | Blair Sobel, Born Day - 2013 |
Don’t act like you didn’t know day #4 of Happy Born Day week wasn’t upon you!
Born
We are born and our parents instinctively know we are like them in many ways, even as a crinkly naked newborn. But we don’t know that. We spend our youth discovering we are individuals. We grow into young adults striving to create our own identity. We spend our 20s promising ourselves we will not be like our parents in many ways.
Born Again
Then we turn 30, or maybe it’s some other age, but there is that moment when you realize you are your parents. Slightly modified, slightly mutated, slightly taller, slightly smarter, slightly healthier. But even with all those slightlies you realize you so essentially consist of who they are that to try to deny it is futile.
Born Again Again
And then something more dramatic happens. You realize once again that you aren’t your parents. You have them in you, but you aren’t them. You can decide to not drink so much. You can decide to be a better parent, or make more money, or be out in nature more. You can decide to be like them or not, depending on if you like who they are or not. You are not gripped by the genome as tight as you might think. You can retain, discard, expand, modify. It’s within your control. Keep the best, get rid of the rest.
Born
And all the while you are going through that process, your kids are repeating it in front of your eyes. Life happens that way.
________________
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who is the son of Skeets and Lee Coleman.
Quote by Blair Sabol, a very interesting character – Read up on her.
Blair Sabol by Wayne Thiebaud – Oil on canvas – 1965
__________________
Here’s a picture of the Comet I took last night.
_____________________
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 13, 2013 | Born Day - 2013 |
To Caitlin at Twenty Three
Ten years after the gift,
Caitlin is Twenty Three.
The gift of a daughter late,
Added to the family tree.
Entwined with the woman I love,
She stole my heart with sincerity.
An unexpected inheritance,
She gave my life new clarity.
Giving me happy days,
Keeping me on my toes.
Listening to her dreams,
Watching as she grows.
Her heart is good and thoughtful,
Considerate and kind.
She’s strong and determined,
With a complex mind.
I love her for herself,
Spirit, emotion, smart.
I love her for her gift,
of a wonderful, loving heart.
Happy Birthday Caitlin – 3/13/13
M
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 12, 2013 | Born Day - 2013, Jo Brand |
Any way you slice it, today is day #2 of Happy Born Day week!
Vicious vs Kind
We in the western developed world are not usually reminded so viciously of death as they are where disease and war ravage nations with impunity.
We are lucky in that birthdays are the kindest way of setting in front of us our own march to mortality, that we will die.
Depression vs Cake
Sound depressing? Yes and no. Yes, we will die and that thought can be a bummer. But then again no, because it also tells us that while we are alive we should eat the dang cake already! The cake may be a real cake, but it can also be a metaphorical cake.
Eat from life, take a hold of what you want, or stretch out your hand and reach for it until you can take hold. It won’t always be there, YOU won’t always be there. Don’t wait.
______________
Drawing and commentary © 2019 Marty Coleman | napkindad.com
Quote by Jo Brand, 1957 – not dead yet, English comedian
______________
Physiology question from yesterday answered
Question: How many years does it take for your body to create an entirely new skeleton?
Answer: It takes 7 years for a whole new set of cells to replace the prior set of cells that make up your skeleton.
Geography question from yesterday answered
Question: What country has the longest living humans, on average (life expectancy)?
Answer: the Principality of Monaco in Europe. The average age people live to is 89 years. The second highest average is found in the island nation of Macau, where the average is 84 years.
Monaco
________________
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by Marty Coleman | Mar 11, 2013 | Born Day - 2013, Satchel Paige |
It’s the birth of BORN DAY week!
The Old Were Once Young, Perhaps.
Have you ever met someone you felt was never young? They are the ones who have always been old looking, acting, thinking and/or doing? I have. Most people who seem to be old before their time were probably young once. They probably played in the mud, built forts out of cushions and tried to get around the entire house without touching the floor because it was lava.
These Kids Today
But you would never know it from looking at or hearing them speak now. What do they look like now? They look like someone so contained, so prim and proper, that you can’t imagine them without a business suit on, or without a scowl on their face. They are concerned with everything being seen as perfect; nothing garish or loud or too funny or possibly controversial. They won’t like anything that culturally came after they were about 15 years old. They won’t approve of the youth today, even if they are among the youth of today. They will put great emphasis on doing the right thing, and the right thing will always be something that rocks no boats and ruffles no feathers. Nothing should stand out and if it does they will make sure the world knows it is not approved of.
It’s not the gradual aging that brings wisdom, love and an ironic smile about how life is. It’s the premature aging that comes from judgment, fear and moral self-righteousness. It’s ugly and depressing to see. It’s bad enough to be around a person like that, it must be torture to actually be someone like that.
Remembering Forward
Do you want to avoid that? Then remember back and remember forward. Remember back to your youth. The world did not collapse when you acted like a 10 year old. Why? because you WERE a 10 year old and that was ok. Many of the things a 10 year old did had nothing to do with right and wrong, it had to do with joy. Joy in discovery, make believe, humor, laughter and silliness. And then remember forward to right before your death and let’s pretend that moment is right now. What will you regret? Laughing and playing and being silly with your friends? I doubt it. I bet you will regret NOT doing those things when you had the chance.
____________
Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman, who acts younger than he is and is proud of it.
Quote by Satchel Paige, who pitched in Major League Baseball until he was in his 60s (or so they say, he never really did know his exact birthday).
____________
Physiology Question of the Day
How many years does it take for your body to create an entirely new skeleton?
Geography Question of the Day
What country has the longest living humans on average?
Come back tomorrow for the answers
____________
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