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DOF, explained

May 9, 2006

While only half-awake this morning I was reminded of my birthday by MrsDoF, who seems to think such things are of Earth-shaking importance.  But they’re not, and neither am I, though they do give opportunity to think of interesting shapes.

I like to imagine a path in space, tracked by: my small movements on our tiny planet, the planet’s rotation, its track around the sun, the sun’s movement around the center of the galaxy, and the galaxy’s movement in the universe.  Put a rather obvious starting and stopping point on that path and you have your life.  The path would form a series of spirals which themselves were segments of larger spirals that had not completed one turn during its length.  Actual non-spiral variations of the smallest spiral – the Earth’s rotation – represent what you are pleased to think of as your life story.  Heinlein fans will recognize the life-track described by Dr. Pinero in the story, Life Line.

People who know me often ask; “What’s with Decrepit Old Fool?!  You’re not old!” as if that incongruity bothered them somehow.  The fact is, the whole DOF thing started as a joke at the end of an email in which I apologized to one of my sons for something stupid I’d said.  I was literally recovering from a head injury when I named my blog after it.

But as my favorite group, Steely Dan, came to regret naming themselves after a sex-toy because they never thought they’d still be recording albums decades later, the joke is wearing thin.  I have considered starting a new blog without it.  On the other hand, I do sort of enjoy the non-serious aspect.

For the literal-minded among my friends, here is a guide to decrepitude:

Decrepit:  Somewhat.  My eyesight and hearing are both poor, my teeth fragile, memory unreliable, and there are several other health problems (details you don’t want, trust me) that I try to either manage or ignore.  My body seems to have been built during union negotiations on a Friday before vacation.  The challenge to me is to get as much out of it as I can.

Old:  Depends on your own age.  I work around college students a lot, and I am their parents’ age.  How old is “old” in absolute terms?  I am a very young-looking 49 years old today.

Fool:  OK, there’s plenty of evidence for that.  The mistakes I’ve made in life could fill a book.  But they were all boring mistakes – no cocaine addiction or involvement with the Russian Mafia. Yet.

And there you have it.  Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Categories: Personal
  1. zilch
    May 9, 2006 at 07:41 | #1

    “…no cocaine addiction or involvement with the Russian Mafia. Yet.”
    Hey, you’re still young.  Happy birthday.

  2. May 9, 2006 at 13:23 | #2

    A very Happy Birthday to you youngster!  You may be more inventive than me.  You may be better looking than me.  You may be smarter than me.  But you will never be older than me so have a great day and smile alot!

  3. May 9, 2006 at 13:41 | #3

    Happy Birthday.  You are marginally older than me, so I guess I can bask in the relative youngness (though the “fool” part seems to have hit me plenty hard at times).

    As to the name—piffle.  Change it if it bothers you, but it seems a convenient handle, and not something that strikes me as particularly evil or perjorative.  Brusquely self-deprecating, perhaps, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

  4. Les
    May 9, 2006 at 13:48 | #4

    Happy B’Day indeed! I’m a good ten years younger, but no less a fool it seems. If anything probably more so.

    In regard to the name of the blog, change it if you feel like it or leave it if you don’t. Sometimes change is good if it leaves you with a new perspective, but don’t sweat it unless you want to.

  5. May 9, 2006 at 17:49 | #5

    Happy Birthday youngster. Your just a spring chicken! But working around those college kids can make you old before your time. I back to college for the second one at 42 years old—the kids like to have drove me nuts and I was just a student!

  6. Ed
    May 10, 2006 at 06:42 | #6

    Save the name change for the big one next year. So when everyone complains you can change it back and blame it all on your reaction to the half century thing.

    Then do something you’ve always wanted to do that others would look on as kind of foolhardy.  Because sometimes you have to go a little crazy to stay sane.

    Happy Birthday, George.  Get in a good workout at day’s end and declare victory.

  7. May 10, 2006 at 11:00 | #7

    Happy birthday!  I’m just a couple of years behind you, but I got a blog comment last night from a kid who said that Lady Marmalade covered by Christina Aguilera was her favorite song from grade school. *sigh*  I think youth is a vast right-wing conspiracy that we’re wise to grow beyond.

    I love the blog name, but you’ve gotta go with that makes you feel good.  I’ll read no matter what you call it.

  8. Abhilasha
    May 10, 2006 at 13:30 | #8

    Hey happy birthday George…

    You are more fit and active then most college students I know…So why bother…

    Besides, if I aged everytime I did something foolish…Man would i be old..!!

    Dont Count your years..you are as old as you feel…and have fun …..

  9. May 10, 2006 at 23:37 | #9

    My life-long friend, Bob The Bug Guy, turned 49 2 days ago.  He took it pretty hard.  Much like I did.  Hitting 40 bothered me not at all.  But the day I turned 49, I was obessed with the thought – “I’ll be 50 in one short, quick year”.  And guess what?  It hasn’t left me.  I’m 52 now and it still bugs the hell out of me.  Like you, I’m actually pretty young looking for my age.  But that doesn’t help.  They say you are only as old as you feel.  So I guess I’m about 129.  Also, for those of us out here in the blogoshpere – you and I ARE OLD.  Trust me.

  10. May 11, 2006 at 18:16 | #10

    Wow, I’m late to the party.  Again.  So who’s the real fool?

    Anyway, I say keep the moniker.  It’s grown on me … and on you.  And I’m a few years older, more decrepit, more foolish, so I have the authority to grant you the title.  Hell, I don’t want it!  ;-)

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