Reflections from Birthday 41 -- and Three Passings

I'm just coming down from the enjoyable long birthday.  I had many toasts, many Amazon gifts [Thank you Viktor, Gabriela  and Nathan](And if you want to celebrate, here is the list) and much fun.

The Birthday Dinner was a quiet one this year.  I guess Saturnalia is not as celebrated as I thought.

The Weekend Before at Ruin: (L -R) Janeen, Ron, Jeff and Denice

The Night Before the Actual Day: Two Muses and I: Samantha, Julia and I

Because my birthdays comes up against the Jolly Fat Guy Who Gives Presents (and Birthday for the Messiah for those religious minded among us), it is always a challenge to get a group together this time of year.  As this was an odd numbered Birthday (41), I believe the Star Trek Movie Curse applies to this year. 

Mom, me and Ron (L - R) on Saturnalia

Waiting outside Bar Sin with another Nightshade

I've taken some time off Blogging to just "Think," and find stuff to be humble about before the New Year begins.

I'm lucky to have good friends (Goths, Politicos and Bloggers) and a great family;

I'm happy that I have a Code of Honor that helps keep my head above water in a business (Politics) that can turn on a dime;

I'm blessed that I have the Power to Write and express my views in a place (The Valley) that people see and like;

I'm happy to live in Los Angeles and to give my fellow Republicans and Conservatives a leg up to do the (somewhat) impossible: Flip this City from Blue to Red;

I'm lucky that I have understood my Genius/Madness gene and used it to my advantage;

And finally:

I'm lucky for all of you for reading this.

Now, there were three passings that should be mentioned on a Political Blog such as the Valley.

For each night, for each passing, I will say a few words:

December 16, my Birthday, Christopher Hitchens:   

Christopher Hitchens was an iconoclast -- he supported the Iraq War because it meant one less dictator in the world and he was a militant atheist determined to knock G-d off his pedestal.  He attacked the Clintons, Kissinger and Mother Theresa.

He wrote as I do here; The Truth as he sees it, 

G-dspeed Mr Hitchens (whether you believe in Providence or not)

December 17, Saturnalia, Vaclev Havel

An artist and Dissident who believed in Democracy -- Havel is Hitchens squared.   During the 90's, he was the "coolest," Western President (See! Politics is just like High School) -- but he stood on the side of Freedom for all.



G-dspeed President Havel, continue to write plays for an even better audience.

December 18, Kim Jong-IL

And here is the only thing worth saying here: