I turned 40 yesterday…Here's to the 2nd half

For those of you that normally come here for technical information, this post is completely non-technical and I’ll understand if you decide to spend your valuable time somewhere else.

As the title of this post suggests, I made it through what some people refer to as the “black birthday” yesterday. According to some statistic I found online, white males in the USA have an average life expectancy of 77.1 years. Pessimists would say that means I’m slightly over half dead. Optimists would respond with something along the lines that I have nearly half of my life in front of me. I’m really in neither category as I prefer to focus on things that I can make an impact on today (or plan today for things that I’m going to have to deal with in the near future).

Like a lot of people that hit this particular time in their lives, I spent a few moments reflecting on my “first half” this week and in doing so was reminded that I’ve been truly blessed thus far in my life. That’s not to say I haven’t made mistakes and would do some things differently if given the chance, but I’m really grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the experiences that I’ve been able to take part in. Below are just a few of the things that I feel really blessed that are or have been a part of my life.

I Have an Awesome Family
I married my high school sweetheart and we’re more in love today than we were back then. There are so many ways that we compliment each other that it’s uncanny. I’m a heavy metal guy, she’s a jazz/classical/big band gal. I get fired up about something and she calmly looks at alternatives and consequences. We have 3 great children–twin girls who will be 14 in a couple of weeks and a 5-year-old boy who make me proud as they grow, learn and experience new things on a weekly basis.

I’m a Veteran
I’m extremely proud to have served our great nation as part of the US Air Force and the Tennessee Air National Guard. The people I served with and the experiences I had during my time in uniform helped shape me into who I am today. The military gave me the opportunity to live in another country (Honduras) for a year, experience what it’s like to hunker down in a dorm room while 2 typhoons came over us (Okinawa) and taught me how to logically diagnose and fix problems that were presented. It also gave me the opportunity to grow up from being a teenager to a person that my fellow airman knew they could depend on.

I’m a GEEK!
I have a great career doing something I love. I’ve been into computers since before I got my first C-64. Writing software is what I live and breathe and I love it. I’ve been a contract consultant now for nearly 5 years and had a chance to work with and for some amazing people. My wife and I, along with her parents, are in the process of launching a brand new company and healthcare industry software product. It’s challenging, scary and rewarding all at the same time and I’m not sure I’d want it any other way.

To summarize quickly, I feel like I’ve had a great “first half”. I’m excited to see what the “second half” is going to bring. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for taking the time to allow me to share.

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