I Can't Drive 55

This is so funny on several levels. When my youngest son was visiting last weekend, we had a pseudo-conference call with my oldest son. The youngest and I were on the back porch with my phone on speaker, talking with my oldest who was (and usually is) about 800 miles away. When I told the oldest I was going to Cabo, he said, "Isn't that where Sam lives?" I said, "Who?" "You know, old Sammy." My youngest and I looked at each other and shrugged. Then the oldest said I'd have to wear my shirt with 55 in a circle with a red line through it. I don't actually have that shirt, but at least then I knew what he was talking about. I have to admit, if there was an award for biggest Sammy Hagar fan, I wouldn't even place in the top ten -- thousand. Still, this was an interesting tidbit. Apparently "old Sam" has an estate in Cabo and also produces (or at least puts his name on) a tequila there. And in the end, that was the point: My son wants me to bring him back a bottle of Cabo tequila. Still, I told him if I could find that shirt, I'd bring one back for him. All of this led into a rather lengthy discussion of Sammy not being the best choice of replacement for David Lee Roth in Van Halen. You may disagree. Or you may not care.

The title is also funny because I imagine it's hard for younger people -- and I'm using that term rather broadly, as my oldest son is thirty-five and this applies to him as well -- can't wrap their heads around this concept. Where is there a 55 mph speed limit? I see one every now and then, but those tots will never know what it was like in the seventies when the speed limit dropped from 70-75 down to 55 virtually overnight. So while some of these kids might sing along, I don't think they appreciate the significance, especially now that many highways have a speed limit of 70 again.

The final reason this title amuses me is that in September, I will turn 55. I can't say it out loud, but I can type it! I really don't care about my age. My mid-decade years have traditionally been my best, so maybe I have that to look forward to in this decade of my life. Really, life is good. I don't know anyone around my age who doesn't have some kind of chronic pain. Maybe I just know the wrong people! Truly, though, I think that we all have certain kinds of pain that come with aging. Sometimes I let it get me down and use it as an excuse to do nothing. At the moment, I'm in the opposite phase, saying screw it, if I'm going to be in pain anyway I might as well be doing something fun and/or productive. This month, I'm doing a lot of both. Oh, and although it's been over thirty years since I spent any extended amount of time in Mexico, I remember that no one there could drive 55 either.

Two postscripts: 1) I hardly ever highlight the links that come up for my blog, but it's a funny combination so today I am. 2) I'm thinking of you as you head into your period of pain and recovery. And you know who you are ; )