"Happy Birthday" - Brer' John

As I was perusing today's edition (12/19/09) of the "Major Sacramento Fish Wrap" (as I so lovingly call it), I found the following: "Country singer Little Jimmy Dickens is 89. Composer-Lyricist Robert Sherman ('Marry Poppins') is 84, Actress Cecely Tyson ('Sounder') is 76. R&B singer Maurice White ('Earth, Wind and Fire') is 68. Musician John McEuen ('Nitty Gritty Dirt Band') is 64. Et al, Et cetera ... ... ." Congratulations, my friend, only one more year to go to "Geezer Care", want it or not. Hang in there, John. Remember: "We are not flies. We will not be dropping anytime soon". Or so we'd all like to believe. Forgive my (slightly) warped sense of humor, but, having lost so many friends, colleagues and acquaintance's throughout the years to "The Biz" and it's effects, it's almost (well, maybe it is) a miracle we're still here to bear witness to what has transpired in the past. Sorry for waxing nostalgic, philosophical and (a bit) maudlin on such a joyous occasion. It's late, but, also, I cap the two ends of my music experience with what I call: " 'The Two Timmys', Buclkey and Hardin". Why? Because we've all seen the end result of what "The Biz" can do to some very sweet, talented and vulnerable people we've all known throughout the years. There's a line in an early Merel Haggard song that goes: "But my weakness is stronger than I am". To me, that means that the day I can't walk away from "it" (whatever "IT" is) is the day that I have to.