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Happy birthday Reid!

Happy birthday, Reid! $20 on the bar for whatever you’re drinking…

As for breaking your neck and it’s profound implications for later life, I’m reminded of a seldom quoted part of Martin Luther King’s prophetic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech in Memphis, on the eve of his assassination:

”...You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up. The only question I heard from her was, “Are you Martin Luther King?”

And I was looking down writing, and I said yes. And the next minute I felt something beating on my chest. Before I knew it I had been stabbed by this demented woman. I was rushed to Harlem Hospital. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. And that blade had gone through, and the X-rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery. And once that’s punctured, you drown in your own blood—that’s the end of you.

It came out in the New York Times the next morning, that if I had sneezed, I would have died. Well, about four days later, they allowed me, after the operation, after my chest had been opened, and the blade had been taken out, to move around in the wheel chair in the hospital. They allowed me to read some of the mail that came in, and from all over the states, and the world, kind letters came in. I read a few, but one of them I will never forget. I had received one from the President and the Vice-President. I’ve forgotten what those telegrams said. I’d received a visit and a letter from the Governor of New York, but I’ve forgotten what the letter said. But there was another letter that came from a little girl, a young girl who was a student at the White Plains High School. And I looked at that letter, and I’ll never forget it. It said simply, “Dear Dr. King: I am a ninth-grade student at the White Plains High School.” She said, “While it should not matter, I would like to mention that I am a white girl. I read in the paper of your misfortune, and of your suffering. And I read that if you had sneezed, you would have died. And I’m simply writing you to say that I’m so happy that you didn’t sneeze.”

And I want to say tonight, I want to say that I am happy that I didn’t sneeze…”

And so I am so glad that you too, didn’t sneeze.

Thanks for the b-day wishes, Carol and Paul. Your story about MLK is far more appropriate than you can imagine.

You see, on that very same “dark Saturday afternoon” when Dr. King was stabbed, I was busy being born: 3:25pm, Saturday, September 20, 1958. The police report indicates that Dr. King was stabbed at 3:30pm.

Happiest of birthdays, Reid!

That picture from Year 21 is quite interesting for a couple of reasons. One, of course, is that thing on your head. Is that a perm? And secondly, centerfolds these days would never be seen in so much clothing, even in public.

”...You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up. The only question I heard from her was, “Are you Martin Luther King?”

Geez, I shouldn’t skim so fast. At first I thought that was phaTTboi’s quote. I was thinking, dang!

loved the bio. Have Fun!! today.

From one forty-something dude who can’t let go of the moustache to another—Happy effin’ Birthday!

(great work on the bio, too – if only we could all be so inspired)

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday, Ried. Here’s hoping you got all good toys and no socks in your presents.

I am, however, still taking great solace in the knowledge that my favorite long-haired, tattooed, pierced photgrapher is still older than me. Grammar not withstanding.

John: “that thing on your head. Is that a perm?”

It was. And that shirt was made of some synthetic material that today would likely be banned as a fire hazard. On all those counts, it was “the times.” The Centerfolds were, well, Centerfolds. At the age of 21, I found them suitably hot and dressed accordingly. Today, they do look rather quaint.

And, Tommy, not to sully your solace, but I am only two of the four things you claim. I am still older than you … I’ll stipulate that as true ‘til the day I die … and I am “long-haired,” in a greater societal sense.

But I have no tattoos, and as for any holes in my body, they are all Original Equipment. I have defaced this temple in many ways over its 46 years, but not with graffiti or vandalism.

Hey man.. good to see you’re still kickin’ after all these years. Dunno if you remember me from the ‘mindspring.discussion.atlanta’ groups, and our (in)famous Saturday get-togethers at that hippy joint down in Atlanta.

Just popped by the website to see what you were up to- getting a new Canon Digital Rebel shortly, as a ‘toe-in-the-water’ for digital SLR.. figured to start small, I’m an engineer, not a photographer. :)

Hey Todd, you rascal. If you really look around at the replies, you may find a full membership from a former Tofu party.

Many happy returns!

Todd! You might remember a certain phaTTboi talking about “ISDN Clouds,” back when we al thought your dual channel ISDN connection was the Fastest Anyone Would Ever Have. And as “rturner” noted, members of the old crew wander in and out of here surprisingly often. I keep expecting an appearance by Chief Broom some day, but he’s still waiting for the technology to properly express his vision. Or something.

And regarding the Digital Rebel, for the money, it’s a good choice, but personally I’d be considering the EOS 20D (to replace my Canon D60, since I’ll never be able to afford to do more than just drool over this). Anyway, thanks to you and everyone else for stopping by with good wishes.