Today is my 66th birthday and of course that is a call for a little birthday reflection. This is a somewhat memorable birthday. First, it’s full retirement day which means if I so choose, I can declare for Social Security here in the United States and get what is called “full retirement benefit.” Only thing is, if I wait until I am 70 to start collecting, I get 32% more $$$ per month. Since I know of no place else I can get a guaranteed 8% return on my money, I won’t be declaring this year…or until I am 70…I hope.

Another special thing about my 66th is that it is the anniversary of one of the few birthdays I do remember from when I was a teen. When I was 15 I got a job working at the Palm Springs Desert Sun newspaper in their mailroom. Everyday after school my Mom would pick me up in front of good old Palm Springs High and drive me to work. Then my Dad would pick me up on his way home from school (my dad was a principal of an elementary school).

After having this job for about a year, my parents were getting really tired of the pickup/drop off thing. So for my 16th birthday they bought me a used 1961 Ford Falcon coupe. And on this day in 1969 (on my 16th birthday) I went to the DMV in Palm Springs and got my license. From that day on, I drove myself to work and home and my parents were happy about that.

So that brings me to this fact that makes me feel very old. As of today, I have been driving for 50 years. Half a century! What??? How did I get this old?

You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake. – Bob Hope