Happy Birthday to Me

So, I’m 60. Sixty. I don’t remember when I thought I’d make it this far. I’m not so sure at fifty that I saw sixty in the future and now seventy seems close.

I re-met my Father (twenty years ago today as a matter of fact) and we have a close relationship and I like that very much.

I lost my Mother just a few months ago and it still hurts.

I’ve had a good life over all. I had some trials and troubles as a child, but for lots of reasons and with the help of lots of people I, obliviously, survived.

I grew up for the most part in Portsmouth, VA. I am the oldest of four children. I have a sister –Carolyn- 50 weeks younger than me and a set of twin brothers –Terry and Jerry- five years younger than me. Unfortunately Jerry passed away a few years ago and all of us still miss him deeply.

I’ve was born in Virginia and have lived, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Germany.

I jumped out if airplanes for a living -US Army 1^st of 509^th Charlie Company Weapons Platoon. I went to German jump school. I used the GI Bill to go to school and to buy my first house.

For most of my career I have been in the computer business in a service role and primarily hands-on except for a small stint at a service desk.

I managed a bike shop –Roswell Bicycles - (still the best bike shop in Georgia) - for three years.

I’ve been to England, Germany, Austria, Italy, The Netherlands, Greece, Crete, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Columbia, and Russia. I’ve seen the Roman Coliseum, the Acropolis in Athens. I stood in Red Square and took pictures of ST Basil's Cathedral. I have visited The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia. I strolled the Red Light district in Amsterdam as a horny, but broke 20-something SPC. 4 and wished I was a millionaire. I’ve skied in Munich; I’ve been to the Oktoberfest.

I was hunted, tracked down, and captured by the KGB. Actually, I was lost on a bike trip in Russia when I was separated from the group I was with and one of our security detail that found me and took me back to the base area where we were spending the night. The former sounds better though. And I spent that afternoon with Boris – the KGB agent- drinking Russian beer and eating White fish on the Volga River and I believe I had the better afternoon of the group and it was one of my better memories of the two week trip.

My picture was taken by Annie Leibovitz. It was a group shot, but still she took my picture!

I still and always will despise the Boy Scouts.

I’ve married twice and both times it was to women that were far better than I deserved and far above my stature. I’m still married to Sharon- the second one.

I lost two very good friends –Clarence May and Pat Clay- and my stepfather - Charles Penn- within months of each other. It was a very tough year.

I viewed everyone my daughter dated with a jaundiced eye and the belief I could shoot that person if he hurt my daughter. I believe no father wants to give his daughter to another man, yet he must. I walked my daughter down the aisle on her wedding day and gave her to her husband, Chad. And while I believe Chad couldn’t have done any better, neither could Alison. They make a wonderful couple and have given me two wonderful grandchildren.

My Y gene stops with me. However, my DNA marches on via my lovely daughter, Alison, and my grandchildren, Sara and Evan. Evan was named after my middle name and therefore after me and it is one of the proudest things in my life knowing my grandchild has my name.

I’ve been a Penn a lot longer than I was a Blevins and I wish I had never changed my name. There isn’t anything at all wrong with being a Penn, I just feel as though I left a piece of me on the courtroom floor when my name was changed.

I’ve ridden BRAG (Bicycle Ride Across Georgia), seven or eight times. Most of those times were with my daughter on the back of a tandem. Even in the rainy and hilly years we had a blast.

I’ve run “The Peachtree” seven times (once with my daughter), The Atlanta Half-Marathon four times, The Peachtree City 15K three times and I don’t know how many other five and ten Ks; not so many that I couldn’t count them ,I just didn’t count them.

My friend –Doug- and I flew to San Francisco with our bicycles, tent, camping gear and clothing and took two weeks to ride to San Diego hauling our gear on the bikes and camping out at night. Our wives met us for the weekend in San Diego and it was a great end to the trip. A wonderful bike ride down the Pacific Coast Highway.

I was a paid worker for the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta and I worked five events.

I’ve given my daughter a better life than I had growing up. Just like my Mother gave me a better life than she had; my daughter is giving her children a better life than she had and I’m extremely happy things are working out that way.

Neither famous nor infamous and at this point I doubt I’ll be either. I’m just Joe.

Oh, and I own a MINI.