The milestone wait is over , thank god . I now no longer have to talk about being nearly 50 .I am 50 . I can honestly say I don’t feel it , in fact I feel as old as I was when I was 40 , and that’s no bullshit . I now live in the US which helps avoid the attention of milestone events . To be the centre of attention can be uncomfortable for some . To be reminded of your age , especially an older age is not always welcomed ,but this time I don’t give a shit . I’m ok with being 50 . Alright, I look in the mirror and sometimes my head looks like a wrinkled up silver prune,but that aside I don’t feel much different . I’m probably as fit as I’ve been for a long time . I still admire the opposite sex like I did when I was younger . The drive’s still there , it ain’t going anywhere …not yet .I surf more than I ever did .I do yoga , go to the gym , run ,exercise , but I’m no ‘new age’ green smoothie drinking spiritual guru who’s been Californicated . I still like a beer or 3 , wine too , a burger .fries ,chocolate you name it I’m not giving it up .I can say I’ve been there done that,well a fair bit of it . I can tell you what it’s really like to live in LA , don’t worry I’ll eventually tell the truth ,there’s a lot been said and a lot that hasn’t been said . I never thought I’d talk to my kids and they’d talk back to me with American accents . 
We’ve got friends on both sides of the globe now .We know people in the Hollywood business , yeah I’ll brag about that down the track , but in reality it’s a big employer in LA . I’ve broadened my sporting interests . I would’ve looked at you with scorn if you told me that one day I’d love baseball ,or get nervous watching American sport . It used to be just the Saints and they always kept me nervous ,the fear of losing was palpable and almost always the end result . Now my ‘other ‘ teams win , now I’m nervous at finals time . 3 years ago I never thought I’d get to 50 and have added any new skill or qualification to my resume . I have . I thought I was typecast , always to be in construction, now I work in a gym . Don’t worry , I’ll never close the door on my previous life. Once you leave it you really understand that it wasn’t that bad and hey I was pretty bloody good at it too . 
I hoped of seeing the ocean from my doorstep , I’d always thought it’d be at Mornington ,or close by , but LA ,never in my wildest of dreams . I imagined walking from my door to the beach with a surfboard under my arm ,now I do it . The Hollywood sign , Disneyland , Santa Monica pier ,Tinseltown…all at our doorstep …..true .Sometimes you shake your head and wonder how this could’ve really happened to us .I just turned 50 in my home state of California. Get Fucked this must be a dream .
When I looked at all the congratulatory posts on my timeline I was embarrassed. Shit ..and this for me ? To see the posts coming in a day earlier ( California is 15-17 hours behind depending on daylight savings ) had me smiling. “Fuck don’t these dumb arses know it’s my birthday tomorrow”………but you’re right ,it is my birthday there , it is where I was born and hopefully where I die . Don’t worry about that last bit ,it isn’t meant to be morbid .I was initially cold in my response to all the well wishes . I admit that I was sad I couldn’t have a beer and say thank you , but I’m promising this ……… when we eventually come back we’re gonna celebrate , there won’t need to be a milestone , a birthday or an anniversary. It’ll be because we’re back and I can assure you it’ll be a bloody big night . Thank you to all the well wishes , I really appreciate it . 
aussiehowieinla 