I began 2009—the year of my 30th birthday—by reconnecting with a Wabash fraternity brother I had not seen in more than six years. Ringing in the New Year felt like a rebirth!
2008 had left me in a failed relationship working as a private chef and wine professional in a poor California economy. I was beginning to question the direction my life should take. I ventured into Mexico with a backpack, camera, and a destination in mind—Oaxaca, one of the country’s true food and beverage meccas.
After months eating and soaking up the sun I was enroute to Texas to help open a restaurant when I received a call from a chef friend asking if I’d be interested in working in Antarctica.
I’m writing this literally from the South Pole!
Having lived and celebrated in this unexpected environment for 12 months and counting, I’ve been reflecting on my priorities, dreams, and expectations. I’ve developed two business plans. I intend to return to Indiana in 2011 to find local investors, hoping my 40th birthday will be as memorable as my 30th!—Raul Salinas ’01, member of the 2010 Winterover Crew, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica
For my 30th birthday, I started a theater company with a group of friends. My birthday actually coincided with the opening celebration of the theater.
It proved a major turning point for me—later that summer I headed off to graduate school with the hope of taking my career to a whole new level.—Ansley Valentine ’00, Director of Theater, Northern Michigan University
Everyone celebrates their quarter-century or half-century birthdays, but the one-third century milestone is too often forgotten and is equally worthy of celebration.
Being mathematically and fair-minded, I celebrated my 33 1/3 birth-day by inviting co-workers to a bar at 3:33 p.m. in the afternoon.
To my knowledge I’m the only one to celebrate his 33 1/3 birthday. Not sure what that says about me, either for the good or bad.—Kyle Falconbury ’96, Woodbury, MN
[The first 40 years gives us the text: the next ] 30 supply the commentary.—Arthur Schopenhauer
Having smoked cigarettes since I was 20, on my 39th birthday I pledged I would quit on my 40th. Gave myself one year to get it out of my system.
When that day came I finished my pack of Camel straights at 8 p.m.
But the day was not over! I went to the store, got a fresh pack, and smoked as many as I could until midnight.
Haven’t had one since, and that was 29 years ago.—Peter Toll ’64, West Linn, OR
I turned 40 in 2001. I had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome two years earlier
and knew that my physical health would slowly begin to deteriorate. Being an avid cyclist, I wanted to celebrate my 40th by attending the Tour De France that July.
I also wanted to experience the difficulty of the mountain stages first-hand, so I signed up for a bicycle vacation that would allow me to ride some of the toughest climbs of the Tour while seeing the race. The experience was incredible—I can now say that I have climbed the very same hills as the pros while seeing Lance Armstrong win his third Tour De France.
I had also decided to make a career change about five months prior to my trip. I was working as a brand manager for Eddie Bauer and wanted to do something more meaningful: I had accepted a position at World Vision helping them with their domestic programs in major cities. I started working at World Vision in New York City 10 days after the 9/11 attacks. One of my first meetings was with World Vision’s response team, where we decided how best to support the community. I heard some amazing stories of heroism as we interviewed people who had been a part of the rescue effort minutes after the attacks. Some of the most moving stories involved the families of those who died saving others.
I am now 48 years old, the father of an 11-year-old son, and I have a loving wife of 15 years. The Parkinson’s has progressed (I now only ride a stationery bike and imagine those mountains in France) but that hasn’t stopped me from attending Boy Scout camping trips and spending time with my family. I am still working part-time as a business consultant and recently assisted a fellow Caveman with marketing a non-profit here in Seattle. Life is full and exciting!
I will be turning 49 in January, so I will start thinking about my 50th birthday soon. My goals remain simple: help my son grow up to be a good man, support and love my wife every day, and give back to others as much as I can. I have been fortunate to have been given so much and I look forward to returning the favor.—John Kelly ’83, Seattle, WA
Three years ago as I approached 40, life was pretty good. Work was great, family was great. I’d finally returned my family to Indiana and we had many chances to celebrate with friends from my hometown, from Wabash, and from my family and my wife’s family.
For that birthday, my wife Debbie organized a bus trip for 46 of us to see the Cubs at Wrigley. The bus ride was a terrific trip up and down memory lane, and the Cubs did us the favor of defeating the Mets.
The trip probably says something about my dreams and priorities—the company of family and friends and a time-honored game. Sure, there are goals ahead in our lives; but slowing down to appreciate the basics was a great rest stop at 40 years.—Terry Hamilton ’89, Troy, MI
I celebrated my 40th in Chicago with two of my former Wabash classmates and roommates: Eric Elman ’90 was coming back to the U.S. from Munich; Dan Kelley ’90 came up from Indianapolis; I made the trek from Minnesota. My wife had set it up for me, and the three of us reflected on Wabash, our friendship, and the passing of another roommate, Matt Breman ’90, about five years ago.—Mike Brandt ’90, Shoreview, MN
On my 40th birthday, I was within days of deploying to Saudi Arabia to set up JAG operations for the 101st in a likely war zone.
It seemed odd going off to war at age 40. War is a young person’s business.
As a lawyer, I was not likely to see direct combat, but there were ample challenges. I hadn’t been with a combat unit since 1982. Hummers, Apache helicopters, Kevlar helmets, and desert camouflage were all new since I’d been in the field. I didn’t understand the culture of the 101st. I didn’t have the Air Assault Badge, earned by attending a three-week program that teaches you how to repel out of helicopters and down walls, among other things. It was obvious to all that I was new in town.
In the end I did fine, the 101st did fine, and we all returned safely about eight months later as the heroes of Desert Storm. I learned a lot about the Army and myself. I could disassemble and assemble my 9mm pistol blindfolded, and I saw Bob Hope’s last overseas Christmas tour live. I completed Air Assault School and got that badge, too.
The events surrounding my 40th birthday made it a major turning point for me. My wife/best friend/best critic says I was lucky, and that’s true, but I prefer to think of it as a unique opportunity.—Tom McShane ’72, Fort Gordon, GA
I began a reflection process when I turned 45 in 2002. I’d run my own little PR/communications company at that point for about 15 years. Was it something I wanted to do forever? No.
The process led me to examine teaching, which led me to a college classroom in January 2004. That led me to becoming a full-time college professor.—John Kerezy ’77, Assistant Professor, Journalism and Mass Communications, Cuyahoga Community College, Parma, OH
[A man who views the world the same at 50 as he] did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life. —Muhammad Ali
I used my impending 50th birthday as inspiration to return to the water as a competitive swimmer. This past May I attended the United States Masters Swimming Short Course Nationals for the first time in my life, shaving down for a meet for the first time in 25 years. wenty days before my 50th, I swam a lifetime best in my 100-backstroke, breaking one minute for the first time ever, and placed 11th in the 45-49 age group.—Roy Dessloch ’82, Easley, SC
On my 50th birthday I traveled to Machu Picchu and Cusco. I was there for Inti Raymi and will never forget sitting in the rain at Sacsayhuaman. Just as the ceremonial Inca summoned the sun it came out, and a huge rainbow appeared. The old practical e said it was a coincidence, but now I am not so sure.
As a math major I was always grounded in absolutes. The Peru trip added a significant spiritual experience to my outlook on life.—David Kitcoff ’76, Miami, FL
[I’m 60 years of age. That’s 16 Celsius.]—George Carlin
On my 40th I was a father for the first time—a daughter, Angie, now a senior at Hanover College. On my 50th (almost) I was a father for the second time—a future Little Giant named Ben.
On my 60th—thank goodness, no three-peat!—Mike Lemon ’71, Columbia City, IN
Turning 60, I began to see a different kind of potential for my later years of life.
My children were well established in their own families and careers. The first of nine grandchildren arrived. My wife of almost 40 years was ill and declining toward the end of her years, and I realized that I could no longer care for her myself at home.
I was still healthy and fully employed, having left a rewarding corporate career for a second career as a university faculty member so that I could re-structure my schedule for daily spousal care. I began to think about how life would—and could—change for me in decades to come. Some prospects were sobering and some were energizing.
I realized that the creative facets of my life had been left largely undeveloped, though exploring these facets had brought me fulfillment as a Wabash student. That realization has caused me to re-focus on expressing my life lessons learned by returning to writing poetry [Professor Don Baker] and more narrative pieces [Professor Bob Har-vey] and painting [Professor Harold McDonald].
Deriving new life perspective from major life events like the loss of a long-time spouse reminds us to apportion our remaining energies in ways that bring us satisfactions previously suppressed or deferred. Wabash Always Fights!—Phil Wescott ’65, Newark, DE
A week prior to my 60th birthday, I was playing in the Golden Seniors Softball Club and hit a homer in the Tuesday 60+ league game, followed that with a homer in the Tuesday Select 60+ league game, and hit the trifecta with a homer in the Tuesday night 50+ league game—the first time that had been accomplished in 30 years of club play. For me, this was a thrill equivalent to a round-the-world trip!—Dave Vargo ’69, Sacramento, CA
[“You can’t reach old age by another man’s road. My habits protect my life, but they would assassinate you.”—Mark Twain, from his 70th birthday speech
My wife planned a surprise party for my 70th birthday this year at the University of Louisville Club ballroom completely without my knowledge or consent. When we were being seated in the ballroom rather than the dining room, I asked, “Why?” “We’re very busy tonight,” I was told. When I opened the door I looked around and saw my children, grandchildren, my sister from Colorado, and current graduate students.
But the surprise of the evening was one of my closest fraternity brothers, Jim Johnson ’62, and his wife Nancy. —William Wead ’62, Department Vice Chair and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY
