Today I turned 70 years old and so many old friends and co-workers turned to Facebook to send their good wishes. Hundreds, it seems, and I thank every one of you and appreciate you all so much. Jo Anne King, however, called me out and insisted that I change my profile picture, so I have. The previous one was from my happy days at Paramount and shows me at Pebble Beach (Home Video Sales Meeting) on a great golf day from the mid 80s when I was 40-something. However, this newly posted photo shows what someone 70 years of age looks like, 30-something years later than that event. The mustache is gone, as well as most of the hair color, and the wrinkles and crows eyes have settled in. My golf drives now go about 30-something percent less than when I was 40-something years of age, but now my drives seem to go a lot straighter since I can no longer swing as hard, or as wildly. Im quietly aging like many of the fine wines that Ive collected over the years and my tannic acids have mellowed equally as well. I love my wife, Nancy, who also shares her 70th birthday with me today (yes, we were both born on the same day), I love both of my sons, Jed (38) and Adam (35) and I love my life. I also love all of the friends that I still have from high school, college, football, rugby, golf, the wine world and the several business associations Ive had over the years. The 20 years that I spent at Paramount were the most rewarding of all my entire working career and Im so glad that so many of you keep in touch, ironically, now 20 years after we all worked together. As part of a recent Bucket-List Trip covering 25 states one 60 days and 10,000+ miles, I went to my high schools collective 70th birthday party in September and still remember everyone fondly and by their first names (no name tags required). We were the Har-Brack Tigers and I still have a great group of high school golfing friends called the Tigers-On-Tour that have been going on annual golf trips together ever since our 25th high school reunion. I also just came back from Columbia Universitys Homecoming where I saw most of my football classmates and we honored two of those mates who recently passed away. I also see all of my Old Blue Rugby mates at least twice a year at our annual Hall of Fame banquet in NY or the International Sevens matches in Vegas. I have a great group of current friends, most of which I know from our Sherwood CC relationship, but we now refer to ourselves as the Old Farts Country Club (note the logo on my vest in the newly posted profile picture) for our Monday luncheons and Tuesday & Thursday golf outings. I also have gained several wine industry friends over the years, starting about 30 years ago when I first invested in the Duckhorn Vineyards by buying a 40-acre vineyard in the Napa Valley along with Dan Duckhorn and David Breitstein (the retailer, and great friend) who sold me about a thousand cases of wine over the past 35 years). Then, in honor of our birthday, David & Judy Breitstein, Larry & Patty Hayes and Russ & Mary Ellen Bach treated Nancy & I to a fabulous wine dinner two nights ago where we werent allowed to bring a single bottle of our own wines (see attached photos of Nancy and I at the dinner and the wines that were shared). What a great life Ive had, what a great wife, what great kids, what great business associates and what great friends. I love all of you very, very deeply.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 04:47:52 +0000
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