The Bassman's Birthday Message (in 2 parts):

It's Saturday morning and another hot & bright California day stretches out and yawns before me. What's the date? 06/17 it says on the phone, so it's Gemini weather. Next Tuesday is June 20th.

I've always been happy with the date my birthday falls on, it has a pretty symetry to it, don't you think? Not only in itself (20-06-60, 06-20-60), but in relation to the rest of the year, being midsummer day (or thereabouts), and far far away from Christmas (the other important birthday in the year). In fact, in the midst of a life filled with grumblings and dissatisfactions (I can't help it!), it's the one thing about myself that I have never doubted, never once thought, 'I wish I had his birthday' or 'I wish I had been born in that month' etc.. Hmm, how interesting that I've just made that realization. I'm the kind of neurotic that is always thinking, 'I wish I had his car, or their career, or his girlfriend, or her flat stomach (Lindsay Lohan's preferably)', but when it comes to birth date, there's no one who has me beat - it's just the best day of the year to have it, and you know what? There ain't no way no one can take it away from me. Ha!

Unfortunately this year, there's a little competition for people's attention. The focus is sadly not all on me. There's this darned World Cup. Now, Monsieur LeBon has already extolled the virtues of this competition, and I have to agree with everything the man says. I don't know how or when it happened, but somewhere between moving to LA and making 'Astronaut', I became a soccer crazy. I don't have a preferred team, but England, well, I don't know how that happened either, but somewhere between moving to LA and 9/11 something chemical changed in me, and now the sight of an English flag reduces me to tears, any time of the day or night. So I'm finding myself getting extremely emotional and excited during these England World Cup games, and now I'm feeling the same about the U.S.! Now I don't want to ramble on about soccer, but, come Tuesday, as I'm looking forward to inviting friends over to my Hollywood house to watch England v Sweden, I shall say to them, if they want to bring me a present please feel free to, as it also happens to be my birthday.

Part 2: Later that day. Do I seem shallow to you? Just as soon as I put the pen down from writing that last paragraph or two I thought, jeez, what kind of guy, about to celebrate his forty-sixth birthday, cares about Lindsay Lohan's stomach? Even the World Cup, or cars, or girls? At what age will my thoughts turn to matters of gravity, such as third world debt or global warming? Not yet it seems, although it sometimes really bothers me. My head seems to be stuck firmly in the simple things of life: a good breakfast, a good book, getting along well with others or what's on my i-pod.

I guess I should say thanks to all of you, for being a part of my life and helping me get this far. There's a lot of love in my life today, and I'm grateful for it all. My wife Gela, our kids, Atlanta, Zoe and Travis. Good friends I work with, Simon, Nick, Andy, Roger and Patty. Many many friends that I don't work with, friends I have breakfast with, that recommend me books, or songs, or paintings. My friends and I rarely talk about 'issues of the day', however - let it be known that I try to make sure that every breath of mine on this planet is for good, and I work hard not to be a drain on our community, moment by moment, and for now, that is going to have to do.

Feel free to have a treat on me today, to raise a glass perhaps, or simply reach out and kiss the sky. I'm happy to report that life is a long road that gets more interesting and more pleasant with every year passing. At least that's the view from my horse.

Love to you all
-JT