Jason: Half a Century of Rocking America

I have no recent photos of Jason and Family

March 17th marks my brother's 50th birthday.  

That's a peculiar milestone, because I can remember his birthday parties from elementary school and taking him for a beer while he was just finishing law school and I guess maybe he was turning 25 at the time (we were under the tent at Dog & Duck).  

Jason's birthday was always tricky as it falls on St. Patrick's Day.  In recent years, he's had his own way of keeping his birthday (pizza and beer, essentially) and it's worked well til Covid hit.  Also, he's got kids that went from small and distractable to elementary school age, and I think there's a different gameplan.

The Jason you knew when this blog first "hello, world"ed nearly 20 years ago is a relic of the past.  While our man remains an attorney, he's since met and married his terrific wife, and they have two kids, who are more or less now the gravitational center for the family (this is a feature, not a bug).  They've added on to their physical house, and been on many adventures.  It's a whole scene.

Anyhoo, it's a fairly substantial landmark of a birthday.  On his 40th, I was cheeky and got him a bathrobe and slippers.  And then I turned 40 and was like "oh.  Shit."  So, proper respect for what's coming for us if things go swimmingly.  I believe he will handle this birthday with the same grace and shrug of the shoulders he handled previous birthdays.  It's just weird to reach the point in life where the same guy you used to ride dirt bikes with and browse the sci-fi section at Bookstop is now eligible for AARP.  Life comes at you fast.

One bit of wisdom a pal once passed me which her grandmother had passed her was: age makes you more yourself.  And this is something I find to be true for myself.  But also - watching Jason now, he's a very good version of himself.  He's very much the same guy I expect to call me dummy and insist we're now going to ride dirt bikes, but also-  the guy I've always known is the one who wrangles two great kids and has made a great life with Amy.  And, I assume, that same guy is the one who is doing good work out there as making the sqeaky wheels of justice turn, while also being a good pal.

He still plays guitar and bass (Amy plays the concertina, apparently ready for a life at sea), and he still will make time for SXSW free shows this week.   So, you know, some things change.  Some things are vastly different.  

Oh, and special shout out to KareBear and the Admiral for first making all the crucial mistakes with Jason so I'd wind up great, and now being both great parents and phenomenal grand parents.

Here's to Jason as he turns the big 5-0.