I've put it off, ignored and denied it; but there's no way around it. On August 10 — if all goes as planned — I'm going to turn forty! But I'm not going to get all depressed and weepy about growing older. As far as I'm concerned, it beats the heck out of the alternative! But when I looked at the calendar and realized how close I was to this milestone in my life, I decided it was high time to finish up some of the projects I began in my thirties. I call it my "Forty Days 'Til Forty" countdown. Here are some of the more memorable entries from my Forty Days 'Til Forty Diary:

July 2nd - 40 days 'til 40:
Where to begin? After all, there were so very many grand projects I'd begun in my thirties. And so very few that actually got completed ... I know I'll make a list. Let's see what were all those things I'd planned to do while I was in my thirties? 1) do something about world peace; 2) write a book and maybe win a Pulitzer Prize; 3) visit Cuba (see for myself why I am supposed to hate these people); 4) get married and have kids. Able to check off one task on my list, I take the rest of the day off.

July 8 - 34 days 'til 40:
Hmmm ... with the shrub in the White House, I'd better cross world peace right off my to do list. But I'll bet if I just finish writing my book, a Pulitzer won't be too far behind. Three chapters left to go. I'd better get busy. I sit down at my desk and prepare to be brilliant. And I am brilliant ... until a Martha Stewart magazine catches my eye (the Prettying Up the Federal Penitentiary edition). I spend the rest of the day futily attempting to fold cloth napkins into perky little swans and gorilla-gluing beach glass to anything that doesn't protest. (well ... the children didn't protest until it started itching)

July 9th - 33 days 'til 40:
Feeling frustrated with yesterday's less than auspicious beginning, I vow to work twice as hard today. I get up early. I step outside to greet the new day. Geez, it's hot and sticky! I retreat inside, lay on the couch, turn the fan up to full speed and fall asleep. 

July 29 - 13 days 'til 40:
I can almost feel the cold chill of forty nipping at my neck. Better get busy. What's next on my list? Visit Cuba. Well, I'd better do some prep work while waiting for Jimmy Carter to invite me on his next junket. I read all the info I can get about Cuba. Hey, they have no McDonald's over there! And no Wal-Marts, Targets or Filenes either! Geez, no wonder we hate them! I cross "visit Cuba" off my list.

August 1 - 10 days 'til 40:
Look at that! I've knocked all those unfinished items off of my list with time to spare. I am good! Well, I guess it's never too soon to start thinking about what I'd like to accomplish in the next ten years. Maybe I should start my next list. Things to do before I turn 50: 1)take care of that pesky Middle East problem; 2) cure AIDS; 3) fix ozone layer ... 

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