I recently celebrated my birthday and it was a dud. Oh, I received cards, phone calls, emails and E-cards congratulating me on getting a year older and I certainly appreciated every one. Linda and I had a nice meal and I actually did not feel any older. So why was my birthday a dud?

First lets look at birthdays. Of course the first birthday is Birthday # 1 and there is always celebrating and the traditional chocolate cake to smear the young child's face. Of course the child has no idea why the adults are laughing and snapping pictures. The next notable birthday is # 6 when a child starts attending real school and in a way, has reached "of age" to spend a day away from home.

Reaching # 10 means the child will never have a single digit birthday again and obtaining age # 13 is a big one known as teenager. At this age the teenager knows more than their parents and at sweet # 16, they know more than any adult can possibly know and they can drive better than old people, the ones over forty.

Age # 18 is a big one because in most states it is legal to drink alcoholic beverages, sign legal documents and vote in elections for the few who registered to vote. One more birthday occurs before hitting the "Ohs" and that is # 21. At this age one is thought to be an adult, finishing their education and looking forward to the life ahead of them.

After # 21, birthdays become routine and once a decade we hit the "Ohs" - Big three-oh, big four-oh, big five-oh and big six-oh. Now we're getting to the reason my latest birthday was a dud. Last year I hit the big six-oh and next year I will reach another milestone - # 62.

This year, # 61 was a dud because it was an "in betweener." Next year on # 62, I will start receiving my Social Security checks and can get a Golden Age National Parks Pass for only $10 and it will get me into National Parks and National Monuments free and I can camp in National Park, National Forest and Corp of Engineering campgrounds for half price.

So I am looking forward to my next birthday and then I don't want to have any more. No, I don't want to kick the bucket and go six feet under, I just want to stay 62 years old the rest of my life.