L-VII

The big Cincuenta y Siete.
Fifty-seven.

Whew. How did I get to be 57?

Yes, it's only a number -- and yes, I'm in great health. But still...

Did a quick internet check to see who else shares my birthday and came up with this lame list of three from historyorb.com

- Jay Hill, Canadian politician
- Karla Bonoff, rock singer (New World, Restless Nights)
- Tovah Feldshuh, American actress

Ah, well, it isn't much better the day before or a day later...

12-26:
- Andre-Michel Schub, Paris France, pianist (Van Cliburn-1981)

12-28:
- Arun Jaitley, Indian Politician
- Ray Knight, 3rd baseman (NY Mets, Balt Orioles)
- S Epatha Merkerson, Saginaw MI, actress (Lt Van Buren-Law and Order)

But, hey, who cares about celebrity or pseudo-celebrity? If the past year has taught me anything -- or, more accurately, reinforced it -- it's the importance of family. With each year, as life presents new challenges and opportunities, unforeseen circumstances and conundrums, it's comforting to know there's someone along for the ride.

Maybe it's a coincidence that Lori and I went out to the movies last night and saw "Up In The Air," the new film where George Clooney stars as an Omaha-based consultant who spends 322 days a year on the road and makes his living flying into one corporate office after another laying people off. It's a soulless, commitment-free existence and one he touts as an occasional motivational speaker, with his trademark presentation, "What's In Your Backpack?"

Suffice to say that in the course of developing a relationship with a fellow road warrior, based in Chicago, and mentoring a younger version of himself, a calculating Ivy League grad who develops a protocol for laying people off during videoconferencing, he comes to question the wisdom of his ways. Does he come to his senses? Do those other two women in his life come to theirs? Go check it out.

As for me, I'll be spending the morning with Lori and looking forward to the kids coming over for a turkey dinner tonight.

Photograph: Anna Kendrick and George Clooney.