it's official: I'm old

I think of all my birthdays, the one coming up is the hardest.

If I had a commercial airline license, I could no longer fly a plane. 

But I still have until age 70 to serve as a judge.  Unless it's for the Supreme Court, and there I can stay for as long as I want providing I remain well behaved and don't get impeached.

Of course none of the above are concerns, as I have never had, nor ever will have, the skills to pilot a plane full of people or become an impartial decision-maker on important issues of law. 

I just don't like the idea that my next birthday kind of ends my romp through middle age.

But there is some upside.

First, I get to cancel my exorbitantly expensive health insurance and go on Medicare (with a supplemental plan). My monthly bill, beginning March 1 (my birthday isn't until the 16th) will now be more than half of what it was.

And, today, well today has been a very exciting day.

I take a $2.75 subway ride to the tip of Manhattan to the home of the Metrocard, and there, I get this:

I then take the same subway ride home, this time (and forever more) for $1.35.

I love the card, but would prefer a re-design. The one big change I'd make is, I think, pretty obvious.