40 - argh! - Penny and Gary

In honour of my birthday, I decided to invite some fabulous bloggers to help me celebrate.
Their task? To create a post with the theme 40. Today's guest is Penny the Jack Russell Dog and modest internet superstar, and her fictional human, Gary...

Forty Happens.

Hi there, yes it's me, Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar!  My human, Gary, was telling me what it was like for him when he turned forty.

"Penny, I remember the day I woke up and realised it was my fortieth birthday.  I had this incredible urge to go jogging.  That urge soon left and the only thing I thought of jogging was my memory.  I got out of bed and cranked up the stereo for the first time in ten years.  Yep, nothing like waking up to rap music.  I was forty and I was officially cool. 

I then knew that turning forty required me to purchase my very own mid-life crisis mobile.  Upon the purchase of my flashy sports car, complete with the wobbling furry dice on the driver's mirror, I was horrified that the police officer who pulled me over for speeding looked like a kid.  I was officially past forty and beyond.

More signs of my passing the forty year milestone became apparent to my son.  I started chatting to my son's friends. I was convinced they thought I was well ace with my real with it conversations.  They smiled.  My son looked totally agitated n' stuff.  Hey dudes, let's paaarrttty!  Oh yeah and far out, maaaan!"

"Very interesting, Gary!"  I responded.  "This explains your going on about, life's too short to be miserable.  Your new found appreciation for elevator music.  Soon, Gary, you will have a fondness for tacky cardigans and slippers in the shape of a cute little dog.  Are you ready for Bingo, Gary?" 

"Fair enough, Penny!  What say I mention something totally predictable like, forty is the new thirty.  Or thirty is the new twenty.  Which might make you wonder what that makes a ten year old.  Ah Penny, anything but Bingo!" 

Gary

About Gary...

Greetings, I have been honoured to have my blog 'klahanie' featured on the B.B.C.'s radio station 'Radio 5 Live'. On a show titled: 'Pods and Blogs', I tried to highlight in my interview, that it is time to eliminate the unfair stigma that is still attached to mental health issues. I firmly believe that the media can help redress the balance. How about sensationalizing the positive recovery stories rather than the negative stereotypes that people with mental health issues have to endure? I am a man challenging his 'inner critic.' I will not 'surrender' to my symptoms. I give myself permission to be positive. I try to live my life with positive anticipation. I refuse to let negative speculation overwhelm me. We all have the right to peace and contentment. I want to give others

Penny

positive affirmations. I am not daunted by my loneliness. For in my solitude, I have discovered a determined resilience. I care passionately for people who have been undermined in an unjust world. I challenge the stigma that still surrounds mental health issues.

Find Gary on his blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook