Today’s my birthday; I’m 49.
Forty nine’s a square, one of my favorite squares because 7×7 was the first part of the multiplication table that I memorised and always felt confident about. I loved that two pointy-angled numbers combined into two digits with the same shape – one pointed and one rounded. I don’t think I thought about math like the other kids. Ask me about 9×9 sometime. 🙂
As much as I love 49 as a number, I am not enamoured of it as an age. Too anticipatory, too much looking back on the past decade. Not a problem! Since yesterday actually ended my 49th year and today begins my 50th on this marvellous planet, and because math allows you to round up (I learned that shortly after times tables) I declare that I am a HALF-CENTURY old.
Half a century is a milestone I am excited to claim. Who knew I’d last this long? Be this happy? I will be 50 in 2016, too, as expected. And in 2017 I will turn 51 because you can have too much of a good thing and I’d like to make it to 100, maybe.
So hello, fifty! I feel a tenth my age. I look nine-tenths my age. It all adds together nicely. Gotta love math.
