TODAY . . . I’ve crossed a whole new RUBICON, and surpassed the Magical 65th Birthday, as the clock ticked for me to 66 . . . ME AND ABE LINCOLN, born on the same day, although Lincoln did it 141-Years before me.
This is one year after when the pensions in Canada officially kicked-in for me, most prescription drugs (in Canada) were free for me a year ago, matinee tickets in movie theaters are half price, senior discounts save 10% or more in most restaurants, and the marketing world is focused on selling everything they can to us GEEZERS over 65.
BUT THAT SAID . . . I’M NO GEEZER, and neither are all of my friends, many of whom are much older and more experienced than me. As a matter of fact, if it wasn’t for us, holding the INSIDERS’ and the LEFTISTS’ feet to the fire . . . who else would have the SMARTS and the RESOLVE to do it?
IT WAS OUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS . . . who entrusted us to carry the TORCH, which many of us did, and still do, while others welcomed avarice and conceit, instead of Patriotism.
BUT IT IS US . . . those of us, who many of the losers call GEEZERS, who haven’t surrendered our Nations’ Judeo/Christian VALUES, who have passed our VALUES on to our children and grandchildren, some of whom stand tall in our shadow.
I’ll tell you of one of those young men who’s carrying our TORCH for FREEDOM, at the end of this editorial.
OUR HAIR HAS TURNED GRAY, or has disappeared altogether. We might not be able to walk as erect as we once did. We might be quite a few pounds heavier now, than we were in our younger days. We might not have the mental and physical strength to run our businesses or work as hard as we used to. And we speak more today about the medication we have to take, rather than the highballs many of us might have consumed yesteryear.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT . . .
We haven’t LOST our love of COUNTRY, our belief in Judeo/Christian Values, our Patriotism . . . and the smarts to DISTINGUISH between TRUTH & LIES.
AND AS THE YOUNGER . . . dope smoking, sexually promiscuous, university indebted, ignorant, unskilled, greedy and lazy generation are falling on their collective ass, many with their equally failed parents who were too self absorbed because of our success . . . have nowhere to turn for salvation than to us, who they call the GEEZERS – are indeed their last best hope.
SO . . . REMEMBER THIS:
We might be getting-on in age, but without us from the past, there will be no future for those who follow.
And as long as I’m alive – be it at 66-Years Old Today, or 96-Years Old in 30-More Years, as long as I can think, as long as I can write, and as long as I can raise my voice, I will fight and contribute . . . because that’s the generation I and a HUGE number of the people who read this BLOG are from.
MY BIRTHDAY GIFT TO ME:
This is not about Personal APPROBATION . . . it’s about GRATITUDE.
Last night, Anne and I went to Chicken Express on Highway 620 in Austin, for a delicious fast-food supper treat. And . . . as was par for the course, the supper conversation came around to what could Anne buy me for my Birthday, to which I gave the same answer as always. There’s nothing I need. And there’s nothing special I want.
As we were eating, with Anne’s back to the cash, I said to her . . . “I’M GOING TO BUY MYSELF MY BIRTHDAY PRESENT” – to which Anne excitedly asked, with a big smile across her beautiful face – “WHAT’RE YOU BUYING FOR YOURSELF?”
I asked her to turn around and tell me what she saw . . . “A YOUNG MAN IN A UNIFORM” . . . she said, to which I responded – “HIS SUPPER IS MY BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO ME.”
And before Anne could say anything, I was at the cash, standing with the young soldier, speaking with him, who stood straight in his smart fatigues. And when he finished giving his order, I simply took the bill, paid for it, and thanked him for his service.
HIS SHOCKED RESPONSE . . . was how grateful he was to me for picking-up his bill, to which I responded to him, that it was me, who was full of gratitude to him, and I shook his hand.
When I came back to our table, Anne’s eyes were welled-up, as she asked me . . . “are you crying?”
“NO” – I said . . . “There must have been some spice in the gravy.”
GOD BLESS THE YOUNG SOLDIER . . . & GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Best Regards . . . Howard Galganov
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66 Comments
Bravo, Howard! Your comments about the “feel good/let’s not hate” crowd sums up the anger I have towards these mewling appeasers. Waving pens and holding candles and teddy bears with a sanctimonious expression on their mugs will not stop these savages. Only a show of deadly force will stop them. That’s the only thing these murdering psychopaths understand and respect.
Happy Birthday Howard. That is the most beautiful birthday gift. God Bless all our young soldiers and God Bless You.
Heidi McCauley, NYC
A beautiful column today, Howard!
Thanks for doing what Obama and Biden are too cheap to do Howard and Happy Birthday
Happy birthday Howard and many more. Brought tears to my eyes…guess there must have been spice in my gravy also!
I’m sure that young man in uniform will forever be grateful to you for paying his dinner bill. How thoughtful of you and the
love for our country and men in uniform to keep us safe. Keep up the great work. God Bless you.
Great story! I wish William and I could have met you at Chicken express or anywhere else on 620. We’d still love to meet you and buy you a meal! We live so close.
Howard, I am with you. . . however I am nearing the age of four score my next birthday. It is the “moral fabric” of this great Nation that concerns me. I do believe God blesses a nation according to His “Divine Law” and we will have to face the consequencis of our sin. Happy Birthday to you and may He bless you with good health and prosperity in this upcoming year. By the way, I like Senator Ted Cruz!
Happy Birthday Howard and thank you for buying that soldier’s dinner. Great article–brought tears to my eyes.
Happy Birthday, Howard! Glad you and Anne are able to spend time in Texas. Thank you for all of your great articles. Alan Conklin, Buffalo, MO
Happy Birthday Howard and keep up the good work. Thank you
for being kind to the soldier
Happy B-Day, Howard. Many of them in good health. Ironically it is yourself (a geezer) who has to push while the so-called strong and virulent youth is apathetic, unknowing and weak. Fifty years ago it was the other way around.
Happy Birthday from one old geezer to the other. Hope you have many more of them. Thanks for being so kind to one of the many servicemen to whom we owe so much.
Happy Birthday Howard and good on you for your generous spirit. I am very proud to say I once got to shake your hand at the opening of Pure Laine on Monkland Ave. so many years ago and despite so much water already under the bridge I wish you and Ann good weather and wind always at your back. My share of Pure Laine hangs proudly on my den wall.
Remember, once you are over the hill you start to pick up speed
Happy birthday Howard, your story brought tears to my eyes.
God bless those that protect our freedom.
From one old geezer to another, a heart felt HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May you have many, many more. Thank you, Howard, for all that you do.
You and my wife are in good company — it’s Pat’s birthday, too.
And it’s Abraham Lincoln’s 207th birthday, too. Time was when we celebrated Lincoln’s birthday, and George Washington’s, too, on 22 February. Then some misguided do-gooder decided to suppress them both and replace them with Presidents’ Day. More of our history, and it’s lessons, forgotten. More’s the pity.
Happy Birthday, Howard. You must have felt so happy when paying for the soldier’s breakfast. What a great gift! I’m a “few” years older than 66, but am NOT a GEEZER. I, too, will ‘continue to write. raise my voice, and will fight and contribute’ because our young generation needs the GUIDANCE. Keep up the good work and enjoy your day! AMEN!
Thank you for reminding me. Day by day I am learning more of what these young people have endured and, now, have to continue to endure, due to their service to us. I came across a simple business card a few years ago. It simply thanks each member for their service. This is a file to be downloaded and printed. I will send it to you by seperate email and you can decide what to do with it.
Happy Birthday Howard, We hope this is a great year for you. That was a very thoughtful and kind thing to do, to buy the dinner of a man in uniform. What a great idea. We always read and enjoy your Editorials. We agree with you so much of the time. In fact it is seldom that we don’t agree with you wholeheartedly. I hope you keep up your good work for years to come. Thank you Eileen Powell Bowman, ND
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WARRIOR! Have done the same thing many times…the last a soldier coming out of Office Depot with his young wife or girl friend…a 20 for whatever they wanted! You’d have thought it was a million bucks…GOD BLESS THEM! THEIR smiles gave ME the MILLION! Bud Farrell B-29 Gunner Korea
happy Birthday Howard… you young geezer. I’m almost 74, still work, and walk upright… so there is hope for you. if you haven’t had good Texas Bar-B-Q yet… I’ll treat some time soon!!!!
Happy Birthday Howard, what a great story. I have done the same thing before and it not only makes the soldier feel good but me and my wife too. We have been a Military family, my father in WWII & Korea, myself during Viet Nam and 2 of our sons, one in the Navy and one in the Army. Both have had tours in Iraq & Afghanistan. Keep up the good commentary and again, Happy Birthday.
A Very Happy Birthday, Howard! Thank you for all you do!
Happy Birthday, what a great gift you gave yourself.
Well done Howard, happy birthday and this is something we should all be doing.
If nothing else I check in a restaurant for service men and women and shake their hands in appreciation of what they have done for our countries.
By the way a happy Birthday to you may there be many more.
Happy birthday, Howard! And many more! 65 is still young …. just at the threshold of ‘senior years’!! Keep up the great work of keeping the rest of us ‘geezers’ informed! And yes, your birthday gift to yourself brought tears to my eyes! You have heart! My son-in-law is in the Canadian military! I am proud of him and all who serve and protect!
Happy birthday Howard. May you live to be my age as healthy as I am. You have 18 years to go, but keep giving yourself birthday presents that really matter like you did in the restaurant, and thanks for your present to all of us who read you. May Yahovah bless you and Annie as you enjoy your lives together.
Happy Birthday Howard, what a great gift you gave yourself.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOWARD. That was a great Birthday Gift you gave that Soldier. We ( my Wife Regina) & I really enjoy doing things like that when we can. Those spices will do that every time. 🙂 ADONAI BLESS YOU & ANNE.
Happy Birthday Howard. I hope that this one is the best ever for you and they continue to get better. Thank you for being such a patriot to your adopted country.
You brought tears to my eyes to-day Howard…HAPPY BIRTHDAY….and thanks for what you do…We have something in common…It is my birthday too.
Happy Birthday Howard, you really are something else, a gentleman and a scholar of the first order.
Congratulations, take a break and have a wonderful day
Mazel Tov !! After this blog I found out that we have also some kind of spice in our household….
Happy Birthday you “old fart”. Lot of prominate people born in February, Geo. Washington, Abe Lincoln. you , me the 16th, 75yrs. Amen to all of the above column.
What a beautiful gift you gave yourself! Happy Birthday Howard and many more……a great article. Thanks for being you.
We’ve been friends for ten years now, so it doesn’t surprise me that you would buy the soldier supper. A very Happy Birthday to you, my friend.
Birthdays are good for you.
Statistics show that people who have the most
Live the longest.
Buon compleanno!
Due to some health issues we are not able to spent the winter in AZ, BUT heading to Austin for a month or more. Any
suggestions on BBQ (love it) in the Austin area we MUST visit?
Enjoy and share your comments with the good folks in Nebraska.
Dan Coffey
Happy birthday and kudos on your choice of birthday present to yourself. A couple of weeks ago, we had dinner at a local “homestyle” restaurant. At a table between us and the checkout register sat an older man (I’m in my 70s) who wore a Vietnam vet cap laden with metals. On our way out, I stopped, extended my hand, and thanked him for his service. This crusty old fellow had tears in his eyes but his handshake was firm. My present to me.
Howard what makes your story so GOOD is that it fits in well with your blog and stays on track. It is who you are and why I so very much enjoy reading your thoughts that MOSTLY are in touch with mine. THANK YOU!!! AND
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR SURE!!!
Tony
Happy 65th Birthday Howard!! You’re still a youngun; in 3 weeks I’ll start my 74th year. I have a dear friend who celebrated her 94th birthday Dec 23rd. She, kind of like your Abe Lincoln comparison, says she’s two days older than God. And we all are forever grateful to soldiers, past-present-future, who put their lives on the line for us when asked.
Hope your birthday is filled with good surprising memories. God bless
Well H up to a year ago I rode a “Geezer Glide” as to the rest of this aging progress , I’m not impressed .
Have yet “To Hang Up My Guns” mostly because I cannot find the hook , As to the free meds you are provided in Canada , they are generic , the good ones go the younger crowd and FLU shots the gov. keeps promoting to you are a form of “putting you down” over a 5 year period . I still have some of my wits , but what’s a “blog” ?
Keep Smiling
Happy birthday Howard. Hang on for now as the years fly by and you too will also look back at 76 and say “how did that happen”?
Happy Birthday,
Not all of the younger generation are bad. My two offspring are easily as Conservative as their old man and one of them is probably even more so.
And most of my fellow volunteer firefighters ( in my department at least) also tend to fit the same mold.
From one geezer to another, happy birthday. I’ll catch up to you on April 9th, which in 1950 was Easter Sunday.
When I read your comments, Howard, on the current younger generation which you described as dope-smoking, sexually promiscuous, ignorant, unskilled, greedy, and lazy (I purposely omit “university indebted”), I couldn’t help feeling that you were describing OUR generation in the ’60s. Particularly when it comes to those first two traits, wasn’t it OUR generation that paved the way?
Happy Birthday to a fabulous man and writer. May your year be filled with joy, love and many blessings. Keep up the good work being a voice of reason for us in a world gone mad!
Dear brother geezer, I was really moved….and what a present it was.
Just remember we have a lot of rides to do yet.
Your Pledgerider friend now geezering in Florida.
Happy Happy Birthday
Andy
Many Happy Returns! You brought a tear to my eye as well!
And thank you to all the soldiers who put their lives on the line for us.
Kind consideration, words or actions given is always it’s own reward. May you live for a hundred years!
Howard,
First off, a great big Happy Birthday and we wish you many healthy more.
We do the same. our way of giving thanks, when we see any serviceman in our local restaurants…they have well earned it. On the street or in shopping centers a great big handshake!
God bless America!
Bill and Jan Clement, Ocala Florida
Happy Birthday Howard. May you have a wonderful year, filled with good times and good health. Stay safe.
Happy birthday Howard from your friends in Georgia.
Rick & Deena
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY” Howard!!! Thank you for all the wonderful things you do for so many. May God Bless You and Anne always. Be safe as well. Your Birthday Act of Kindness (Your Self-Birthday Gift) for the American Soldier brought tears to my eyes too. You are such a caring guy. Thank Anne too for being a wonderful wife to you and making you happy. You are both lucky to have one another. God Bless You Both… & God Bless America.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I hope you are enjoying life as much as I am in seventeen more years. Yep 82 and still kicking. My wife and I along with several of our retired friends have been volunteering at the Atlanta Airport USO for several years. Talk about a great feeling you should see the gratitude they show when they realize they can eat or carry with them any of the food we prepare for them. We always thank “THEM” for their service. What a great bunch of young men and women they are.
Yes, indeed, Howard, a very Happy Birthday, young man!!! What you wrote in this editorial is very true – our generation and the one before us are the only ones who understand the values of our society. The current generation has NO idea what we’re talking about because they’ve been brain-washed by our education system to be socialists. They know nothing about frugality because they’ve never had to do without & they will never be able to face the sad future that is coming.
You are only a baby, look at me at 82 and still working. People ask me why, I tell them it is the Vodka, it is the Genes. If you have a positive outlook on life, help others, smile and give your time to people and others, God will be on your side and as it was said, “whatever you do for the least of my people you do for me.” I truly believe that is true.
Happy birthday Howard. I hope to be 5 plus years older and counting than you for many years to come. I wish you and Anne many more years together with health and success in your endeavours (Notice the Canadian “u” in endeavors).
Always your friend, Harry
Happy Birthday, YOUNG Man !! Giving back and Paying it forward truly is THE GOLDEN RULE. Thank You. God Bless. Give Anne a HUG for me, she sounds like a wonderful person too!
I was amazed to discover how old you were when we chatted today. I could have sworn it was only a couple of years ago that we celebrated your 60th! Thank you for ALL that you do, Howard AND Anne. God Bless you both. Happy Birthday Howard!
Happy Birthday! It’s wonderful what you did for the soldier. I have been on the receiving end of having it done to me. I figured it was the white hair and maybe I reminded them of their Grandmother!
I have but one thing to say. Where is the “Like” button when you need it.
Happy Birthday and hope you have many more! I agree that our parent’s and our generation was and is the best. Although my children are raising their children like we raised them so there is still hope for a lot of younger children. What a Great Gift!! It brought tears to my eyes like it always does when I hear stories of our young Military men/women. Keep on writing because you are still young! I always look forward to reading what you write. Thank You!
Happy Birthday Howard. Thank you for your generosity to one of my younger military brothers.
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