Brutal Youth

Somewhere along a path strewn with New Yorkers, Netflix envelopes, and gin, the husband of a dear friend became a dear friend of mine. In honor of his big birthday, and because it’s really hard to find a card that isn’t dumb, I present:

Forty Things About RJA

1. Does the Sunday New York Times crossword in Sharpie
2. Likes spice cake the best
3. Deeply enjoys jazz without being one of those jazz people
4. Makes a mean chicken curry
5. Would rather be on the beach right now, ideally on the Amalfi coast
6. Or in New York
7. Doesn’t care to fly
8. Can’t get used to contact lenses
9. Disposes of all intellectualism when a Jason Statham movie is on
10. Doesn’t refer to his years in Catholic school as an insurmountable emotional handicap
11. Hates Project Runway, but pays stealthy attention to Design Star
12. Would love to sit in with The More Brothers
13. Overpronates
14. Prefers to write longhand, in pencil, on legal pads
15. Is quite fond of reptiles
16. Can’t clean a bathroom. Just constitutionally can’t
17. Feels a little pained that Elvis Costello, Nick Hornby, and Richard Russo never show up at cocktail hour
18. Is not much on the Oxford comma
19. Is an excellent interviewer and a terrible answerer
20. Sees no need to state the obvious
21. Doesn’t force his opinion
22. Answers only to his full first name
23. Takes his rum with lots of lime and his gin & tonic with hardly any
24. Has no time for musicals
25. Sings along with the radio
26. Could go for a sandwich right now
27. Still drives like a professional driver
28. Does an unsettling Don Draper impression
29. Is so patient
30. Picked an interesting career for himself and then made it happen. Twice.
31. Is more Rolling Stones than Beatles
32. Has secret caches of athletic ability 
33. Would defend his family to the death
34. Giggles
35. Doesn't like roller coasters
36. Just wants to see what part of The Godfather this is.
37. Loves the physical presence of books
38. Keeps a bottle of Gulf Coast sand behind his desk
39. Only watches fake sports that are over within a month
40. Has shown no outward signs of being freaked about 40

It's been a pleasure getting to know how your four decades have shaped you. Happy, happy birthday, RJA!