Today I turn 26¹, so happy birthday to me. If I were a famous musician, I’d only have one year left to live, which would be depressing. So I’m happy for that. And if I were a dog, I’d be pretty lucky to even make it this far. That’s another thing I’m happy for.

At 26 Babe Ruth hit 59 home runs. I’ve got a pretty lofty expectations for myself as well. On the other hand that may not have been his best season² and Roger Maris hit 61 home runs when he was 26. There are always going to be people that best you, at any age. And although 26 is not a premium age like 18, 21, or 25, there are still some fine things available to help us celebrate.

1. And so does Mario Chalmers, probably the most famous person to share my exact date of birth. [↩]
2. The other candidate is 1923, when he was 28. Although he “only” hit 41 home runs that year, he had 25 more walks and a higher batting average. He also won his only MVP in 1923. But really, either of those seasons is a good choice. [↩]