It’s a few hours before I turn 49, and I just got home from the gym. I’m still on my 10,000 step streak (more about that in a few days…) and I knew it’d been a pretty lazy day and I had some catching up to do. Okay, a lot of catching up to do. But I was also feeling excited – not necessarily for my birthday in particular, but I’ve been enjoying my first real weekend off in a long time – it just so happens to coincide with my birthday.

So, I stepped on the treadmill, started my Apple Watch (thank you, DE), and pressed play on “1989 (Taylor’s Version)”. An hour later, and Taylor was in the middle of the “From The Vault” track, “Slut”, and I was done. According to my watch, I had run a little over seven miles straight.

I’m not writing this to say how amazing it was – I’m gearing up for a 10K later in November, so I’d better be ready to run this kind of distance! But more so because I’m really proud of myself and how far I’ve come. I started this journey of physical self-improvement in earnest two years ago, and finally felt I could start running about a eighteen months ago.

My progress this year – 2023, that is – has been hampered by a lot of major life events. I summarized it pretty well in the first 31 Ghosts entry this year, but just to review: “I got married, I moved out of Guerneville after living there for more than 19 years, did another Tough Mudder 5K obstacle race, went on my first cruise, and through all of it I managed to keep my 10,000 step streak going.” And now I can add to that I’ve managed to write a ghost story for the last 28 days while working my day job and sometimes doubling up catering bartending shifts on top. Oh, and my 10,000 step streak is still alive.

So, if my weight has ticked up a few pounds instead down a few pounds like I’d intended, I’m willing to cut myself some slack.

But, as I said, in a few hours I turn 49. And while I’m not particularly sensitive to the big Five-Oh, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t started giving thoughts to who I am and what I’ve done and what I still intend to accomplish as my count of times around the sun ticks up to a big round number.

I don’t feel like I’m about to turn 49, and I certainly don’t feel like I’m on the glide path to 50. But here we are. So I’d like to direct this next part to 50 Years Old:

I’m coming for you. Not the other way around – I’m actively coming at you. You’ve got a little over 366 days (it’s a leap year) to get ready for me, because I know who I am right now and I know how much I can accomplish in a year. 50, I don’t think you’re ready for this. A lot of energy has shifted in this 48^th year, and just wait to see what I do in 49. So, dear 50 Years Old, ready yourself because I’m coming for you like a freight train.

And, you know, “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” will likely drop next year, so you’ve got that to contend with, too.