Turning 60

I turn 60 in a few days (on the 16th).

I'm grateful to be still kicking after all of these years (especially to have survived the 1960s and early 70s). I'm fortunate to have had the love and support of my wife Wendy for over 33 years. And together we've raised two children, Athena and Alex (who are now out working in the world).

In doing my own work, I've learned that people enjoy having their minds stimulated, and that a "whack on the side of the head" can be a positive experience. Having my own business has given me the opportunity to present my material and meet people on six continents. It has also allowed me to try a variety of things — some successful, others less so.

I’m sometimes asked what my favorites are, so here are a few of them.

• Favorite pieces of music: Bach’s Goldberg Variations, and Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite.
• Favorite modern novelist: Paul Auster.
• Favorite painting that I’ve actually seen: Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights (hanging in the Prado, Madrid).
• Favorite film directors: Akira Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman, and Stanley Kubrick.
• Favorite creative thinking “thinker”: Arthur Koestler.
• Favorite classical play: Euripides’ The Bacchae.
• Favorite vegetable: habanero chili peppers.
• Favorite places that I’ve visited just before sunrise: Varanasi (on the Ganges), Karnak Temple (Egypt), Machu Picchu (Peru), Angkor Wat (Cambodia), Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes (Sahara Desert, Morocco), and the Temple of Concord (Agrigento, Sicily).

For inspiration, this morning I looked at card #60 of my Innovative Whack Pack (a deck which deals with the ideas of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus). Heraclitus' message here is:

 "The sun is new each day."

I believe that Heraclitus' advice to me on the eve on my sixtieth is:

"Keep an open mind and think again. Life will continually surprise you. Nothing is permanent and you shouldn't be a slave to your assumptions."

I look forward to being surprised at what comes my way in the coming years.

So, what am I doing on my birthday? I plan to go swimming. My wife and I will then take our dogs (Razzbo, Zack, and Wally) to the beach (Mavericks), then meet up with my family and see an old Hitchcock movie at the Stanford Theatre (complete with a live organist on the Wurlitzer), and then out to dinner. Should be fun!

Next week, Wendy and I are off to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and then business in Hong Kong.

Comments

[Valeria Maltoni]

Happy birthday, Roger. Buon compleanno! We are lucky to have met you. Your energy is infectious. And I know I can always count on this space to stimulate creative thinking. This is an intelligent, interesting, and innovative destination for me.

Thank you for all the gifts you have given us.

[Mark McGuinness]

Great choices. The Bosch is my favourite painting that I've almost seen... my friend didn't get his bags together in time for us to get off the train at Madrid, and it didn't stop for another 4 hours. I'll get to see it one day.

Best wishes for the big day, hope you have a great time.

[Tim Siedell]

Happy birthday, Roger! By the way, my kids have been loving their new Ball of Whacks. They've been playing with it all week. Best wishes and safe travels.

[David A.]

¡Happy birthday! Glad to read that your favourite painting (one of my favourites too) is in my town :)

I've been following your blog for over a year and it never ceases to amaze me. You sure are a great source of inspiration and a human being to look up to for us younger people. Your energy and will to be always learning is truly admiring.

¡Que cumplas muchos más, Roger!

[Nedra Weinreich]

Hope you have a very happy birthday, Roger! And enjoy your upcoming trip - it sounds exciting.

[Cam Beck]

Happy birthday, Roger!

[Roger von Oech]

Valeria: You're making me blush!

Mark: It's worth it. The colors so intense. I went back three times to keep viewing it.

Tim: Thanks! I'm glad to hear the BOW is giving your family some enjoyment.

David: Thanks for your kind words.

Nedra: I love going to east Asia! Thanks for the good wishes.

Cam: Thanks for the b'day cheer!

[Wendy]

Roger, I am grateful for the years and the moments we have spent together. Your youthful spirit will keep us both buoyant.

May this year be one of unexpected adventure, creative inspiration, and a bountiful harvest of Chilis!

[ranen carmel]

Happy Birthday! And thank you for sharing your experience with us. Have a great vacation.

[Saurabh Garg]

Hi Roger,

Although this is a couple of days early but have a rocking year ahead and hope to bump into you if at all you are in India.

Warm Regards,
SG

[Gordon]

A very happy birthday Roger! Looking forward to checking out your writings in 2008 and beyond. How about sharing some of your hot pepper recipes?

[Randy]

Happy 60th, Roger!!
Thinking keeps one young, and you certainly help the rest of us keep thinking!!

To quote George Bernard Shaw, "Few people think more than two or three times a year. I have made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week!"

Keep it up!

[Alex von Oech]

I look forward to what comes your way in the following years as well. An early Happy Birthday to you.

I always enjoy physically pushing myself on my birthday as well. What's your swim workout going to consist of?

[Karl Boggs]

Happy Birthday, Roger!

I hope the many years to come will be as enriching as the ones that brought you here.

[Joseph Bernard]

Hi Roger, I just came upon your site and find it full of aliveness. I am just over 2 years away from my 60th. I feel like these years are so full of expanding consciousness as if I finally have my priorities right or something.

I love the idea of putting some of your favorites in your blog. I end up filling this out for other sites, why not for my own.

Please check our my blog and if interested we could exchange links.

Have a expansive and fun 60th, just getting better every year, right?

Joseph
www.ExploreLifeBlog.com

[Tom]

Dude, I have your deck of cards and together with Michalko, DaVinci and many in-between the future is a place upon which the sun will always shine.

I look forward to the day I shake your hand and treat you to a chilli which gives ultimate value for money...

;-)

[Roger von Oech]

Wendy: Yes, chilis do keep a marriage together.

Ramen, Saurabh, Randy, Gordon: Thanks for the kind wishes.

Karl: Thanks for your support with the Ball of Whacks.

Joesph: Thanks for the good wishes. Good luck with your blog!

Tom: That would be nice.

[Roger von Oech]

Alex: You ask, "I always enjoy physically pushing myself on my birthday as well. What's your swim workout going to consist of?"

Good question. I like to do that on my birthday as well. This year, however, my birthday is on a Saturday and that's usually my day of rest. But I will swim this Saturday — probably an easy 3,000 meters.

But this year I decided to make the month of January my birthday effort month, so I swam 100,000+ meters last month. That's a good enough effort — for me at least!

[Liz Strauss]

Hi Roger,
Happy, happy birthday. I bet you're having a better time every day. I'm not surprised to find out that you share a birthday with my closest friend on the planet. Excellent people both of you.

May your birthday dreams and wishes all come to you in beautiful and creative ways.

[Mike Wagner]

Happy Birthday Roger!

I use to worry that when I got "old" I'd think like an "old person". Then I discovered that thinking like an "old person" is a choice.

Your writings helped me understand that important truth along with a boat load of others.

So, I'm grateful too that you survived the 60s and 70s to bless us in the now.

Keep creating...a daring adventure,
Mike

[Jeevan Sivasubramaniam]

Happy birthday Roger! Next time you're in the city I owe you a beer/green tea/coffee

[Lewis Green]

Happy Birthday Roger! I turn 62 in a few months, traveled with a rock back in my early days and, too, was fortunate to make it through the '60s and '70s. Since, every decade has been better. God bless!

[Traci]

As one of your readers, I've enjoyed your blog for the past few months. I was shocked to see that many of your favorites are my own (Bach, Auster, the lovely afternoon I spent in the Prado with Bosch, Kurosawa, Kubrick, The Bacchae). You've inspired me to discover the other places and thinkers who have inspired you. Happy birthday, Roger!

[ann michael]

Happy Birthday, Roger!!!!!

[Stuart R. Kaplan]

Dear Roger:
Congratulations on reaching the 60 year milestone. However, I suspect you have forgotten that 2008 is also important for another reason: it is "OUR" 20th anniversary. On June 4, 1988 you contacted U.S. Games Systems with a sample of your Creative Whack pack. Shortly thereafter you gave a workshop at the Sons of Italy complex in Stamford and I attended as your guest. At the workshop. I witnessed several hundred employees of General Foods Group (I think) jump up and down as you put on your different hats of explorer, artist, judge and warrior and jolted them to think differently. In August 1988 we entered into our first publishing agreement and it has been an exciting 20 years. I am a big admirer of your accomplishments. Working together with you on the Creative Whack Pack and recently on the Ball of Whacks has been invigorating, challenging, exciting, fun, and a positive learning experience. Happy Birthday and many more successful years.
Stuart Kaplan