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by - May 1, 2008 - 2:42 PM
Normally I don’t make big announcements like today is my birthday. That’s because most days aren’t my birthday. But since I’ve turned the big 2-9 today, I figured I’d quickly look up just a few of my heroes and report on what they’d accomplished with their 29 years of living. Looks like I’ve got a lot of catching up to do!
Gary Larson: After working in a music store and playing his banjo for years, Larson decides he hates his job and starts submitting comics to the Seattle Times under the name Nature’s Way. That strip was later retitled The Far Side.
Shel Silverstein: By 29, Shel had already written a book, recorded a music album, and was regularly contributing articles to a young Chicago magazine called Playboy.
Roald Dahl: Had already served as a pilot in WWII, crashed a plane, lost his eyesight, regained his eyesight, and published a kid’s book.
plenty more after the jump…
John Cleese: Earned his law degree, had been in a few successful revues, and was one year away from starting Monty Python.
Woody Allen: Had been writing one-liners and comedy bits for shows like Sid Caesar, Ed Sullivan and other comedy greats since age 19, and was just starting to perform his own stand-up.
Bill Watterson: Just two years into drawing Calvin and Hobbes, the elusive Mr. Watterson had already won the Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year (he won it around 28, and is - I think- the youngest recipient of it to date).
Oprah: Oprah isn’t really a hero of mine. At least she wasn’t until last night when I learned that at just 19 she was already anchoring a Nashville news show, and at 29, she had landed her first talk show. Ridiculous!
George Harrison: Had already completed a full run with The Beatles! Also, by 29, he’d had time to launch a solo career, and was busy organizing the Concert for Bangladesh benefit.
Dali: Had done some collaborations with Bunuel, had already painted The Persistance of Memory, and was working on that famed portrait of his lover Gala with two pork chops balanced on her shoulders.
Miles Davis: Had dropped out of Julliard, and already performed with every legendary jazz musician around. Seriously. From Charlie Parker to Dizzie Gillespie to Mingus to Monk. Plus, by 29, he had kicked a heroin addiction and was just starting his first legendary quintet.
Einstein: Was still living in Germany, and was three years past his legendary Annus Mirabilis (the year he’d published on Brownian Motion, the photoelectric effect, and e=mc^2, amongst other things).
King Tut: Only became a hero after he’d inspired that Steve Martin dance. At 29, he’d been dead for about 11 years.
Of course, if I had more time, I would have looked up Jim Henson, John Hubley, Nehru, and a whole host of others. I’ll just have to save them for next year.
Comments (17)
Comment
Happy Birthday! I turn 29 on Tuesday and this list gives me some more to shoot for.
We seem to share quite a few of the same heroes, but I wonder if any of them spent their 29th in an Irish whiskey/rock and roll stupor. I know I will!
posted by JHop on 5-1-2008 at 2:49 pm
Always happy to meet another King Tut fan! Enjoy your big day…
posted by Mangesh on 5-1-2008 at 2:56 pm
Happy Birthday and thanks for all the articles!
posted by JaneM on 5-1-2008 at 2:57 pm
I turned 39 yesterday. Happy b-day.
How about honorable mentions for Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin, all of whom, by 29 had experienced successful music careers, drug addiction, and death.
posted by bre on 5-1-2008 at 3:07 pm
my friend is turning 49 what source do I check for similar info on 49 ers
thanks
posted by karol on 5-1-2008 at 3:12 pm
Happy Birthday! Very interesting post… Reading “Oprah” threw me off though :)
posted by Keri on 5-1-2008 at 3:35 pm
Happy Birthday, Mangesh!!!
Maybe next year you will be on somebody’s “By The Age of 30″ list!
posted by Lisa on 5-1-2008 at 3:56 pm
I have always been envious of people born on May day, as a child it was mostly because I love the month of May and the idea of May day, now it is due to the the fact that only wizardly cool people are born on this day [or so I have so far observed]. For your birthday I think I am finally subscribing to Mental_Floss!!! [after hounding my parents for two years to get it for me] HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D
posted by C.Bukowski. on 5-1-2008 at 4:34 pm
…and Mozart was a few years shy of the end! Happy Birthday Boss!
posted by David on 5-1-2008 at 4:41 pm
Happy Birthday, Mangesh! I don’t turn 29 for another thirteen years, but can empathize with wanting to be on track with my heroes. Haven’t been in any movies yet, but I’m working on that one…
Interesting tidbit about Oprah! Hmm. And Einstein was very sweet-looking at 29.
posted by Allison on 5-1-2008 at 6:17 pm
Happy Birthday! I think you could call yourself quite an accomplished man for age 29.
posted by Miss Cellania on 5-1-2008 at 8:45 pm
Happy birthday. What a great website, I had a good chuckle about Silverstein and playboy. gotta see this dali with porkchop!
posted by Chicopea on 5-1-2008 at 9:09 pm
Happy Birthday! Can’t wait to see what you do in the next decade.
posted by elizabutt on 5-1-2008 at 11:57 pm
Happy Birthday!
Sure, I’m only just barely 19, but all of a sudden, I feel a little sad and useless.
posted by Ana on 5-2-2008 at 3:51 am
Happy Birthday! I’d say you’re already well ahead of most 29-year-olds.
posted by Stacy on 5-2-2008 at 8:15 am
Happy Birthday!
This article depressed me - I feel as though I’ve accomplished nothing. How about an article on people who didn’t accomplish big things until *after* they turned 29. Give me something to hope for!
posted by Rae Rae on 5-2-2008 at 3:14 pm
Happy belated Birthday, Mangesh!
posted by Tdave on 5-4-2008 at 6:03 am