Firsts - A New Series by You Know Who

There's a first time for everything in life. First times can be frightening, exhilirating, dangerous, and a hundred other adjectives. Some say "the first time's a charm." Others say, "I did that once, and it will definitely be the last." Some firsts mean you're growing up. Other firsts mean you're getting old. In other words, there's a lot of "stuff" that goes with first times - no matter what the first is about.

On Friday Jan. 13th the movie Joyful Noise is being released. Joyful Noise marks a first for me. It is the first time I was ever in a Hollywood movie. Yes...Dolly and Queen Latifeh and me. Those of you who see the movie probably won't even notice I'm in it. I'm not listed in the credits, I don't  have any speaking lines, and - surprise! - I wasn't even one of the higher paid actors (I think I made about $172.00 for four days work). But still - it's a first, and first times like this one are fun and memorable. Who knows... some day a hundred years from now my great, great grandkids might be watching whatever people will be watching in the 22nd century and Joyful Noise might come on and they will see me - for just an instant frozen in time.  Makes you think!

Anyway - in honor of this "First" I am planning a few days of blogs about other memorable "Firsts" from my life. It will be a veritable stroll down memory lane. Indulge me... and maybe what you find here will make you laugh or cry - or better yet perhaps it will dislodge a memory or two of your own. It may even cause you to pull out the old photo albums or home movies and share them with your kids or grandkids - who knows?

Steve's first birthday!

Today's "First" comes from way back in the time of Howdy Doody. Elvis was on top of the charts and - you guessed it - I celebrated my FIRST BIRTHDAY! This photo was taken on March 22, 1957. We lived at Eglin AFB in Florida. Some quick observations about the photo. First, notice my mom's saddle oxford shoe in the photo; apparently these were all the rage in the fifties. Second, for those of you wondering, yes, my eyes did eventually uncross. Actually they never really were crossed, I remember just being amazed that my parents were letting their one-year old kid get his face that close to FIRE. I remember thinking, "Quick! Someone should call DFACS!" (Actually I am making that part up, I really don't remember my first birthday). Finally, notice my tiny foot sticking out at an strange angle and my little oddly shaped shoe. A little known fact about me (EXTRA asked for these sorts of tidbits in case my movie was a hit)... A little known fact about me is that I was born with what was called a "club foot" back in the fifties. I'm sure you couldn't get away with calling it something so politically incorrect these days, but I had one. My foot turned inward at a weird angle. The real name for this condition is unpronounceable (congenital talipes equinovarus), but apparently it's fairly common, occurring in about one in every 1,000 live births according to Wikipedia. At least the fact that I had a birth defect is out in the open now - and yes it feels good getting that off my chest after all these years. I am rambling now, and probably being politically insensitive myself, so let me leave you with this profound thought to ponder: First birthdays are a lot of fun, even though no one ever really remembers theirs.