All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lined,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,
His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
Act 2, Scene 7 As you like it
Herein I do pronounce these ages as no longer valid, as the age of the infant is no more that of mewling and puking but smiling and giggling. Puking is right out.
I am smiling more and have been quite the laugher of late, enjoying the strange and wondrous sights I see everywhere. I sit and play, I bounce in my jumper, I eat many different foods, and I take in the world as it goes by.
One day, not long ago, I was part of a surprise birthday party for Suzanne, whose age is closer to that of the seventh than the first. But no worries - the seventh is no longer mere childishness, sans everything, but can be a ripe, golden age. At least we hope so, for Suzanne's sake.
Here are some of the partiers. There was something very interesting to my right.
In the picture, from left to right, are:
Liam Madison
Lisa Madison
Mom and Me!! (!!)
Kim Kisor with Kali
Suzanne, the birthday girl
Tonya, with Kaylin, Kali's twin, and Jeremy (Jacob off having fun, I think)
You can see that we all enjoyed ourselves!
