A little over 25 years ago, when I joined a company (that I was at for almost 20 years), I met a guy that worked in the data center. Over the years we were coworkers and we even went out of town a few times on business trips. All these years later, we're still friends and we see each other occasionally, mostly when we take a weekend and go up to his house in the middle of Wisconsin, where he hosts "The Away Team" (I have no recollection on why we called ourselves that.

Anyway, for as long as I've known him, he's always talked about 2004. That was his goal - 2004. Through heart attacks and hip replacement, he always focused on 2004. When things weren't going well at work, we could always hear him muttering "2004... 2004... 2004..."

Why? Because he'd turn 65 and be able to retire.

Tonight, all of his friends and family got together and threw him a surprise 65th birthday party. Yes, he was surprised (and you know, when you know a guy has had a few heart attacks in his life, you get a real uneasy feeling yelling Surprise! at a guy as he's walking down some stairs into a dark basement where he thinks there's a flooding problem that he's going to help out with...), and he was doubly surprised since his birthday is actually on March 7.

We got a chance to meet his extended family and friends that we didn't know. What a wonderful group of people.

He's still working at the same company (since 1972), and John tells us that he's thinking of staying around with the company until 2005... and that just seems wrong.

Happy 65th Birthday, John!