"Next to the Last of the Mohicans"

I like this guy.  He exhibits pluck and exudes savoir faire, no?  Furthermore, I can relate to him.  That guy in history who "also ran".  The common foot soldier in the historical battle that turns the tide of history.  The inconspicuous mother of a statesman that sways the masses.  The best friend of James Dean or the next door neighbor of Albert Schweitzer.  A small peg in the wheel that moves the history of mankind forward whose name will only be known to a small handful.  My fifty ninth year seems to be rolling out as highly introspective.  I want to hit 60 with a splash.  Perhaps it's the significance of yet another decade or the realization that the NEXT decade birthday I encounter may be full of drool and artificial parts.  So, in preparation for my upcoming birthday in the spring I've been striving to pack some things into this year that I may not have normally considered significant.  I'm reading 60 books, giving away 60 things, walking 60 miles, going vegetarian for 60 days, doing 60 blog posts--you get the picture.  My goal is to cap off the year with 60 miles on the Appalachian Trail if anyone would like to join me.  I realize that by going public I lay myself out for inspection.  That's OK.  Maybe someone will "go thou and do likewise."  Perhaps I'll write a book about it.  Not sure the world is on the edge of it's global seat waiting for my post-menopausal ruminations, but then again, I feel somewhat compelled to turn to the faceless throng and at least give a wave and a goofy grin...