I have some jacked up looking friends.

I recently signed up for an online birthday reminder service. Several of you received requests to sign up for it so I can be reminded of your birthdays. Not that I will necessarily do anything about it, like sending gifts or cards, but I will be aware of its passing.

The registration page asks for the date of birth and gives you the option of putting down a birth year . . . any birth year. It seems that several of my rugby teammates (and one or two other friends) will be turning 21 this year. Which makes me wonder, what the hell did these people do over the course of their short lives to look like they're in their thirties and forties when they are, apparently, only 20/21? Given the way a couple of my teammates look, they not only took massive amounts of drugs, drank heavily and smoked, but they must have spent every waking hour outdoors. And gotten beat up a lot.

Either that or I know a disproportionate amount of people with progeria.

On the other hand, one of my teammates, and former college classmate I might add, signed up for my birthday list. It turns out he's actually 105 years old this month. I must say, he looks remarkably good for his age. And kudos to him for going to college in his late 80s. That took guts.

My friends are freaks.