Today is my 40th birthday. It happens to fall on one of my Random Weekends, so I’m spared the pressure of having to select a song appropriate to the occasion.

On car trips with my family, I will often say something like “the next song that comes on the radio will describe the rest of our lives” or “the next song that plays sums up my relationship with your mother.” The many times the resulting song makes no sense whatsoever are completely erased by the few times it’s hilariously perfect or perfectly hilarious.

So I’m going to take advantage of this Random Weekend to try the same thing here on the blog.

Whatever song I randomly fire up next will describe the meaning of my life at the ripe old age of 40.

Here we go…

Well, that could have gone better. The classic Johnny Cash cover of Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Hurt,’ the final single that (accompanied by its haunting video) came to symbolize the end of his legendary career and life.

Not exactly ‘Walking On Sunshine.’

Still, I like that I wound up with a song with depth and meaning, as opposed to some Jewel B-side or an Eminem song about club girls. Depressing as it is, ‘Hurt’ feels worthy of the moment.

Still, I’d rather this have popped up on my 80th birthday than my 40th. I’d like to think I’m closer to killing a man just to watch him die than bequeathing my empire of dirt.