I don't remember how it happened, this thing called growing old. Why, only just the other day I was barely considered grown up. Had to show proof I was legal tender to vote or buy smokes and a six-pack for the Old Man when he couldn't get out to the shop himself. Pretty sure it was yesterday I ran all the way to the top of Green Hill, "up to see the birdies" before they went to bed. Could climb trees a whole lot better than my pesky brother Frank, picked more berries too. Now just look at me. All bent over and wrinkled up. Blind as the proverbial bat, too, and I'm pretty sure my hair is more dove grey than sparrow brown. Why, I could easily be mistaken for my dear old Nan, gone these twenty years, God rest her! What's that? Where did all the time go? Good question. Winging its merry way into Tomorrow, no dilly-dallying about for anything or anyone. And perhaps it's just as well; I can't imagine what the world would do if it ever once stood still. *** PRODUCTION NOTES: From an original photo that I remixed using Playground AI, then postworked in both Photoshop CS2 and Corel PaintShop Pro. AdamWright's Postwork Actions Megapack contributed to the effort as did Ron Deviney's bird brushes, which are still available at Daz 3D and are highly recommended. Since this is not the actual photograph and I have no intention of ever publishing that image due to legit privacy concerns, a model release is probably not required. But just in case: I, Byrdie, being of legal age in all jurisdictions (with the possible exceptions of Middle Earth, Gallifrey, the planet Vulcan, and whichever galaxy Yoda and Grogu are from), also being of reasonably sound mind or as sound as is possible in this present day and age, hereby grant myself full and complete permission to use any and all photographs, depictions and likenesses of myself, whether in whole or in part, for the purposes of making what may be kindly described by some sentient beings as art but is more likely than not to be just rather silly scribbles made with the help of a computer and/or whatever technology or magic that might come along in the future. If we ever get to the future -- which sad to say looks kind of iffy these days. tl;dr: I give myself the right to make a complete digital idiot of myself and unleash the results upon a totally unsuspecting and unprepared planet. All in the name of Art. Whatever that is or is not at the moment. YMMV. You're very welcome. ;-)