Many people call me a foodie. Shame on you for dropping the "f-word." Let's be clear. I am an artist, graphic designer, food marketer, food writer and cookbook author. Wandering the aisles of a supermarket bring the same levels of joy and excitement to me that some of you experience wandering the aisles of hardware, clothing or jewelry stores. I find the shapes and colors on every aisle dazzling. There's a satisfying rhythm to the way they're placed on the shelves. When I go to restaurants, I have to see how well the bar is stocked. Then I peak into the kitchen to marvel at the culinary chaos. I'm captivated by the way foods are meticulously transported from pantry to stove to plate to table.

In short, I live for all manner of food and drink, taking it in with gusto. Not because I'm gluttonous (although I've had my moments), but because I marvel at the myriad forms in which foods and drinks exist. It's the way they're produced, handled, processed, magically transformed and served. It's the plates and glasses filled with abundance that stimulate my senses in oh-so-many ways. These are the experiences that not only satisfy my nutritional needs for survival but deliver joy in ways that permeates every last cell in my body. These are the encounters that make me smile.

With my birthday on the horizon, I've accepted the fact that I'm not as invincible as I was a few decades ago. Coupled with the reality that my hair makes granite look lustrous, the drugs on my counter have no recreational advantages, and many of my movements are reminiscent of a particular breakfast cereal known for its snap, crackle and pop, there are no surprises. What's important is that I refuse to give up. The idea of nightly sing-alongs at an old age home is a horror that rivals "The Exorcist."

Per Mr. Thomas, I continue to burn. I rage. I find myself hungry for the company of people whose fires blaze as brilliantly from within as my own, or even brighter. They're talented. They're active. They're outgoing.

Have I struck a resonant chord? If yes, I'm looking for a few intrepid souls who believe that excess is never too much. Late is a good time to start. Pleasure is shared with abandon. And curiosity is something that keeps our engines purring.

This is a call to action. Who's in?