The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • F3

BETTER LIVING THE RECORD BL-3 SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015 Age isn't anything but a number unless it's 60 "Yes," she replied. "But we didn't go back that far." Thanks. Wonderful. You could ask me how I feel about all this getting-older business, but I'd strongly advise against it. Not that I'm age-phobic or anything.

Sometimes, though, the subject rubs me the wrong way and my face reddens and I smash things. BILL ERV0LTN0 "Yeah. Why? What else is there to think about?" So, they tell you age is just a state of mind. And that getting older is part of life. Then they tell you, with a wink, to "consider the alternative." In these situations, I do my best to smile and nod and not throw plates of spaghetti against the wall.

But, it isn't easy, because for the last few weeks, turning 60 is all I've been able to think about. I've even been Googling stories about it. "Seven Lessons on Reaching 60." "60 Perfect Reasons You Should Be Psyched About Turning 60." And my favorite, "How to Turn Sixty Gracefully." According to that last one: I need to realize there are different types of aging; I need to have an idea what to expect; I need to take care of my mind; I need to find a good foundation; and I need to try penciling my eyebrows. Hmm "At this age, your eyebrows will thin and fade. Soft eyebrows that complement your skin tone will really help." Thin and fade? If I didn't trim my eyebrows once a week, they'd look like two mink coats.

For those of you in my age group who already have a good foundation, I did find a decent article on the subject at Titled "10 Things Everyone Should Do Before Turning 60," it was actually sweet, helpful and smart. Suggestions included making younger friends source of fresh ideas and and forgiving those who've wronged you is like drinking poison and hoping the other person There was also helpful advice about retirement plans and saving up for your retirement bucket list. The best suggestion, though, was to "cultivate optimism," which involves solving challenges, being persistent and keeping a positive outlook on life. And that's what I'm doing! I'm still a moody emotional lunatic. But, I'm optimistic about that reprieve from the governor.

Email: ervolinonorthjersey.com Ten years ago, I turned 50, which was bone-chilling enough. On Wednesday -unless I get a reprieve from the governor I'll be turning 60. Did I just say that? Yep. And guess what? Our governor, Mr. Christie, is all of 52, which means I am older than the governor! In case you're interested, I'm also older than the president.

Whoever thought I'd ever get to say these things? I'm older than the president of the United States. I'm older than the governor who is running for president of the United States. And I'm older than half of the 77 other people who are running for president of the United States. In fact, speaking of states, there were only 48 of them when I was born. We picked up the other two when I was 4.

My niece found this mesmerizing. "When I was born," I told her, "Alaska and Hawaii weren't even states yet. And guess who the president was?" She stared at me. Blankly. Finally, I said, "You did study American history, didn't you?" sues ever since the earliest days of the Holy Roman Empire, when we were always screaming and conquering other countries and throwing plates of spaghetti against the wall because our wives bought us the wrong beer.) Interestingly enough, the worst part about The Big Five-Oh wasn't the turning-five-oh part.

I mean: you turn 48, you turn 49, you turn 50 what's the difference? Unless you're falling apart at the seams, physically, the worst part of getting older is all in your mind. "Holy guacamole! I'm going to be 50!" Then, the big day comes. Friends throw you a party. You have some steak. And some cake.

And everything's jake. That wasn't so bad, was it? Nah. Then, four or five days go by and The Big Six-Oh starts chasing you down the street like a bottle rocket. "In 10 years, I'm going to be 60!" Friends think you're being ridiculous. "You just turned 50 and you're already thinking about 60?" I know part of this is because I as a Cancer (June 21 -July 22) am ruled by my emotions.

(Even on a good day we're cranky, moody and temperamental.) Plus, I was born on a cusp. (People born on the cusp of Cancer and Leo tend to be devoted, creative, self-absorbed, insensitive, abrasive, abusive and prone to explosive outbursts.) Plus, I'm a writer. (It's a crazy profession. Mailer. Capote.

Plath. Woolf. Shall I continue?) Plus, I'm Italian. (We've had temper is Kosha Dillz gives Warped Tour a global feeling Among N.J. performers in Holmdel MUSIC WHO: Vans Warped Tour, featuring New Jersey acts Kosha Dillz, Candy Hearts, Senses Fail, Man Overboard, Palisades and Major League.

WHAT: Punk, pop-punk, metalcore, indie, alternative and hip-hop. WHEN: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. today. WHERE: PNC Bank Arts Center, Garden State Parkway, exit 116, Holmdel; 732-203-2500 or ticketmaster.com.

HOW MUCH: $41 .50. MORE INFO: vanswarpedtour.com. Among the New Jersey performers at the Vans Warped Tour stop Sunday at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel are, clockwise from left, Kosha Dillz, Senses Fail (led by Ridgewood native Buddy Nielsen, center) and Candy Hearts. mix of punk, pop-punk, alternative and hip-hop. "I played on a side stage three years ago and now I'm on one of the more visible stages," Dillz said.

He said the camaraderie among diverse sets of fans and bands on the Warped Tour makes it an ideal atmosphere to showcase his music. "I love how on the Warped Tour you build a little city at each show," he said. "It's like a traveling circus." More info: koshadillzworld.com. In addition to Kosha Dillz, several other New Jersey bands including acts representing Ramsey and Ridgewood are performing on this year's tour. Candy Hearts: The pop-punk band with Ramsey roots was hailed in 2014 by Billboard magazine as one of the "Top Ten Pop Punks That People Need to Know." Candy Hearts' third effort, "All the Ways You Let Me Down" (2014), was produced by New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert.

Singer Mariel Loveland has said that the disc, which follows the trail of a relationship from meet up to breakup, sounds like pop sensation Taylor Swift meeting indie rockers the Breeders, candyheartsband.com. Senses Fail: Led by singer and Ridgewood native Buddy Nielsen, veterans Senses Fail have been pounding out a mix of furious punk and hard core and emotional lyrics for the past 13 years. The band released its sixth album, "Pull the Thorns From Your Heart," in June. New Noise magazine hailed the disc as Senses Fail at their best, packed with hard-hitting songs "dripping with true emotion and tribulation." sensesfail.com. By BRIAN ABERBACK SPECIAL TO THE RECORD Being a multilingual hip-hop artist isn't easy.

For Edison resident Kosha Dillz (birth name Rami Even-Esh), forging a career rapping and rhyming in English, Hebrew and Spanish has meant overcoming both an identity crisis and skeptical audiences. Dillz, who discovered hip-hop at bar mitzvah dances and began rapping at age 17, changed his stage moniker early on to KD Flow to better blend in with the underground New York City rap scene. "I was ashamed and didn't know the true value of what it meant to be a Jew within my family," said Dillz, who performs today in Holmdel as part of the Warped Tour festival. Dillz, 33, said he reverted back to Kosha Dillz after overcoming struggles with substance abuse. "I felt like I was a step closer to living as who I am," he said.

"Life experiences are what we share, and hopefully each one makes me grow." Dillz's latest album, tellingly titled "Awkward in a Good Way," covers a gamut of lyrical topics, from lighthearted subjects to Israeli-Jewish themes and addiction and depression. "To represent a society you have to totally grasp it," Dillz said. He said he has had to work hard to win over audiences who aren't sure what to make of his globe-hopping rhymes. Dillz has an ideal opportunity to build his fan base on this year's Warped Tour. The multi-genre festival features an eclectic EH Man Overboard: The Williams-townMount Laurel outfit is known for its buoyant pop-punk and has been compared to fellow Jerseyans Saves the Day, as well as Blink 182 and Taking Back Sunday.

Their fourth album, "Heavy Love," released in June, was produced by Bill Stevenson, drummer for highly influential punks the De-scendents. manoverboardnj.com. Palisades: The promising Iselin outfit mixes electronic music and hard core for a unique sound. The band's second album, "Mind Games," was released in January and landed at No. 81 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart and hit No.

3 on the Top New Artists chart, face book.comwearepalisades. Major League: The Mantua punk and pop-punk rockers formed in 2009 and have opened for Senses Fail. The band is supporting their third album, "There's Nothing Wrong With Me" (2014). majorleague.limitedrun.com. inc.

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