Happy birthday, Bob

It's a damn shame it took me so long to do this, but I would like to wish Bob Dylan a happy 65th birthday.

Dylan is easily my favorite musician ever. Actually, he's my favorite artist in any medium. OK, probably my favorite person, too. I look up to the dude beyond all reason or logic. Nobody can touch me as deeply with his words, voice, thoughts and music. He played my second favorite concert ever, four years ago, in Berkeley, Calif., and he made Election Night 2004 a little easier with an emotionally moving show in Oshkosh, Wis. I have recurring dreams where we hang out and talk about nothing in particular. He always seems nice.

Get a couple of beers in me and I'll be even more pukey than this.

I know a lot of people hate Bob Dylan. Those of us who love him hated him at first, too, and occasionally hate him, still. That, parodoxically, is why he's worth loving. No rock 'n' roll artist has been so willing to tick people off with music they aren't ready to get (and perhaps never will) than Dylan.

Here's a good tribute by Bill Wyman of Salon.com written with Dylan turned 60.