Let's make this birthday one to remember.

95 years old (Born on February 23, 1930)

Happy birthday to you, Paul West—you clever chronicler of life's whimsical disappointments! Today we celebrate a brilliant mind whose witty prose and darkly funny insights into failed relationships have reminded us all that laughter can be the sweetest medicine for heartbreak. From "I'm Expecting to Live Quite Soon," your playful title perfectly sums up our collective optimism (well, sort of) as we navigate every absurd twist fate throws our way.

Cheers too on your notable literary victories—a Guggenheim Fellowship plus three Pushcart Prizes—not exactly small potatoes! Yet despite such fame, you've managed gracefully (and hilariously!) to reassure readers everywhere that life's inevitable hurdles aren't just worth surviving—we can even laugh at them along the way. Happy Birthday, Paul—long may you continue inspiring smiles through every trial life tosses your direction!