Best Birthday Moments

My birthday's commin' up...another year older (I've been gettin' older since the day I was born, but I'll be damned if I'm gettin' old...f that). Typically my birthdays have been rather unmemorable - not necessarily bad, just nothing noteworthy. In fact, more often than not I completely forget about my birthday until suddenly there's a balloon at my desk or package at the door. "What's this for.....oh, yeah!" There have been a few good ones, though...

- 13. I actually had two parties for this one, one good surprise birthday party (they actually kept it hidden from me!) with all kinds of folks there, and one afterwards where just a few of the guys and I went to watch Peoria kick Cactus' ass 55-33 (yes, I still remember the score) then came back to my place and played our own brand of back yard football until we couldn't move any more. This was the last real hurrah that most of us remember Stuart at before his life tragically ended, and it's my understanding that this party was a topic of conversation at our ten-year reunion recently.

- 18. Friends from at least 5 high schools were present after the Peoria/Cactus game (which we won yet again) at a 5th Quarter-type party. There wasn't a hint of drunkenness, but all had a great time. Best cake fight EVER (I lost pretty bad, but who am I to say that a girl can't rub up all over me with icing in her hand?).

- 21. This had none of your drunken debauchery typical of 21st birthday celebrations. Instead, I was in Marine Corps basic training. I got a care package with twinkies from my mom and a card from my sister in the mail on my actual birthday. The odds of those arriving on that exact day together while I was out in the field are pretty not good, yet it happened. I shared the twinkies w/my platoon, of course. One of them is quoted as saying, "OMG, this is the best twinkie I've ever had!" Well, hell, it's the only thing even resembling sugary goodness you've had in about ten weeks which might have something to do with it!

- A little less than two months before 27. A bunch of friends (a couple of you were even there) of mine bought me a lot of drinks the night before GenCon started in Indianapolis. The evening started at Champions sports bar and eventually migrated over to Ram. One conversation went something like this:

Friend - Happy early birthday! Here, have a drink!

Me - What is it?

Friend - Just drink it?

Me - Ok (spoken to self: "Oh, this is gonna mess me up, isn't it?").

It didn't get better from there. The evening involved some combination of whiskeys, gins, margaritas, and beers, and ended with me not being able to feel my fingertips and dropping chips in my lap, laughing the whole time. Sonny had to be my guide back to the hotel where we were staying because I had no idea where we were other than it began with an I. I had a blast this night, and it remains the most fun I've ever had at a convention. I don't know that the same group of friends will ever be together again at the same time.