Happy Birthday Wishes To Myself
-Happy Birthday Wishes To Myself-
Well, my birthday was approximately two weeks ago now, so given my natural pace of reporting the news long after it's over, it's about time to talk about it. (Coming up soon, I'll be discussing the state of the comic book world after Marvel was bought out by Disney, DC's reorganization in the wake of it and the Spider-Man reboot - all of which have happened quite some time ago. Better late than never, right?) So, while I'm at it, let me say thank you to all of my friends and family who took time to acknowledge my birthday. Thank you very much. I received a good number of phone calls, texts, Facebook wall posts and other methods to wish me a happy birthday. I really appreciate it and it made my birthday a fantastic one.
This year was my 26th birthday - not a particularly big one, though this does have the potential to be a big year, for me. Last year, of course, was the 25th Anniversary since I was born - which could've and should've been a national holiday. Schools should've been closed down, the nation ought to have taken a moment to stop in reflection and remembrance, parades should've been held in my honor and it could've been a time of great celebration. However, my accomplishments thus far, being what they are, were not recognized and fervor did not sweep the nation. I'll blame in on the recession. Who would pay for the parades, for example? I certainly don't have the funds and given the state of our economy, I wouldn't ask the taxpayer to foot the bill. Seeing as how our economy has not yet been stimulated yet, I decided to keep it low key this year as well. We'll see how our economy is doing for my 30th birthday and I suppose, whether I've done anything worth celebrating by then. Besides being me, of course.
However, even though my birthday is under the national radar this year, that still means doing it right and this year, that meant home. Home to the parents, who know how to spoil a kid like nobody else. This year, I went home to Indiana to stay at my parents for the weekend. I got there early on Friday night where we stayed up chatting for a while, then my dad and I played Wii Fit for hours. Literally hours. That game is a workout for sure. My favorite was the Snowball Fight game, which I rock at. I was like Buddy in the movie Elf. Unstoppable.
The next day I got to sleep in - perhaps a little too late, but regardless, soon enough, we were off to Ft. Wayne and my favorite birthday dinner place - Olive Garden, which for me, is a magical land - of infinite breadsticks and chicken alfredo pizza. Hold on here while I contentedly sigh. What a happy time that was, though surprisingly hard to get into on a Saturday afternoon. From there, we headed to another magical location - a Half-Price book store.
My dad almost had to drag me out of there - I could've spent hours in there. Knowing that it was my birthday, I spent conservatively on only two books - I Am America (And So Can You) by Stephen Colbert, a book of political satire which I enjoyed and Zot: The Complete Black & White Collection (1987-1991), which as the title would suggest, is a compilation of the majority of the run of Zot, a comic written by Scott McCloud, which I loved immensely. Simply amazing.
The half-price book store was amazing and it officially made the list of things that I need to have in my next town. For the record - those are (and I reserve the right to add to the list) - a Chipotle's, Blockbuster, Olive Garden and now a half-price bookstore. Fort Wayne has all of those, so it's definitely moved up on the list. However, some friends and family have informed me that Columbus has those options and also New York. These are some tempting offers - who will win the Richard sweepstakes? If you'd like to enter, by all means, let me know what's so interesting about your town and what job opportunities await. All entries must be made by no later than the end of March or beginning of April. Enter right away to increase your chances.
The rest of the weekend, food-wise, was very fantastic. More pizza, breadsticks, McDonald's, Alfredo pasta and yes, the one and only, strawberry shortcake. As you can see, my parents went all out. Neither were my family slackers in the gift department.
My parents, for example, got me Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, the first major release by Studio Ghibli and a great film, in addition to the surprisingly underrated Iron Giant. My brother got me a World Map shower curtain, which I've been wanting to get since I saw them at a friend's house a few months ago (Lindsey's house in PA) and just was very impressed. I mean, with all the time we spend in the bathroom and with the number of ways we're undereducated about the world in general, why can't we use the time productively? Plus, I also received Bioshock, which is an older game (and by older, I just mean 2007, where it received numerous game of the year awards), but definitely a classic. I've been playing that game for the past week or two since I've received and I am hooked. It's one of the best games I've played yet for my Playstation 3 and when we're talking about Metal Gear Solid 4 and Resident Evil 5 as the competitors, that's saying something.
My sister got me Civil War, a trade paperback collecting one of the biggest events in comic book history of the past decade and Sense And Sensibility And Sea Monsters , because you can't go wrong with the classics. This comes from the creators of the amazing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which is to me, one of the best books. Seriously, how did people go through books without monster mayhem? I simply can't imagine it and am looking forward to the upcoming movie adaptation. If you thought that Colin Firth, Keira Knightly or Bride & Prejudice set the standard, just watch in shock (and awe) as Natalie Portman battles zombies (and her own heart) in the film. This will be one of the ideas that I'll always kick myself for not coming up with first.
Throughout the birthday weekend, I got to hang out and talk with family (at varying intervals), which was a real blessing. I got to hear the saga of my adoption, which was met with fond recollection and was extremely touching. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and eventually, I had to go back to Illinois. It gets harder every time I come home to visit, but here in a few months, I will probably be calling some new place home.
I heard it said once that "You are only young once, but you can be immature for a lifetime." Which is true. Looking over my birthday blog here, you can tell that I'm still young at heart. I still love video games, sleeping in, superheroes, comic books, monsters and hanging out with family. But, that doesn't mean I have to be immature. Believe it or not, you can like comic books and still be professional. It's true people.
But, here in a few months, I'll be making one of my biggest decisions as I decide where I'll be living next, where I'll be working next, where my friends that I'll depend on will be in these all too important years and where I could even end up meeting my wife. It's a huge decision and one I don't take lightly. So, as I remember this birthday, just keep me in your prayers and thoughts. Thanks to all who made it memorable, touching and definitely a birthday that I don't ever want to forget.
However, even in this time of upcoming decisions, of growing older, of getting wise, I take heart in what I've been told by Robert Browning, Frank Sinatra and even Metal Gear Solid -
The Best Is Yet To Come.
This year was my 26th birthday - not a particularly big one, though this does have the potential to be a big year, for me. Last year, of course, was the 25th Anniversary since I was born - which could've and should've been a national holiday. Schools should've been closed down, the nation ought to have taken a moment to stop in reflection and remembrance, parades should've been held in my honor and it could've been a time of great celebration. However, my accomplishments thus far, being what they are, were not recognized and fervor did not sweep the nation. I'll blame in on the recession. Who would pay for the parades, for example? I certainly don't have the funds and given the state of our economy, I wouldn't ask the taxpayer to foot the bill. Seeing as how our economy has not yet been stimulated yet, I decided to keep it low key this year as well. We'll see how our economy is doing for my 30th birthday and I suppose, whether I've done anything worth celebrating by then. Besides being me, of course.
However, even though my birthday is under the national radar this year, that still means doing it right and this year, that meant home. Home to the parents, who know how to spoil a kid like nobody else. This year, I went home to Indiana to stay at my parents for the weekend. I got there early on Friday night where we stayed up chatting for a while, then my dad and I played Wii Fit for hours. Literally hours. That game is a workout for sure. My favorite was the Snowball Fight game, which I rock at. I was like Buddy in the movie Elf. Unstoppable.
The next day I got to sleep in - perhaps a little too late, but regardless, soon enough, we were off to Ft. Wayne and my favorite birthday dinner place - Olive Garden, which for me, is a magical land - of infinite breadsticks and chicken alfredo pizza. Hold on here while I contentedly sigh. What a happy time that was, though surprisingly hard to get into on a Saturday afternoon. From there, we headed to another magical location - a Half-Price book store.
My dad almost had to drag me out of there - I could've spent hours in there. Knowing that it was my birthday, I spent conservatively on only two books - I Am America (And So Can You) by Stephen Colbert, a book of political satire which I enjoyed and Zot: The Complete Black & White Collection (1987-1991), which as the title would suggest, is a compilation of the majority of the run of Zot, a comic written by Scott McCloud, which I loved immensely. Simply amazing.
The half-price book store was amazing and it officially made the list of things that I need to have in my next town. For the record - those are (and I reserve the right to add to the list) - a Chipotle's, Blockbuster, Olive Garden and now a half-price bookstore. Fort Wayne has all of those, so it's definitely moved up on the list. However, some friends and family have informed me that Columbus has those options and also New York. These are some tempting offers - who will win the Richard sweepstakes? If you'd like to enter, by all means, let me know what's so interesting about your town and what job opportunities await. All entries must be made by no later than the end of March or beginning of April. Enter right away to increase your chances.
The rest of the weekend, food-wise, was very fantastic. More pizza, breadsticks, McDonald's, Alfredo pasta and yes, the one and only, strawberry shortcake. As you can see, my parents went all out. Neither were my family slackers in the gift department.
My parents, for example, got me Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, the first major release by Studio Ghibli and a great film, in addition to the surprisingly underrated Iron Giant. My brother got me a World Map shower curtain, which I've been wanting to get since I saw them at a friend's house a few months ago (Lindsey's house in PA) and just was very impressed. I mean, with all the time we spend in the bathroom and with the number of ways we're undereducated about the world in general, why can't we use the time productively? Plus, I also received Bioshock, which is an older game (and by older, I just mean 2007, where it received numerous game of the year awards), but definitely a classic. I've been playing that game for the past week or two since I've received and I am hooked. It's one of the best games I've played yet for my Playstation 3 and when we're talking about Metal Gear Solid 4 and Resident Evil 5 as the competitors, that's saying something.
My sister got me Civil War, a trade paperback collecting one of the biggest events in comic book history of the past decade and Sense And Sensibility And Sea Monsters , because you can't go wrong with the classics. This comes from the creators of the amazing Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which is to me, one of the best books. Seriously, how did people go through books without monster mayhem? I simply can't imagine it and am looking forward to the upcoming movie adaptation. If you thought that Colin Firth, Keira Knightly or Bride & Prejudice set the standard, just watch in shock (and awe) as Natalie Portman battles zombies (and her own heart) in the film. This will be one of the ideas that I'll always kick myself for not coming up with first.
Throughout the birthday weekend, I got to hang out and talk with family (at varying intervals), which was a real blessing. I got to hear the saga of my adoption, which was met with fond recollection and was extremely touching. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and eventually, I had to go back to Illinois. It gets harder every time I come home to visit, but here in a few months, I will probably be calling some new place home.
I heard it said once that "You are only young once, but you can be immature for a lifetime." Which is true. Looking over my birthday blog here, you can tell that I'm still young at heart. I still love video games, sleeping in, superheroes, comic books, monsters and hanging out with family. But, that doesn't mean I have to be immature. Believe it or not, you can like comic books and still be professional. It's true people.
But, here in a few months, I'll be making one of my biggest decisions as I decide where I'll be living next, where I'll be working next, where my friends that I'll depend on will be in these all too important years and where I could even end up meeting my wife. It's a huge decision and one I don't take lightly. So, as I remember this birthday, just keep me in your prayers and thoughts. Thanks to all who made it memorable, touching and definitely a birthday that I don't ever want to forget.
However, even in this time of upcoming decisions, of growing older, of getting wise, I take heart in what I've been told by Robert Browning, Frank Sinatra and even Metal Gear Solid -
The Best Is Yet To Come.
0 comments:
Post a Comment