Yes, I realize it's a shameless ploy to get some love from my fellower Bloggers, but dang nabbit, it is my birthday! I turn the big 3-2 today but I really think age is only a state of mind.
I've already had one great b'day gift--Jonathan and Victoria were eliminated from
The Amazing Race last night! Can I get a "Yeeeeeeeeeeeees!"
In thinking about my birthday this week, my memory went back to when I was little. Before I discovered the life-long consuming passion that is Spider-Man, I used to really dig Batman. My mother has purchased a cake pan that was looked like a superhero's torso with the arms folded over the chest. Depending on how you decorated it, it could be Batman or Superman. (It came with this plastic S or the Batman bat to complete the look). I remember every year for a couple of years, my mom would make two cakes--one Batman and one Superman for my b'day. I'd take one to school--usually the Superman one--and have the Batman one for my b'day party. I remember that these cakes took forever to decorate but my mom did it without complaint. I also remember that with the Superman cake you definitely wanted the blue icing as the red dye gave the icing an odd bite to it. (Not that it mattered as much because icing is icing!)
My family has always gone to great lengths to make sure my birthday is special. My first year at UT, my parents surprised me with a birthday cake on my birthday at college. They knew I attended the Wesley Foundation for Sunday services and then stayed for lunch. They secretly made arrangements with Barry and L to get a cake for me. And it wasn't just any cake--they picked out a Washignton Redskins cake for me. I have rarely been more pleasantly surprised.
This year, I had a birthday gathering Saturday night. Just a gathering of good friends to hang out, eat dinner and celebrate. Of course, tonight I have having a family dinner and we're gonna have lasagna and (more) cake. (Do you get the idea that I love cake?)
I also got the b'day treatment last week after Thursday Night Worship.
We go to the same restaurant every week after service--a Mexican restaurant called Cozumel. Good food, lots of fun, chips and salsa galore (I could eat my body weight in chips and salsa). Well, if they find out it's your b'day they will sing to you..and bring you out a dish of ice cream with whipped cream on it. Oh yeah, and you get to wear a hat like those worn by the Three Amigos! (great movie...if you haven't seen it, do so soon!) Somewhere along the way, the public embrarassment of having these guys sing to you and wearing the hat wasn't enough for our group--nope, now they smear the whipped cream on your face.
The only thing I thought would save me was--my b'day is not until today, so I should be OK. My plan was to lay low, not mention the big day and hope that they'd wait 'til next week when I would just not go and avoid the singing and whipped cream on the face. Oh, but someone saw through this elaborate scheme--hence, why I'm not a James Bond villain. As we're sitting there, I suddenly sense something...just as the hat is plopped on my head and the singing begins. I got whipped cream smeared all over my face and nose-- I think I looked like I had a whipped cream goatee. I think that my glasses saved me from having the full facial, which I am grateful for.
I will say this--I think mother nature got my b'day wish mixed up. I asked for a nice day not a day with ice. The roads were a bit icy in the mid-state area this morning. Next time, I have to be more specific.
posted by Michael Hickerson at 1/19/2005 08:13:00 AM |
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