Saturday, which was my birthday, I was told to come over to a friend’s condo in Barton Flats. From there I was taken to Sleep Out Louie’s, where Pam and Terry sang me a birthday song and my friends brought me cake and cupcakes. About an hour later we moved on to EP’s Delta Kitchen, where we had the private room overlooking the stage on the second floor. I had duck gumbo and stuffed chicken and many beers, and EP’s made me a special birthday cake, a white cake with raspberries and blackberries. We hung out there until almost midnight, then moved on to the Flying Saucer.
As one of the organizers of the evening told me, “Paul, we didn’t wrap you up a present, but we gave you the best present you could – your friends.” I said thank you over and over but I knew I wasn’t adequately expressing what the evening meant to me. This group of friends that I’ve developed over the past 3-4 years is the best group of friends I’ve ever had – a group where I totally feel that I can just be myself, a group I feel like I’m a major part of and not just on the fringes, a group I feel completely comfortable with. Throughout the years I haven’t always had that and it’s a great feeling to have that now. Hope that makes at least some sense. I know I’m rambling a little.
So thank you to all who joined me Saturday, but in particular Mikey, Chad and the Nuh-Uh Girl for setting it all up, and thanks also to Pam & Terry and also to Michael Patrick and the staff at EP’s. Mikey the Camera Nazi borrowed my digital camera and took pics, and as soon as I sort through them to determine which need to be rotated, lightened, etc. I’ll post a photo album.
So now it’s Sunday night/Monday morning. After my usual brunch at Sleep Out Louie’s, I ordered a wrestling pay-per-view as a birthday present to myself (TNA wrestling: Kurt Angle ended Samoa Joe’s undefeated streak, and Abyss defeated Sting by disqualification for the NWA World Title). Then I made late night stops at the Saucer, McGuinness, and then I caught some of FreeWorld’s Sunday night gig at Blues City.
Tomorrow (or today really, since it’s already Monday as I type this) I’ll be at Pint Nite at the Saucer. In the interest of providing other options to my readers, I’ll mention that it’s also Pint Nite at McGuinness, Dollar PBR Night at the Tap Room, Team Trivia at Huey’s (starts at 9), and NTN QB1 at Sleep Out’s (win points for correctly predicting the next play on Monday Night Football). It’s Margarita Monday at Pancho’s, but it’s also Shitty Food Monday at Pancho’s, so if you want Mexican, go to Rio Loco instead where they have a $5.99 jumbo margarita every day from 2 to 10 for extended happy hour.
Tuesday I’ll be back at the Saucer for Trivia Bowl. Wednesday and Thursday nights I’ll be in Little Rock. Friday I’ll be back in time for South Main Trolley Art Tour – yes, it still happens in the winter, yes, it still happens on holiday weekends.
Happy birthday to my friend and former bartender Kevin, who’s the same age I am exactly two days out of the year.
Time to go get some sleep so I’m rested up for an exciting day in Cubicle World.