On Top of the Hill
Listening: Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin
One of my Lit professors in college, Dr. Peter Scheckner famously said “a word is a tool” and the difficult but fun part of writing (and effective communication in general) is finding the right tool for the job, of which there always is one. There are times, however, when you just can’t remember where you put your tool belt. These times are rare for me.(1) This past Saturday, the eve of my 30th birthday, was the definition of one of those moments.
Nothing like taking off a blindfold to the sight of about 70 of your closest friends and family gathered leering at you like meerkats to silence your brain from communicating with your mouth. Apparently for two months everyone I know has been deceiving me in the best way possible. All I knew about the weekend of my birthday was an annual golf outing(2) and “After you go golfing don’t make any plans. Be ready by 7:30pm and look presentable.” What was left out was from 8pm-3am I would be feasting like Robert Baratheon and partying way harder than any 30-year old “adult” should be. There was enough craft beer to make Oktoberfest jealous, enough food to feed a small army, Devils-themed EVERYTHING, an NHL-puck piñata filled with airplane bottles of booze, and about a million and a half laughs to go around. There was beer pong won, cornhole sets christened, and old-school punk rock blasted. There was also this:
All in all, in terms of best days of my life, it doesn’t get much better than Saturday. Golfing is well and good, and can provide its share of happiness (it can also famously try your patience), but few things will ever compare to the simplicity of a backyard full of everyone you know and love. The term “it’s not where you are, but who you’re with that really matters”(3) has never been more relevant. Family met family, family met friends and friends met friends. People joked, busted chops, talked shit, took shots, shared memories, smiled and enjoyed themselves on my behalf; and for that, I couldn’t be more thankful/grateful/appreciative/humbled.
Speaking of thankful, I obviously have many people to thank for making the start of my 30th year on Earth the best one yet. In a very particular order:
To all my friends who spent it with me: you all continue to blur the line between “friends” and “family”, to the point that I’m not sure I can even make a clear distinction anymore. Your friends are your family that you choose, and you people know and understand me seemingly more than I do myself.
To my family who made it: Nothing made me happier than seeing your faces in the crowd. You’ve known me the longest, you know me best, and you are all constant reminders of not only where I’ve come from, but also where I’m heading. Without you, I’d be lost.
To my new family, the Gimenez/Santiago clans: I’m nothing short of blessed to be welcomed into your family like I have been. The effort you put into the party, opening up your home to strangers you only trust because of me, the amount of not only money but time you spent to make sure it went off perfectly did NOT go unnoticed by me (or anyone else there for that matter). Forever in your debt is an understatement, for your part in the party, but also for your impact on a special someone who was the mastermind behind it all...
Where do I begin? I don't know where I would be without this girl in my life for the last 2 years. She gets me in a way no one else on this planet ever could. The amount of love she has to give, the person she is inside and out astounds me and continues to amaze me every day I wake up next to her. She exhausted herself, her time, her body, brain and bank account to throw me the party of half a lifetime. She can and will never fully know how appreciative I am of her huge heart. I can only hope that I live up to the man she not only deserves, but believes I can be. She has been my world ever since I first laid eyes on her and will be for as long as I remain breathing. These words are a fraction of the love that I felt for her that night, and from there after. Last but most certainly most... Thank you Maria Alejandra Gimenez from the bottom of our now joined hearts for everything. Even with 2 years to plan your 30th I'm still not sure it can top what you put together in 2 months. But you can bet your culo I'm going to try.
Welcome to 30. They say it's all downhill/I'm over the hill now, but I've never felt better. And if the next 30 years brings what the first 30 has, I know I'm in for a lot of fun, a lot of laughs, and a whole lot of love.
Guess my Communications Degree has been good for something...
Somehow, despite an extreme hangover, I shot my best round in about 5 years. After a sluggish 49 on the front 9, I shot 5 pars and 4 bogies on the back 9 for a 40. Don't ask me how.
It turns out this is a Dave Matthews lyric. I am old.
