Party Time!

Today is my birthday - number 55! I share the date with Beethoven, Leslie Stahl, Arthur C. Clarke, and William (Refrigerator) Perry, formerly of the Chicago Bears. Normally about this time of the month, some TAAA (astro-club) regulars would meet after newsletter collating and folding for pizza and beer at Old Chicago, so invited them plus a few other friends to join us for dinner.

A number were sick and were not able to attend, but we still had a good turnout. Besides the astro nerds (as we fondly refer to them), we also had our regular movie buddies, current and former cat/house sitters, and otherwise fine upstanding buddies. One of my favorite brews, Fat Tire Ale was on special, so a couple of those and some thick crust pizza and friends - whats not to love?! The first photo here is of the non-drinking side of the table - from the newsletter folding regulars. Melinda surprised me with a cake - and the staff guessed exactly right with 23 candles! I think that is what Melinda found so funny in this next photo...

It was a great birthday! Melinda was off today, so got to enjoy sleeping in a little while I went in to work for my half day. Melinda picked me up a few minutes early to meet Kris at a matinee - "Synechdoche, New York". It was my second time seeing it, and believe me, one needs to see it a couple times to pick up on everything. It is quite the movie and people seem to either love it with a passion or hate it equally fervently. I think I'm in the former, but it is not a feel-good movie with clear plotline and happy ending... When finally getting home, I got to open presents - I did well with everything I wanted - Melinda got me season 2 of "30 Rock" and a 500 GB USB drive to properly back up my computers. This is our first birthday since getting married in June and I've known for a while Melinda is a great gift-getter. She and her sisters always do great in picking out gifts. Another shot of the happy couple...

After our dinner and cake and stimulating conversation, we took a group picture, but I had turned off auto focus for a different shot, so we are a little fuzzy, but at least I know who everyone is! A great time was had by all. We decided next month, in lieu of newsletter folding (the TAAA newsletter is going electronic this month), we will be celebrating John and Thom's birthdays at Old Chicago...