So, it seems everyone is suddenly having a birthday. I’ve sung the happy birthday song so many times in the past couple of weeks, I think my vocal chords may rebel against me. Plus, we are gearing up for G‘s big three-oh celebration. So, I feel like it’s time to reflect on some birthdays gone by. Plus, I sort of left off in October with my 2005 year in review, so I never got to recap my latest golden birthday. Hence, today is the beginning of some birthday festivity recappage.
Let me start by saying, October is my favorite month of the year. It is smack dab in the middle of my favortie season, Autumn. The leaves are at their peak color, all shades of red, orange, gold, and olive. I love the way they crunch beneath my feet on the sidewalk, and the way they smell as they pile up on the lawn. The air is cool, the perfect temperature, usually, for a jacket, blazer, or sweater. often it is still warm enough to run into the club on a Saturday night, and leave the coat in the car. It is the time for Samhein, Halloween. For carving pumpkins, for bonfires, for dressing up like someone else, and eating treats till the wee hours. The air is charged with energy and magic. It just doesn’t get any better. I feel blessed to have my birthday fall during this season. I feel blessed to have a partner in crime who loves this time of year almost as much, who wanted a fall wedding, and who was geeky enough to agree to a ten-thirteen wedding date. *sigh*
So, on my birthday, a tradition of throwing a big party with costumes and merriment started a few years ago. It happened to start with my golden birthday. So, each year is a celebration of my 25th year on the 25th day. (it’s called suspension of disbelief, people. Work with me.) I start planning a costume well in advance, and despite things like panic attacks throwing wrenches into things, we have quite the shindigs.
2005 was no exception.
The costume? Gabriel from Constantine. The color scheme? Poison Green, pumpkin orange, and witchy purple. The guests? The people I’ve been blessed with in my life, who live close enough to show up at such a shindig. ( I assume those in the far reaches of the country and world are there in spirit). This year it included a group of people known as “The Fab Five” A group of three guys, plus Geoff and I, who met during the run of Night of January 16th, along with other special people we met during that show, along with many of our usual suspects. It did not include our friend, the Seamster, who was having a radioactive patch removed from his eye, or our friends who we may as well call the L family. They were having a second baby within moments fo the party. We missed them.
We were getting ready until the last possible minute. I was actually late, and got to make a grand entrance. I nearly forgot an important piece of my costume. Geoff pointed out that I wasn’t wearing any of the hospital bracelets I had to purchase in a lot of 500 online. (By the way, if you have a use for about 40025 white Hospital bracelets, I can help you out). I donned them, and the party was in full swing. What I forgot, was that I had two slices of pizza for lunch. That was my food intake for the entire day. I tried to get food several times, and by the time I made it to the table, there were some pretzels left. So, the hard liquor I was drinking had nothing to cushion it. I was lit like a christmas tree. Several guests brought me presents. I got Gilmore Girls season One from one of my best friends, Darkn…(dude, get a blog or something). I also got GG seasons one and two from G. Do these guys know me or what?? (I’ll admit publicly that the GG that was purchased at full price was traded in for The Wizard of Oz and most of the Red Curtain Collection.) I received an adorable make-up bag filled with all sorts of funky make-up. The bag says “wine girl” (these people don’t know me at all!). I got this crazy rubbery, spikey ball thing that doubles as a wig…super hilarious. My friend Zusy made me a beautiful beaded necklace. Dark Travesty got me this fantastic bottle of Riesling…so, so yummy. It was all very wicked cool.
We enjoyed my coffin-shaped cake, we danced, and people were giving me drinks left and right. Outside of a slight amount of late-night drunken drama, it was an absolute blast. I should’ve been sick as a dog the next day, but nope. However, our condo looked like we threw a kegger. There were cups, trash, food…EVERYWHERE. I mopped the floor three times before it felt like it was reasonably clean. It was a little frightening…but super fun.
This year will be my last annual Golden Birthday shindig, as we are heading out west early next year. I may have something small out there…but it probably won’t be the same. So, we have to live it up this year. I already have Geoff’s and my costume in the works. We will be the cutest two people ever.