Oh it is a celebration my friends

As outlined before this year like all other years in CA I have been on the road for my annual personal celebration, however that does mean it was not a good time. Before we get into the events of the evening lets rewind just a bit.

I was in Las Vegas for work, this means that starting at 7am I am on a show floor actually trying to be productive, to talk to customers and others who might want to know more about our company and our products. Last year on my birthday it was the year of the electronic cards. I must have received no less than two dozen e-cards from friends and family. To be honest they feel a little less personal but they are still a wonderful thing to wake up to. This year was the year of phone calls. Now I brought up what I was doing in Vegas to explain why I was unable to pick up the phone at 9am, 11am, noon, 1pm, 2pm and so on. Throughout the day that little piece of circuitry in my pocket would not take a moment’s rest. Only late in the afternoon did I get the opportunity to listen to all the messages together. More than a few of the messages sang to me. Some, like me, are challenged to maintain even a simple tune to a medley as complex as Happy Birthday, while others use years of vocal and musical training to entertain with a wonderful a cappella rendition. Regardless of the words or the talent I was truly touched. Emails, IMs, Text Messages and voice mails. I really do have some wonderful friends and family and am truly blessed. How many times are we reminded of the saying, if you were to win the lottery or truly be successful in life, would you have someone to tell? I am blessed that I do.

But now to the words you have been eagerly anticipating, what happens in Vegas on a man’s birthday late into the evening and into the morning? Dinner at Nobu was first on the agenda, one of the finest sushi restaurants in the region (and yes we know we are in the middle of the desert). Now those of you who know me are already cringing for you know that I just relish in food that swims. In actuality I don’t eat seafood, but everyone I work with does and enjoys it quite a bit so I have learned to cope. There is always some Tampura or other non-seafood dishes. On the other hand the atmosphere was light and cheerful, the guests were majority light and cheerful, and the drinks…well plentiful. Dinner did not begin until 9:30 and ended close to the 11 hour. Well we could not finish the night, we had just barely begun. Into a quick taxi ride toward Mandalay Bay where the taxi driver had to give an editorial on my skills on picking up women. The reason I can talk so well to business people but not to get a woman to go home with me is I don’t ask the write question. I ask what the right question is, he holds up a finger and says now that is a good question. Great partly drunk and I have a philosophical cab driver. Onto Rum Jungle, a night club that has gone downhill in recent months in terms of clientele but who was hosting a number of co-workers so a perfect locale. $20 cover prompted the question to the lead bouncer, who actually looks like a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, if my birthday entitled me to free admission. Alas if only I had tits, well at least that is how he put it. Lucky for us, one of the people in my party was a female, so he gave her the free pass for my birthday because she has well tits. There is no justice in the world, women no complaining about inequality, you get back at us in your own way.

Once inside the next couple of hours was a mixture of dancing, yes I actually danced…poorly (again for those who know me, not much of a surprise there), drank copious quantities of inebriating liquids, took crazy pictures with colleagues, and even had a deep and meaningful conversation with someone about something (or at least so I was told). By 2am we were kicked out of the abandoned and empty club, most went home but a few brave souls decided to keep the party moving. A trip to the bathroom, not as easy as might be expected in a casino, finding these much sought after rooms can be challenging. Finally to a live band playing on the gambling floor and of course maybe a little more inebriating liquids. Our time was mostly occupied pondering life’s great questions, for example, how did that girl’s mom let her walk around in that outfit? Or maybe the deeper, what happened to you at 27 and was it good for you? Keeping in mind my friends that yes I am 27 now, although everyone who was told my birthday was forced to guess my age. Guesses ranged between 29 and 38, so either I look incredibly old, am incredibly boring or mature, either way 27 starts sounding much better when you are contemplating mid 30s.

Finally when hour struck past three it was time to walk back to my hotel, well a tram and two walkways. I had enough time to pack my room and take a quick 30 minute nap before my wake-up call knocked me out of bed (literally) still maybe a little intoxicated to head over to the airport for an early morning flight. Why on earth would I schedule such a crazy 6am flight the day after my birthday? I have to be in Florida to give a talk at a CIO event and it takes an entire day to make ones way across the country. But no matter my flight from Vegas to Denver was absolutely empty and I was able to pass out along three seats for the entire two hours in the air. I awoke feeling alive and ready to begin the year, well maybe a little parched but that was easily rectified. My Denver to Florida flight had a bit of drama during pushback when a woman refused to turn off her cell phone, decided to verbally harass the flight attendants who she felt were being rude to her and finally actually stalked out of her seat toward the cockpit as we were taxing to the runway. Disclaimer: Do NOT try this at home! Of course the pilot had to make an emergency stop while they had to decide to call the cops or not, while passengers verbally shouted her down until she returned to her seat neither apologetic or humbled. We took off without incident but I fully expected her to be arrested or tackled by a fellow passenger.

I would like to take a second and thank my work colleagues who have every year shown me the greatest of times when I am on the road on my birthday. Granted Vegas is an easy place to host such an event, but they have opened their arms and their tolerances for alcohol. I am truly a lucky guy, now how to repay that favor….?