Not Just My Birthday

This week has been all about life.

Yesterday, I celebrated my 42nd birthday.  And while I relish the revelry that occurs around birthdays – especially mine – I was happy to share the day with two other occasions.  I am also honored (I don’t know if that really is the right word) to have shared life experiences with several friends around this time.

Yesterday back in 1996, my friends Jon and Jackie were married in their hometown of Bethlehem, PA.  Today, they have three healthy wonderful boys (Jared, Justin, and Josh – you see a pattern?) who are full of life and energy.

Also yesterday, we celebrate the official one year anniversary of the repeal of DADT!

Two weeks ago was the five year anniversary of my good friend Kathee being cancer free!  Her husband, and also my good friend Greg, carefully orchestrated a surprise party for Kathee in their very own back yard.  He arranged for her parents and close friends to fly up from Louisiana.  His family came down from Pennsylvania.  One of our friends offered up his band to play, while another of our friends who could not attend sent the magical gift of an Elvis impersonator.  Yours truly was on the scene, of course, to play DJ.  Not even that crazy monsoon that bowled through the region was enough to stop us.

Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to witness two friends express their love for one another in a beautiful wedding.  While not my first gay wedding, it was my first in a church – the National City Church at Thomas Circle.  Absolutely georgeous!  Congratulations, Rick & Steve!

Sadly, the other night I received the news that another friend lost his father after heart surgery.  Now, he and his partner are on their way down to Brazil for memorial services.

So while I selfishly celebrate my birthday, I am humbled to share in the life experiences of my friends on and around this day.

Quote of the Day

“Look, I’m a [expletive] bartender, not a constitutional scholar. It’s clearly frustrating, and it is what it is.”

– My good friend, Tony Tomelden, owner of The Pug

This is was after the DC Office of Human Rights threatened Tony T with a $10,000 fine if he didn’t remove a sign paying homage to Mayor-for-Life Marion Barry’s recent comment about those “dirty Asians.” 

Gregg and Ross’ Wedding Reception

August 11, 2012

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Bourne Tops, but It Ain’t Pretty

All of my friends know that I’m a Bourne fan.  A fanatic, really.  I own all three original Bourne movies on DVD and have watched each one a dozen times or more.  I have eight of the ten Bourne books on my Kindle Fire — three by the originally author, the amazing Robert Ludlum, and five from Eric Van Lustbader.

The Bourne Legacy, the fourth installment of the masterful Bourne series brought in a cool $40.3 million during its opening weekend.  Me and my good buddy Jake were among the masses of those who couldn’t wait to see how Hollywood would branch out the series that Matt Damon brought to the big screen.

Hoping to see this Jeremy Renner-led pic at the Uptown Theater, our first wave of disappointment came when we found out the Uptown would still be showing The Dark Knight Rises for a third week.  So we opted for Regal Cinema’s Gallery Place/Chinatown location.

We started the early evening off with cigars at Shelly’s Backroom with some other friends.  After enjoying a pair of Dominican Partagas Fabulosos, we then walked the six blocks to the Verizon Center complex.

Arriving just before show time to a packed house, we had to take seats near the front of the auditorium.

Because it had to retell a familiar story from a different angle, the beginning dragged a little.  It then delved into a subplot of Renner’s Aaron Cross character being a super charged junkie in need of a fix; travelling half of the globe to get it.

Tony Gilroy, the new director, tried to do too much in this film.  While Paul Greengrass (director of Supremacy and Ultimatum) was focus, albeit with no steady-cam, Gilroy jumps all over the place.  Literally.  From the Alaska wilderness scenes, to the murder-suicide in the government lab, to Manila shanties of the Philippines, it’s not focused.

Towards the end, there is the obligatory yet masterful chase scene.  This is one of the highlights of the film.  It is also something that the series is known for.  But then the movie abruptly ends, setting it up for an obvious sequal.  There’s no closure, no cliffhanger, nothing.

And what a travesty to hold Joan Allen’s Pamela Landy to very last minutes of the film before bringing her out?  Of course, I now expect her to have a vital and pivotal role in the next installment, with her trial for treason.

Two and half hours later, we left somewhat disappointed.

To be fair, I did enjoy some of it.  But I found it lacking.  Yet I will likely see it again to try to pick up things I missed the first time around.

Free, Free. Set Them Free.

At lunch today, I heard an old favorite of mine from Sting.  It was actually his first solo hit after leaving The Police.  The song is appropriate today because on most Fridays, I celebrate #80sFridays, where I post lyrics to popular songs from the 80s on Twitter and Facebook, taking requests along the way.

It allows me and my friends a chance to stroll down amnesia lane.  Plus, many of the songs from the 80s are timeless and much better than some of the crap that’s put out today.

Sting’s “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” is also appropriate for me because I have recently had to reevaluate certain friendships.

The song also reminds me of a particular monologue from  my favorite movie drag queen, Madea.

“Some people are meant to come into your life for a lifetime, some for only a season and you got to know which is which.  And you’re always messing up when you mix those seasonal people up with lifetime expectations.  I put everybody that comes into my life in the category of a tree.  Some people are like leaves on a tree.  When the wind blows, they’re over there… wind blow that way they over here… they’re unstable.  When the seasons change they wither and die, they’re gone.  That’s alright.  Most people are like that, they’re not there to do anything but take from the tree and give shade every now and then.  That’s all they can do.  But don’t get mad at people like that, that’s who they are.  That’s all they were put on this earth to be.  A leaf.  Some people are like a branch on that tree.  You have to be careful with those branches too, cause they’ll fool you.  They’ll make you think they’re a good friend and they’re real strong but the minute you step out there on them, they’ll break and leave you high and dry.

“But if you find two or three people in your life that’s like the roots at the bottom of that tree you are blessed.  Those are the kind of people that aren’t going nowhere.  They aren’t worried about being seen, nobody has to know that they know you, they don’t have to know what they’re doing for you but if those roots weren’t there, that tree couldn’t live.  A tree could have a hundred million branches but it only takes a few roots down at the bottom to make sure that tree gets everything it needs.  When you get some roots, hold on to them but the rest of it… just let it go.  Let folks go.  If Somebody wants to walk out you’re life, LET THEM GO!” – Madea, from Madea Goes to Jail

Birthday Shots: June 19, 2012

Birthday Shots

It’s only fitting that of all days where it’s only one of my friend’s birthday, it’s that of a director of a feature film, and a two time Emmy winner.  He’s hot, has a great partner, and is not even 30 yet!  Don’t you just hate him already?  Of course you can’t.  I am so proud of Lee Whitman and wish him the best on this, his 29th birthday, and many more to come.  Check out the trailer for his movie War Stories.  It’s an amazing film.  Happy birthday, Lee!

Birthday Shots: June 18, 2012

Birthday Shots

Over the weekend, a bunch of us celebrated (Dupont)Dan Edwards’ birthday with a party at The Willard Hotel.  We dubbed it #OccupyWillard.  I’m surprised they didn’t call security on us.  This weekend also saw Geo Capdeville get one year older.  He snuck in and out of town without me even knowing his birthday was upon us when I saw him on Thursday at another birthday party.

Today, there are plenty of birthday shots to go around.  University of Florida alum Ben Groves continues not to age.  Adorable Daniel Chobert still probably gets carded, but is well over 21.  My former George Allen colleague and Hampden-Sydney College alum Jason Kello grows one year ‘wiser’.  The indelible Ithaca College grad Michael Miller is now two year “past his prime.”  Marine and wine connoisseur Tristian Wright is aging quite nicely.  Capitol Hill legend Bob Baylor will probably end up at Cap Lounge for his birthday tonight.  And one of my favorite people back at Crockett High School (you know the words, Davy Davy Crockett…), David Stokey is celebrating a birthday.  If you were a fan of Friday Night Lights or Prison Break, you may have caught David on the small screen.  He’s a great actor!  Hey David, remember this? “Poor tied up darlin’!”

Happy birthday, gentlemen.  And I think there’s a princess in there too.  You know who you are.  😉

 

Birthday Shots: June 15, 2012

Birthday Shots

Continuing the trend of celebrating the birthdays of former classmates of mine from David Crockett High School (all together now: Davy, Davy Crockett. King of the wild frontier!), today we send a glass of cheer to Linda Doros and Martin Rios Jr.

By the way, can you spot me in this picture taken in 1987 that I took from Martin’s Facebook page?

Birthday Shots: June 14, 2012

Birthday Shots

Better late than never, right?  Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!  Yesterday, Nolan Pick’s birthday snuck by me by chance, so I made it up to him by saying hello to him on Facebook while walking ten feet behind him across Connecticut Avenue last night.  He says I was stalking.  I say just being friendly.  Again, my story; sticking to it.

Today we have a bunch of birthday boys.  Kirk Sobell, John DiNapoli, Jason Russell, Stu Selis, and Erik Oksala all celebrate birthdays today.  I hope to catch up with Stu this weekend at one of our watering holes to wish him a happy birthday.  And Erik and I have been trying to schedule a coffee or happy hour for the last three months.  What gives?

Birthday Shots: June 13, 2012

Birthday Shots

Today we celebrate the birthdays of three good friends.  First, we have Elizabeth Eurgubian, the teeny Armenian from Fresno, by way of USC.  She celebrates a birthday a mere week after her youngest son, Michael.  Next is my pal Jerry Golden, who also had an anniversary with his partner Lucas last month.  And finally, there is Chantel Febus, who is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.  But watch out, she works at Justice.  So she knows if you’ve been naughty or nice.  Happy birthday all!