Birthdays should be a time to reflect on the year gone by and look forward to the year ahead.
Instead, I shall waste the day away playing video games in my basement and eating junk food. Maybe I'll add another deadly sin to the mix later, but that's up to Robyn. (Don't judge me, you know how much I like it when she talks about money.)
However, for appearances sake, I will take a few minutes to write up a birthday post if for nothing else than to prove to you, my legion of followers, that I can amuse you even when I should be thinking of only myself today. With that in mind, prepare to be amused as I think about myself.
First, reflection.
All in all, it was a pretty good year.
I walked away from this post for a little while because I had an idea. And I think I got it to work. I've been meaning to do this for the last 10 years or so. Those of you that know me already know what this is, but in case you somehow missed every single one of my birthdays over the last 15 years (ouch, that number stings a little):
The time: March 17, 1995
The place: K Mart in Dartmouth, NS
I was a young lad of only 18 years. My birthday was coming up and I had received what at the time was the GREATEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER. Something that I had hoped for and dreamed of my entire life was about to come true.
I had a front row ticket to see Weird Al Yankovic.
The ticket was a gift from my girlfriend at the time. The fact that there was only one ticket was her very clear way of telling me that she had zero interest in attending any such "concert". Also she said that. But I digress. As much of a crazy woman as she was, she did get me that ticket and that was awesome.
I went to Dartmouth and stood in line at a K Mart where Weird Al was going to be doing an autograph session. Rock on. I got the picture and the standard autograph. And I got something else.
I explained to Weird Al that my birthday was coming up in a couple of days and asked if he would mind wishing me a happy birthday on tape. He was totally up for it and what transpired next has gone down in history as the single most important piece of audio tape I own. Cause not only did he wish me a happy birthday, but he totally nailed my name on the first try. I would have been happy if he`d just said "happy birthday dude" or even just "happy birthday from Weird Al". But no, he listened to a fan and got my name on the first try!
I've just digitized it and now I can share it with the world!
And here it is.
Yes, I am aware that the sound quality leaves something to be desired.
For those of you at work that can't download the file, here is a transcript. I've written it from memory because I can.
Weird Al: I'm sorry, what was your name again?
Me: Weh-Ming.
Weird Al: Weh-Ming?
Me: Weh-Ming.
Weird Al: Happy birthday, Weh-Ming!
Me: Thank you SO MUCH!
(I cut out the Thank you SO MUCH because I accidentally turned off the recorder in my excitement.)
The concert that night was awesome, and so much better than what happened on my actual birthday (when I discovered that though I may be a fairly large fellow, I have Asian genes and alcohol tolerances to match). Every birthday since, I have pulled this tape out of its hiding place and I play it for everyone that will listen.
And that has got me thinking: Why only Weird Al? Why is he the only celebrity to have wished me a happy birthday? Sure, there are a lot of people that have never been wished a happy birthday from a celebrity, so why should I be greedy?
Because I can!
Here is my ongoing birthday wish then. I would like birthday wishes from celebrities. Something on video would be awesome. Audio is good too (it's done me for the last 15 years). Handwritten would be cool. That would be a pretty cool collection, wouldn't it?
So next time you bump into, I don't know, Nathan Fillion or The Barenaked Ladies or Christopher Plummer (and I know you have because you've told me!), and you ask them for an autograph or a picture, how about a little shout out to your friend who's having a birthday?
Happy birthday, Weh-Ming. Happy birthday, indeed.
On a side note, this post was going up at March 19, 2010 at 12:06 PM, the date and time of my birth. Upon careful consideration, that seemed a little gross, so I'm posting it now.
Instead, I shall waste the day away playing video games in my basement and eating junk food. Maybe I'll add another deadly sin to the mix later, but that's up to Robyn. (Don't judge me, you know how much I like it when she talks about money.)
However, for appearances sake, I will take a few minutes to write up a birthday post if for nothing else than to prove to you, my legion of followers, that I can amuse you even when I should be thinking of only myself today. With that in mind, prepare to be amused as I think about myself.
First, reflection.
All in all, it was a pretty good year.
- I've been promoted twice, which means that they recognize talent when they see it or they're not on to me yet. Either way, I win!
- We paid off the car. And I finally have had a car last longer than 3 years. Maybe some birthday in the future I'll have paid off the first one...
- Went a whole year without having to dig the house up. And any year that doesn't happen again is a good one.
- Got back into the ol' blogaroutine, which is nice. Feels good to write, hope I brought a smile to your face or a laugh to your belly. By the way, you owe me for every smile and laugh that I gave you. I intend to collect. Read on.
- Got the beginnings of my man-cave going on slowly, but surely.
- Didn't get the swine or bird flu. That's worth something, if only that it means I practiced good personal hygiene, and have friends and colleagues that do as well. I'm sure it's just a coincidence if I didn't see you this year... but maybe you should take a look at your routine, just in case.
I walked away from this post for a little while because I had an idea. And I think I got it to work. I've been meaning to do this for the last 10 years or so. Those of you that know me already know what this is, but in case you somehow missed every single one of my birthdays over the last 15 years (ouch, that number stings a little):
The time: March 17, 1995
The place: K Mart in Dartmouth, NS
I was a young lad of only 18 years. My birthday was coming up and I had received what at the time was the GREATEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER. Something that I had hoped for and dreamed of my entire life was about to come true.
I had a front row ticket to see Weird Al Yankovic.
The ticket was a gift from my girlfriend at the time. The fact that there was only one ticket was her very clear way of telling me that she had zero interest in attending any such "concert". Also she said that. But I digress. As much of a crazy woman as she was, she did get me that ticket and that was awesome.
I went to Dartmouth and stood in line at a K Mart where Weird Al was going to be doing an autograph session. Rock on. I got the picture and the standard autograph. And I got something else.
I explained to Weird Al that my birthday was coming up in a couple of days and asked if he would mind wishing me a happy birthday on tape. He was totally up for it and what transpired next has gone down in history as the single most important piece of audio tape I own. Cause not only did he wish me a happy birthday, but he totally nailed my name on the first try. I would have been happy if he`d just said "happy birthday dude" or even just "happy birthday from Weird Al". But no, he listened to a fan and got my name on the first try!
I've just digitized it and now I can share it with the world!
And here it is.
Yes, I am aware that the sound quality leaves something to be desired.
For those of you at work that can't download the file, here is a transcript. I've written it from memory because I can.
Weird Al: I'm sorry, what was your name again?
Me: Weh-Ming.
Weird Al: Weh-Ming?
Me: Weh-Ming.
Weird Al: Happy birthday, Weh-Ming!
Me: Thank you SO MUCH!
(I cut out the Thank you SO MUCH because I accidentally turned off the recorder in my excitement.)
The concert that night was awesome, and so much better than what happened on my actual birthday (when I discovered that though I may be a fairly large fellow, I have Asian genes and alcohol tolerances to match). Every birthday since, I have pulled this tape out of its hiding place and I play it for everyone that will listen.
And that has got me thinking: Why only Weird Al? Why is he the only celebrity to have wished me a happy birthday? Sure, there are a lot of people that have never been wished a happy birthday from a celebrity, so why should I be greedy?
Because I can!
Here is my ongoing birthday wish then. I would like birthday wishes from celebrities. Something on video would be awesome. Audio is good too (it's done me for the last 15 years). Handwritten would be cool. That would be a pretty cool collection, wouldn't it?
So next time you bump into, I don't know, Nathan Fillion or The Barenaked Ladies or Christopher Plummer (and I know you have because you've told me!), and you ask them for an autograph or a picture, how about a little shout out to your friend who's having a birthday?
Happy birthday, Weh-Ming. Happy birthday, indeed.
On a side note, this post was going up at March 19, 2010 at 12:06 PM, the date and time of my birth. Upon careful consideration, that seemed a little gross, so I'm posting it now.
Weh-Ming! Wish you had told me about the Nathan Fillion request a few years ago, I used to wait on him in LA. >.< Blast!
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