June 23, 2004

Entering Your 27th Year

You may have noticed some strangeness this morning, people shuffling down the street with armfuls of streamers, drivers honking their horns in unison. There is a purpose to their behavior. Today marks the end of my 26th year of life and the beginning of my 27th. Today is my birthday.

This past weekend also marked our third Camp Naked Terror birthday celebration, and much like the last two years (last year’s post), it was a bloody good time. This year the camp was moved to a seemingly safer location, but inevitably a bloodbath still ensued. The camp was also re-themed as a workshop camp for aspiring actors and the campers were asked to dress as a character or actor from their favorite movie. As you can see from the looks of the camp counselors, it was a blast and oh so gory. Inman even had a good time (maybe too good a time).

So, I ask you dear reader, help me celebrate my birthday today. No, you don’t have to buy me anything (though I wouldn’t refuse gifts), but you do have to share a bit of yourself. Tell me what you favorite birthday cake is, or for those unlucky individuals devoid of a sweet tooth, tell me what was the best birthday gift you ever received.

My favorite birthday cake: My mother still makes the best birthday cake. It’s simple but oh so sweet. Make a basic pound cake, poke holes in the top with a toothpick, pour 1/2 diluted Jello mix into the holes, top with CoolWhip, refrigerate. yum.

My favorite birthday gift: To this day, it is still my first bike. The amazing amount of freedom granted with one’s own bike is nothing to be taken lightly, especially at such a young age. Mine was a black Huffy BMX. Aside from being a great cook, my mother is also a nurse. I hurt myself too many times to remember on that bike, and often depleted our first aid supplies.

So, how about you? I may be older, fatter, and deader, but I’ve spent 26 years befouling this planet, help me celebrate another year.

Commentary (20):

1. bearskinrug says… jun 23, 2004 | 10:00 am

Best birthday gift I ever got was that Lego Set with Robin Hood and his merry, block-like men. I could build trees with legos! It started me on the path of replacing real nature with synthetic natural surroundings.

Happy birthday, Jason!

2. Rob Weychert says… jun 23, 2004 | 10:38 am

Happy birthday, Stannie!

My favorite birthday gift was also a bike, though not my first. It was a beautiful black and red 1990 Redline 390 BMX with GT pegs in the rear and fold-up GT forkstanders in the front. The bike was rotorless, which limited the potential for freestyle trickery, but I was never very good at that stuff anyway. Maybe the person who stole it last month is.

3. ritchie says… jun 23, 2004 | 10:39 am

best b-day gift that i ever got was slime from the old ghostbuster toys. oh the torment i put my cousins through.

happy birthday jason, may you have many many more

4. Amanda says… jun 23, 2004 | 11:33 am

Happy Birthday!

My favorite cake would probably be something light and fluffy combining chocolate and coconut.

BTW, this is my first time at your Web site. Drop-dead gorgeous design. I also adore your name. As a Catholic, I’m envious!

5. Peter Dalkner says… jun 23, 2004 | 12:14 pm

Happy birthday, Stanley.

Growing up in the harsh arctic climate my family celebrated birthdays a bit differently than you did. The only gift I ever really recieved as a boy was something fish related (bones for jewlery and/or tools, oil for my lamp, etc). “baasee’ ” I would say. After midday meal with my family I would be permitted to play with my gganaa’ until it was time for the evening cama-i celebration. During the celebration the birthday boy or girl would identify themselves to the tribe and assert their presence on this earth. It’s a very symbolic ceremony.

Please join me in my tribe’s ancient tradition by doing it for your birthday.

“I am Stan. I am here now!!”

6. Shaun Inman says… jun 23, 2004 | 12:33 pm

I’m not a big cake-ivore so I’d have to go with Six Shot, that Transformer that turned into 6 “different” things, as my favorite birthday present. It didn’t liberate me or anything cool like your first bike but damn if it wasn’t the coolest purple, teal and grey piece of plastic I ever owned.

7. sutter says… jun 23, 2004 | 12:59 pm

our little Stannie is all grown up.
happy birthday my boy.
incidently, my best birthday present was just last year when i totally scored with this hot chick on my birthday. all i had to say was “look, i’m a stud - help me do what i do.” and then she cried.

8. wayne says… jun 23, 2004 | 1:03 pm

wszystkiego najlepszego, stan!
(polish birthday greeting, not the results of a seizure while typing)

best cake: cake shaped and decorated like r2-d2. thanks, mom. what more could a 6 y.o. boy want?

best gift: my laptop—a joint gift from a lot of relatives and my wife. it’s a shame it appears to be dying now…

9. the niff says… jun 23, 2004 | 1:08 pm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STANA MARIA!

i thought you were younger than 27. but alas…yo es muy wrongito. ha.
anyway, i remember my favorite birthday cake ever was when my mom ( an elaborate baker) made me a muppets cake. in the center was a cake and icing sculpted miss piggy and i wouldnt let anyone eat it. i saved it and froze it until my mom could dispose of it without my knowledge.

i gave a great present once..just last year. the best part of that though was getting to meet all my new buds. im happy to know you stanny. blessed indeed!

10. Todd says… jun 23, 2004 | 1:18 pm

Happy Birthday Jason!

By the way, that’s a great idea for a birthday party.

11. Peter Santa Maria says… jun 23, 2004 | 4:39 pm

Being Jason’s older brother, I can attest to our mother’s excellent cooking, and Jason’s habit of hurting himself while trying death defying stunts on his bike.

My fav b-day cake: homemade Pac-man cake, blue power pellets and all!

My fav b-day gift: it’s a toss up between getting my first computer (Commodore 64!) and my first BMX bike.

Happy Birthday Jason!

12. Brian Merritt says… jun 23, 2004 | 6:22 pm

HB, S!

Okay, this might be mostly nostalgia (and somewhat random), but what about NERF? And I don’t mean the National Eye Research Foundation. Man, they built that stuff up to be the new plastic, and now you can’t even find someone to poke you in the eye with a foam fencing sword…

13. Ryan Brill says… jun 23, 2004 | 10:00 pm

Happy birthday, Jason. Hope you have a great day and an even better 27th year. :)

14. Mike D. says… jun 23, 2004 | 11:27 pm

Happy birthday, Oldie! May you live at least one more year, at which time I will re-evaluate the situation and perhaps extend the wish for an indefinite period of time.

Favorite cake: A tie between Grand Marnier Cake from Paris Pastry in L.A. and peach cream cheese pie (like cheesecake only creamier).

Favorite present: Someone telling me when I turned 27 all of the famous people who died at 27. That was nice.

15. Anton says… jun 25, 2004 | 12:38 am

Happy Birthday!

Best cake: Angel Food (confetti) with little Star Wars figures arranged on the top.

Best gift: My Commodore 64. I still have it.

and I uploaded my new blog layout on your birthday too! cooincidence?? we’ll never know… *cue spooky music*

16. ACJ says… jun 25, 2004 | 10:44 am

I don’t know why, but I always assumed you were my age — perhaps younger (I’m 23). I have nothing to back this assumption up though. Blah. Happy birthday: have a blast! :D

17. Brian Merritt says… jun 25, 2004 | 5:45 pm

That’s probably because he has the mental capacity of a 23 year old.

18. Merritt says… jun 25, 2004 | 5:45 pm

BURN!

19. the niff says… jun 25, 2004 | 8:13 pm

sorry. i was confused. stan is 26! like me. i had a hunch.

20. pattisunshine says… jun 29, 2004 | 12:23 pm

Heheh. I wanted a black Huffy BMX bike when I was 10, but my mom thought it not so feminine! I ended up with a red Schwinn 10-speed, which the neighbor GIRLS were jealous of, but I snuck over to my neighbor Billy’s to borrow his Huffy many times!
Happy Birthday! (late)
Favorite bday cake: my Nana B.’s Rum cake!!! Yummo. Packs a punch!