The birthday that was... in Fear & Loathing in Steel City

Last week I was a very busy boy. Last Monday (October 28th) was my 38th birthday, and usually the big day always passed without much hoopla and I really didn't mind. I always saved money for the kids and their visits rather than go out and do something, but this year was very different. Much to my surprise, I got a lot of attention this year and it was nice to celebrate this time out.

Last previous Thursday (Oct 24th), I went out with my older brother and a few other friends to see 'Captain Phillips', which is that new Tom Hanks movie about the ship that is boarded by Somolie pirates. It was an amazing movie and Tom Hanks gave one of the best performances of his career. He'll at least get nominated for Best Actor and at the moment he looks to be the odds on favourite to win. very suspenseful and recommended if you're looking for an intense drama to check out.

The next day on Friday (Oct 25th), my friend Patrick took me out a new place in our mall called 'The Works', which is a place known for making some killer burgers. Eating there was an interesting experience. Our soda was served in a two cup measuring glass, and the food was served on a steel platter rather than a plate.

The burger I had was called 'The Mayday'. It had caramelized onions, brie cheese and homemade BBQ sauce. I also had a burger paddie that had cheese inside it, which made my meal off the hook! After wolfing down that bad boy, Pat and I went to see the movie Bad Grandpa. I've always been a fan of Johnny Knoxville and the crew at Jackass so this was a movie I was eager to check out. It was very funny and even had a plot that was more advanced that most Micheal Bay films.

The day after that on Saturday (Oct 26th), I attended a Halloween party. Since I had a new supply of face paints... I decided to use that to my advantage:

Now how freaky is that? Many people at the part recognized me until I talked to them... that was a lot of fun. I'm a big fan of the Crow so this was a costume I enjoyed putting together. Because the party was two days before my birthday, I didn't spend a dime on a single drink that night, which was pretty awesome. I got a little sloshed that night, and since I had volunteered to help clean up, I wasn't home until 2am. I had to be up at 10am the next morning to do face painting at a local park... that was a rough morning.

On Monday, which was my actual birthday, a friend insisted that I do something that day despite everything I had done that weekend. She took me out for dinner and a movie. We went to Montanas for dinner and she wasn't shy about telling the waiter who's big day it was. After dinner we went to see Gravity, that space movie starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. It was a very good movie... intense much like Captain Phillips. I really liked the movie and I believe it's going to earn a few Oscar nominations as well.

So that's what I did that weekend when celebrating the 38th anniversary of my birth... and this one like I said was a lot more active that years past. Maybe I'll take it easy next year.

Peter