My Birthday

As the title implies, today is my birthday. As I write this around 6PM in the evening, I can only recall maybe 3 times today when I reminded myself that it was indeed my birthday. Two of those times were when a family member called to wish me a happy birthday. I am grateful for everyone remembering but in the grand scheme of things, it's just another day at the office which is fine with me. While I was recently promoted at my job, it didn't actually occur on my birthday so technically it doesn't count in breaking the monotony of my birthday workday. The time of the promotion was close--27 hours close.

Awe hell, it counts. Who am I kidding?

Another reason that this birthday doesn't seem like a big deal is that my age--33--isn't a real sexy number. For starters, I'm not a big fan of odd numbers past 9. 11, 13, 19, 21, 27...not a fan of any of them. I don't know why this is. It just is.

Age number 32 was good. 30 was equally good. 34 will also be a memorable birthday simply because it's an even number. 33? Nope, it really doesn't represent anything. It's not a 21st birthday filled with drunken activities. Its not the 30th which ceremoniously signifies that you are an adult and that you should grow up and accept your move to adulthood even though your reluctance to do so becomes the driving force behind your behavior for the first few months afterward. (Was that a run-on sentence?)

I had a nice breakfast with my wife and son so we had quality family time which amounted to about 55 minutes but quality time nonetheless. Nathan drew me a nice birthday card which he was very proud of. A good time for all.

But what would make me forget that my age will be an odd number at 8:58 EST? Lots of cash. So just go ahead and back up the Brinks truck to my doorstep and just let the C-notes flow right into my living room. A beer will do in the mean time.

More Nathan Pictures

Just a few pictures that I forgot to post the last time.

Enjoy!

Milestone News As Promised

Back in the 70s and 80s, you rarely heard of people driving cars with much more than 100,000 miles. Nowadays, its fairly common. The new watermark of high mileage is now 200,000 or better.

Yesterday, on February 22, 2007 at 3:13PM, my 1997 Pontiac Grand AM just eclipsed the 200,000 mile barrier! And let me tell you, it was every bit exciting as you would think. To be honest, this narrative really won't do the experience justice. So I'll do my best in chronicling the minute of so leading up to the apex of odometer longevity.

The last 20 miles or so as I watched the odometer roll as I thundered down the interstate were filled with anticipation. So much so you could cut it with a knife it was so thick...

...199,983. A quick exercise in mental math revealed that I had 17 miles to go. I continued unabated at 68 miles per hour in a northeasterly direction to work.

...199,992. Traffic density started to increase as a few other interstates converged at my location. If this increase in traffic continues, I thought, I'll have a veery difficult time pulling over to take a picture of the odometer if the "big roll" occurs. 199,995....I trudge on.

...199,997. Only three miles to work and coincidentally, only three miles to the promised land. Will I have to drive a few laps around the parking lot to finish the job or will it have to wait until my trip home?

...199,999.0. I'm at the stop light right around the corner to work. This is going to be close...

...199,999.8. Should I try for the parking lot or should I wait? ehhhhh....crap. I quickly make a sudden change in my trip and veer down another a less traveled street to increase my chances at finding a spot along the side of the street so I could snap a picture of the odometer

...199,999.9. Stop light turned red. Damn. The anticipation is killing me.....there go the digits....slowly. Speed: 27 miles per hour.

...199,999.995. Okay, so odometers don't have two or three decimal digits but if they did, I would have had something to document during that 0.005 miles of road.

...200,000 FINALLY!!! The milestone was reached. I felt the power. It was the greatest natural high one can achieve legally.

As all the numbers finished their tumble, I paused briefly to reflect what me and wife have been through in our travels since the Grand AM's purchase. I put'er into gear and finished my trip to work. The next milestone: 225,000.

Our 100th Post

After roughly 15 months on the World Wide Web, all of us at Evening With Sabs now present our 100th posting. For parts of this post, I will try my hand at the ever-popular literary device:
FORESHADOWING. I hope this doesn't suck.

So I went to a Mardi Gras party over the weekend.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not Mr. Party-Guy but I do like to throw a few back and relax while talking about random topics ranging from the weather to American foreign policy.At the risk of someone reading this who was present at the party, I'm about to make an observation that is as esoteric as it is ambiguous.

For the very first time in my life, I have observed the strangest amalgam of person ever. There, at that party stood the exact cross between Edward James Olmos and Cousin Itt. Granted, others probably exist in the world but none as grizzled and as...well hairy. If you know who either of these famous individuals are then I need not go any further.

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Other random bits:

I nearly finished painting the basement on Sunday. That, in and of itself, isn't a big deal. But when you consider that on Saturday, I felt as if I was drugged into a state of ultimate lethargy due to exhaustion, painting a straight line was a feat analogous to walking a tightrope.

Baseball season is officially here. All players are now at spring training in either Arizona or Florida and I still have 16 inches of snow in my backyard.

On Thursday, a milestone will be reached that many wish to achieve someday and only a select few actually experience in their lifetime. More on this Friday or Saturday.

Inventor of TV Remote Dies

Don't tell me you never wondered who the mastermind was behind one of the most important, life-altering inventions of the 20th century. Well, that guy has passed.

For the entire story, check out this link.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Obit_Remote_Control.html

Nathan Working With Tools

The ultimate measure of a man (or boy in this case) is how many tools he has and whether or not he knows how to use them. My son is learning fast how to act manly. These pictures (along with a few random ones) tell the story brilliantly.

Disclaimer: We here at Evening With Sabs DO NOT endorse or promote underage drinking.

Drywall and an 18 Month Old

Would you watch a movie titled: "Drywall and an 18 month old"?

Stay tuned for the big release of these never-before seens stills of this epic flick.

Plus, some bonus pictures featuring said toddler hauling lumber.

RUSH and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Just a few weeks ago, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees were announced. Once again, the rock group RUSH was let off...more like screwed for the 8th consecutive year.

Call me old fashioned.

Go ahead and tell me that I'm living in the 70s and 80s.

You can even say that I should "get with the times" and "act like it's 2007 and not 1977 or 1987.

Feel free to slam me with the be-all and end-all of all verbal blasts: "STOP LIVING IN THE PAST". My mom is famous for that one as she frequently points out my father's ever-persistant residence in 1958. (The parallels between me and my dad and our subconscious ability to live vicariously around the time of our younger years are frightening as I am finding out as I get older.)

Anyway, I have no idea who the people are that nominate the inductees. But I can assure you that they are clueless.

Look, either you love Rush or you hate them. They never made music that was mushy or mainstream. They created songs that were complex, sometimes lengthy with unique if not abstract melodies containing different movements while alternating time signatures. The lyrics to most of their music especially the songs from the 70s and early 80s might seem emotionless to the casual listener but I argue the contrary. How many rock songs are allegories? Not many.

Their lyrical style shifted in the 1980s to more cerebral topics that explored social issues and metaphysical elements. If anything, the lyrics made you think and appreciate the fact that it was a rock group that composed these stanzas. That in and of itself worthy of something.

Rush has had more consecutive gold and platnium albums than ANY other group in rock history except The Bettles, Rolling Stones, KISS and Aerosmith. That's very exclusive company.

Their lineup hasn't changed for 33 years.

Neil Peart has been voted best rock drummer EIGHT TIMES.

Getty Lee and Alex Lifeson also have numerous awards for their bass and guitar playing.

In 2004, they were on the list of top selling live acts.

Many current bands like Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Dream Theater and a host of others have included Rush as the band that influenced them.

So forgive me for living in the past. Maybe my taste in music is a bit passe now. I enjoy some of the bands that are popular now. Contrary to what my wife thinks, I'm not completely locked in 1983. All I ask is that Rush be inshrined in rock immortality. An award that they rightfully deserve.

Ernest Borgnine turns 90

Another great, grizzled, veteran actor has made it to 90. Yes, its Ernest Borgnine--or Ernie as his friends call him. Even though the website imdb.com states his birth year as 1915, I'll go with Ernie himself who says he was born in 1917 not 1915.

Although he is almost triple my age, I remember his role as Dominic Santini. The fiery, bullheaded co-pilot of a top-secret government helicopter in the 80s smash hit Airwolf. Although Jan Michael Vincent, the show's grossly overpaid main character typically stole the spotlight, it was Mr. Borgnine that added that sprinkle of spice that made the show what it was. Either that or his shiny, blue windbreaker he wore throughout the series.

Here's to you, Mr. Borgnine on turning 90.

Winter...What a waste.

Man, I can't stand winter. Ah...let me count the reasons:

The cold.

The snow.

Wind chills below zero.

Inadvertantly brushing up against your car while getting to work only to find an hour later that your freshly dry cleaned suit pants are now streaked with the salt dust that recently accumulated on your driver side door after the long drive into work.

Chapped hands and fingers.

The talk of global warming as a plausible reason for arctic outbreaks.

The talk of global warming as the reason for my part spontaneously changing late last week.

Forget that I badly need a haircut.

My office doubles as a petri dish full of bacteria incubating and morphing until an unsuspecting employee picks up said bacteria ultimately incapacitating him or her resulting in multiple sickdays watching reruns of The Jeffersons on TVLand.

Give me a day or two and I'll think of more...