So boss, when do the strippers come on?

Hey great one

HAPPY 50TH

 

More thanks, guys.
Ya young whippersnappers. 

I'm happy to report that so far it's been idyllic. Everything you'd want your 50th birthday party to be.

After all the sturm und drang of my semi-ex's arrival, she has been perfect. A lamb. I've had complete freedom to enjoy my weekend (and sleep it off afterwards) without even a single word of complaint. I can almost catch a glimpse of why I ever became involved with this person in the first place.

The party was a waking dream. Plenty of folks from all my walks of life came. I had so many people to talk to that it was difficult for me to make it across the room. We have quite an amazing social set in Suzhou right now...a large pile of wheat among the expat chaff here...a lot of bright, nice, funny, creative, wonderful people. I was called onto the stage before a room full of people to make a speech and let them sing 'Happy Birthday' at me; the bar staff revealed the biggest birthday cake I've ever seen (courtesy of the bar) and hauled that monster up on the stage. I received quite an impressive pile of presents, many of which were actually quite nice. I have to admit...it was all a bit of an overwhelming experience for me.

So many reasons for good feelings that night. Quite many of us were experiencing what the writers call "transports of ecstasy" last night, if you catch my drift. 
The long-suffering bar staff finally chased Con and Yanbian Jack and I away around 6am, so we wandered off to watch the sun come up over the misty canals and tiled roofs of Old Suzhou...itself a sight worth some trouble to see. As far as I know Con, who was beginning to resemble an albino Stevie Wonder with onsetting tetanus, still hasn't slept and may well still be out wandering the canals and ranting at anyone unfortunate enough to cross his path. 

Me, I slept some. I'm gearing up for Part 2 tonight.

I wish all of you at least one night in your life like I had last night. It's nice to get an occasional message that you really are liked and respected by a big spectrum of people.

And the question increasingly becomes: "If you're not in Suzhou....why the hell not?" 

  Two thumbs up for your celebrations!!  This is the time to be enjoying your life, so revel in it, Raoul.

Wish I was there.  Who knows maybe in a year of two I might.  Maybe you will be back by then.  Or I will come to Oke and find you.   

Wish I was there.  Who knows maybe in a year of two I might.  Maybe you will be back by then.  Or I will come to Oke and find you.   

Look out big guy, that sounds like a threat.

Quote from: dragonsaver on May 27, 2007, 12:35:52 AM

Wish I was there.  Who knows maybe in a year of two I might.  Maybe you will be back by then.  Or I will come to Oke and find you.   

Look out big guy, that sounds like a threat.

Yup

Look out big guy, that sounds like a threat.

Only if she yodels. 

Made it home by 4 this time, in accordance with the dignity and responsibility appropriate for my age.  And nothing to do with the fact that the sniveling pups closed the bar earlier.

T'ain't sleepy, though.

T'ain't sleepy, though.

I've been told by numerous older (and wiser) people than myself that that's one of the perks of aging - less sleep needed! Congrats, it must be one of the perks of reaching 50.

Less sleep??  Not exactly, just more catnaps!  

And you have to watch out now Raoul, you have officially reached the age to be addressed as "Young Fella"!! 

I think it has little to do with the effects of age and much to do with the rather large quantity of powerful hallucinogenic stimulants I injested. 

Look.
Some men face 50 by eating cake with their grandbabies.

Some men face 50 by going out for a nice steak dinner and dancing to big band music with their wives of 28 years.

Some men face 50 by attending big fancy banquet parties thrown by the corporations where they've worked for the last 22 years and receiving many lovely new neckties.

And some men face 50 by going to an Irish bar in China, allowing themselves a good bit of gin, being surrounded by friends, dropping ecstasy and smoking hashish, chatting up girls, laughing their asses off, and coming home after sunrise to chase their young wives around the house in hopes of getting their horn honked.

I feel so inexpressibly...SORRY...for those other poor bastards. 

I dropped my phone in my beer. 

   Con, that's no good.  Was the beer okay?

  Con, that's no good.  Was the beer okay?

Yeah Con, how was the beer. It's all fun and games until someone spills a beer.

 

Raoul, you definitely don't "sound" anywhere near 50.