Sunday Stealing: best birthday party

Sunday Stealing Questions 200.07 includes my best birthday party. Or parties

What’s the best birthday party you’ve ever had?

I’ve had a lot of fine birthday parties. The first one I can think of is when I was 16, and my parents rented out something called the American Civic Association on Front St. in Binghamton, NY. It was the place where my father had volunteered. Our house is very small, so I never had any real parties at my house – one with two people attending when I was eight  – so getting that place was great. I remember my father found a couple of my friends making out in one of the closets, and he casually invited them to leave the closet. In 2009, one of those mass casualty events occurred at the ACA, which devastated me.

I remember my 33 and a third part. My birthday is in March, so you can’t have an outdoor gathering in upstate New York. We had it in July. Somewhere in this house,  I even have a copy of the invitation.

My 50th birthday was at my current church, and my sister from San Diego was there. There was singing involved.

Ya gotta have…

Since I got to be 60, I decided I would have a hearts card game at my house for my birthday week, and we’ve done that most years. In 2015, my friend Karen, who I’ve known since we were in kindergarten, attended. She said she knew how to play hearts – she did not – but she regaled the group with her stories about the music business, including finding marmite for Paul McCartney in New York City and singing Will the Circle Be Unbroken in an elevator with Johnny and June Carter Cash.

When I was working, I would take off my birthday. If it were a Saturday, I would take off the Friday before; if it were a Sunday, I would take off the Monday after. I think some people thought this was a weird indulgence until I read a book by Henri Nouwen, the late Canadian theologian I quoted several times in this blog.

Where is your favorite place you’ve ever visited?

The Barbados honeymoon was paid for by Jeopardy.

How do you like to spend your free time?

This is an odd question because I still struggle to find the answer. I don’t even know what free time entails. Take this weekend, for instance. I was telling somebody I could be doing A&B&C&D, going to a gala, a play, a concert, a movie, and church; it’s all vast.

Formerly Young

What’s one of your favorite bands?

I picked the Rascals, formerly known as the Young Rascals. I’ve listened to them quite a bit recently; Felix Cavaliere’s birthday is coming up. When The Beatles broke up in April 1970, they were probably my favorite active band.

My favorite Rascal song is It’s Love, with that great Hubert Law on the flute. I had it on vinyl and then got a new record player. It’s Love is the last track on the second side of the Groovin’ album (1967). Just as it gets to about 15 seconds before the song ends, the new stereo record player rejects it because the runoff on the LP is too short. The machine thinks the record must be over. So I bought the CD pretty much for the last quarter of a minute of the song.

What is the cutest animal you’ve ever seen in person?

Cute doesn’t come to mind. The most striking thing I ever saw was a peacock at the now-defunct Catskill Game Farm, only about an hour South of where I am now.

How would you describe your style?

I have no idea. Laissez-faire.

If your wardrobe could only be one color, what would it be?

Well, obviously green. There are lots of different shades of green that I’ve probably written about.

Philharmonic Hall

What was the first concert you ever went to?

Seals and Crofts in New York City, on November 12th, 1971, with my then-girlfriend, who eventually became my first wife. Boz Scaggs was the underappreciated open act.

What is the best book you’ve ever read?

It’s an impossible question, so I’ll just say the World Almanac because, for a half-century, I would get it every year, and it was my go-to source of enjoyment and information. Or one of these.

What’s your favorite movie of all time?

I just did a blog post about movies, but I don’t know if I could ever narrow it down to a single film.

What’s the stupidest movie or TV show you’ve ever seen?

In general, it would be a reality show. When my daughter was a teenager, she would watch Temptation Island, though she knew it was trash. I couldn’t stand it.

If you could only have one food for the rest of your life, what would you choose?

Well, pie is the perfect food. You can have apple pie, pizza pie, or chicken pot pie, which are all wonderful.

Annoyed

What are your biggest pet peeves?

I have so many, but let’s go with people who can never apologize. They can never be wrong. When they are wrong, they may say, “Sorry if you were offended,” rather than take ownership.

Are you more into brains or looks?

I believe that intelligent women are inherently more attractive.

Do you celebrate any holidays? What’s your favorite?

My favorite holiday is probably Thanksgiving because it involves food other than Halloween candy, Valentine’s Day candy, or chocolate in the Christmas stocking.