Another day, another plane flight.
This time I'm flying the friendly skies, skiing the cloudless night towards Minneapolis, Minnesota. We have a gig there, but not before I partake in part deux of my 40th birthday celebration.
Part I was an adventure in partying with a good time being had by all even with the hangovers lasting days on end. The theme - if you could call it a theme - was"There and Back Again". I even had everyone sign my journal book of the same name.
After the untoppable events of the last celebration " thank God " yours truly has sworn off partying. This much to the chagrin of some very dear friends and Tortugas. The problem is I'�m not quite sure how I'm going to break it to this - ding, ding second round of birthday-throwing maniacs.
Well, they'll understand, won't they? They are, after all, my dear friends. Right? Hmmm?
Bastards.
I'm going to have a hard enough time stopping as it is. I'm half Irish, don't you know. I've come from a long line of partyers and gallivanters. (Galli from the word gala meaning "party" and vanter coming from the suffix vantage meaning "good spot". Put them both together and you always have a good spot for a party.) Okay, so that was bad, but gimme a break - they can't all be gems, people. What do you expect from someone who grew up with Animal House and the Blues Brothers for movie role models? (Rubber biscuit, anyone?)
" But, Raphael, what about when you're performing? What about when you're on stage? What about"The Beer Show?!"
Bastards!
The Beer Show, for those of you who don't know and have as yet been unable to see/purchase our first DVD.
Wait a minute. This is the Members Only site, and if you're here, then you're a member. And if you coughed up the precious, hard-earned dough to do that, then chances are you've already bought the Beer Show DVD. Or at least pirated a copy from one of your nefarious and all too clever never-see-the-light-of-day, but aren't I a wiz-kid - look, Ma, no Napster computer buddies.
Bastards!!
So get over it, and let's get on with my rant.
Now, where was I. Oh yes. Partying, or the lack thereof.
To party or not to party. That is the question. Whether it is soberer in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of a horrendous hangover. Well, you get the point. Let's just say that I've stopped imbibing for a while, that I'm giving my liver a rest that I'm taking a break!
There, 'nuff said. Wow, I need a drink.
Yet another day, and yet another story. And this time I have pictures. (see all the pictures of my Birthday in the gallery under "Riki's Birthday 2003")
Minneapolis was a Blast! Our gig went wonderfully - as I'm sure that the boyz have already discussed in their journals, so I won't bore you with rehashing the details. I went in a day early to celebrate my 40th with friends up in the Great, White North. The weather was a balmy 29-38 degrees for the weekend with the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. It was gorgeous.
As I'm sure you've already read, all three Tortugas have digital cameras now. We decided that if we're going to be doing this Members Only-website thingy, then we should all be able to shoot cool stuff on a moment's notice. So there you go. Neat, huh?!
Anywho, my Minneapolis birthday celebrations began with a little bit of shopping and being taken to lunch downtown - thanx Jill & Sarina! Shopping and walking in between all of the skyscrapers is a surreal Habitrail (hamster condo, for those not in the know) experience since the buildings are all connected via glass walkways, suspended high above the streets.
That day I got to enjoy an artist's rendition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which was this year's walk through, holiday season display at Marshall Fields. Then I went downstairs outside and hugged an American icon. That-s right, there-s a statue in the spot where Mary Tyler Moore tossed up her hat in the opening credits of her 1970-s TV show. Remember that, guys-or am I really getting that old?
Nighttime fell, and with it came cocktails (Diet Coke for me, please) and appetizers at Moscow on the Hill on Selby Ave. in St. Paul. A score of friends joined me there for a very elegant party atmosphere. I loved it! And I got pictures of everybody, so enjoy them!
Next we moved on to Jillian's in - Insert Fanfare Here - the Mall of America! Let's just say it's the holy land for anybody who worships with a credit card in one hand and a shopping bag or three in the other. Jillian's is like an arcade for adults. There are all manner of video games and carnival type games (i.e. skee ball, etc.) and black-light bowling in the back and, oh yes, a full-liquor bar sitting in the middle of all this. You can even eat a meal there if you find your stomach in need of refueling.
After running into a couple more friends - not to mention a fan named Tiffany and her posse that we met at the bar -we were off to Martini Blue, located high atop the Grand Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Tiffany likened our encounter to meeting one of her favorite cartoon characters. Go figure, but I thought it was very sweet. Her boyfriend didn't seem too happy about it, though tough break for him. Sushi - love it, by the way - and drinks were the fare of the night as we wound down our festivities in stylish Tortuga fashion.
Well there you have it. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, but then, how could you? I had the Best of Times! (Old Styx song from my latter high school years - or was I already out by then?) Oh, and by the way, no, not a drop of demon-liquor (curse you, Goldschlagger!) all night. Are you proud or just bewildered? Can you guess which one my friends are? And speaking of friends and drinking. Allow me to make a most honorable mention of two very special friends of mine.
We met them this year at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. They came out, watched one of our shows - even becoming involved from the audience at a couple of points - and were hooked from then on as fans. Soon after we got to talking and became fast friends almost immediately.
Shamus and Bert hail from Iowa, but don't allow the calm demeanor of their home state to fool ya. They can - and have, I can tell you that - throw down with the best of them and keep going on through " ding, ding! " Round 5 and up. Shamus, whose true name is James, is proud of his Irish heritage- a fact that he will share within the first few moments of meeting you, shaking your hand and jovially slapping you on the back. Bert, the tamer - but only by Shamus- standards - of the two, is a proud business owner who works hard for what he has and then plays just as hard for his relaxation, whether it be shooting 18 holes on the golf course or sipping whiskey in the clubhouse.
Now, why have I gone into such discourse about these two when I have not about countless others before them? Because in the short time that I have known them they have reminded me that there are those of you out there who may walk a different path than we Tortugas, and yet still embrace the spirit of who we are - brothers in life's sweet adventure. Thank you, gentlemen for that illumination.
That and they gave me sooo much shit for not having mentioned them before. And, yes, I know that they're reading this! Luv you, my brothers!
Bastards!!
