I have really pretty feet. Happy birthday.
Happy birthday and enjoy the show!
My brag: I am an awesome and underappreciated writer, and fantasy/adventure fans (and especially Game of Thrones/ASOIAF fans, for the 2nd book mentioned) should buy and read my novels Sailor of the Skysea and The Pen is Mightier.
Thank you for the opportunity to brag. 
Happy Birthday, OP.
You know, my birthday was in February and your wife dint get me a fuckin thing. Just sayin.
My problem is that my two favorite performers (Neil Finn and Jeb Loy Nichols) live half a world away – Neil’s a kiwi, and Jeb lives on a farm in Wales… he rarely performs, and then it’s almost always impromptu in the back of a record store or some such.
Well, a friend’s band did a Neil Finn night, and damned if they didn’t nail it. Often with more energy and fun than even the original Crowded House would’ve been. So I feel like I checked off a bucket list concert… for a $5 cover charge.
Yeah, but you don’t want any of that crazy. I assure you.
It was pretty good! These days I always feel a little old at shows, but it was good! One thing I didn’t like, it was nearly an hour between when the opening act finished and the headliner started to play. That’s the first show I’ve ever been to where it was so long between sets. Seemed excessive. Opening act was meh but that’s to be expected. All your usual concert goers were there: old guy who seems lost, drunk guy who just yells the band name every so often, crazy dancing girl. I had fun. Thanks for asking!
I’ll talk to her about it. Not cool.
I was able to acquire two tickets to see some Paul McCartney guy in July. Don’t know who I’m going with yet.
Too bad it’s so far from your birthday. 
Oh yeah, brag - finished in the top 1% of my race this weekend.
In January I was doing insurance and financial services work for MassMutual, a job that I loved. I was talking to one of my small business clients about his business and, as I am want (wont?) to do, I was giving advice saying "well, have you looked at trying… " and “I was once in the same situation and I found that…”
He looks at me and says, “you know, you’re pretty good at this business consulting stuff. I know a guy who does this for a living - want me to get him in touch with you?” “Sure, no problem - I’ll be glad to speak to him.”
Consultant calls, talks to me for 2 hours about the job. 6-figures, the job itself sounds great and fascinating, but… I fly out on Sunday, fly back in Friday night, and do this for 45-50 weeks a year. I could be sent to Opelika, FL one week and Manitoba, Canada the next.
Shit. Now I want this job, but I don’t want the travel. So, thinking about it, I realized that there are probably tons of business consultants here in San Antonio, they probably need help but they just don’t know I’m available.
So I draw up a list of 15 names, people doing the same work here in SA as the other person did around the country. Called them out of the blue with the following pitch:
“Hi, you don’t know me, but my name is JohnT and I was calling to ask about consulting services. Do I have you at a bad time?” <They respond> “This won’t be long: I’m being recruited by a company out of Chicago for business consulting and I was hoping to talk to somebody about the work who is not trying to sell me on a job. Do you have a few minutes now, or could I call you back at a better time?”
15 names
10 interviews
7 requests for resumes
3 negotiations for my services
1 new sweet position, working in SA, in a partnership with some serious guys looking to build a $20 million+ business in the next 10 years.
Not only are you Mighty, I think you may be the Rightwise Queen Born of all the Faire.
I recently finished the 84,000 word first draft of a novel!
Now I need to get started on the second draft, and all I want to do is start writing another novel.
^ That might be a good idea, unless you’re on a timetable. Come back to 1st novel later with fresh eyes.
Congrats. However, I read this several times before realizing you did not participate in a competition where people were graded by racial groups.
Hope the wife got you more than just one concert ticket for your birthday.
NICE birthday, Lowdown. I hope you enjoyed the heck out of your concert.
I had stopped going to concerts much, thinking I was too old, but when I moved to Colorado and had access to Red Rocks, how can you NOT go? I’m so glad I started going again. I’ve heard some wonderful music there that I would not have gone to see back home.
High Five to Maggie the Ocelot. Thanks to years of piano practice as well as various other instruments, I, too, have strong hands and was the designated bottle opener in my family. Can’t do it as well when I have a bad RA day now, but when conditions are right and I can whip open the lid on a Vlasic pickles jar, the world is my oyster!
Congrats on the concert
Congrats to Maggie on being mighty
Congrats to Spiderman on being a 1%er
And wink to ThelmaLou and her feet! 
This is an awesome thread. I’m enjoying reading such positive posts. It’s a nice change from the usual bitching and arguing around here. 
Maybe we need something like a positivity thread.
My wife once surprised me for my birthday by taking me to a restaurant where we met another couple for dinner. After we finished, we all drove downtown to the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where the wife surprised me with tickets to see Garrison Keillor live with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Did I mention that Garrison Keillor is my favorite contemporary author and my second favorite author of all time?
My wife also presented me with his newest book (at the time), which I was able to get autographed.
I was in heaven.
TRUTH! I just got back from a boys weekend in Nashville - non-stop live music!
My fuckin thing came standard when I was born. I could do with more chances to use it, though…
Here’s my concert-related brag: One of my photos can be seen in the “The Who Hits 50!” tour program: Pete and Roger sitting on the drum stand-Oakland 1980
So close – I finished in the top 5% of Caucasians. I’m thinking of switching to Korowaian. With only 3000 of them, I mean us…
And if you’re going to see Sir Paul at Summerfest, I’m planning to somehow luck into a reasonably-priced ticket… somehow. And if I do, I’ll post about my victory here.
Oh, and I’ll post all about my victory over the Korowaians, who won’t even hear that there’s a competition going on.
I hate to brag, but I’ve seen both Cake and Queens of the Stone Age. Cake at the Orpheum (where I think Modest Mouse just played) and QotSA at Alpine Valley when they opened for Pearl Jam for their 20th anniversary shows. I’ve never seen Modest Mouse, though.