My Birthday Weekend -- In Review

I'm writing today as an older man. That's right... I'm 33! I celebrated by birthday yesterday -- with an adventure that started at Union Station in D.C. (see yesterday's entry), included a train to Baltimore, a hike around the University of Baltimore, a cab to Hunt Valley, MD, a meeting with McCormick, dinner with Jack, Kris & Reed Spaulding, and a late night train back to New York City. It was definitely what I'd call a NE corridor day!

That said, I wanted to provide some visuals around my awesome weekend in the Nation's Capital other than the foreshadowing below.

A Williams Weekend
As mentioned, I trained to Washington, D.C. on Thursday for a client meeting in Bethesda, MD. Shawn and his awesome-in-every-way wife Donna, opened their home to me for the weekend and I got to be a Williams for a few days. It was an awesome weekend. Shawn and Donna have created a beautiful home together. Donna is pregnant with their first son -- Vincent Anthony Williams -- and they couldn't be more pleased and proud. What a birthday gift to have spent time with them.

MORE, Shawn is my birthday buddy! He and I share May 22 as our birthday and we've had a number of tag-team celebrations over the years -- though he always seems to make it about me!

Shawn and Donna hosted a Thai dinner with MBA Classmates Liz Rogers (below, with Shawn) and Nicole Bosch (at right, with Dave Fleischer) and we got to spend the evening catching up and not having to at all. Liz and Dave brought their new puppy Pippen, but that wasn't the only 'new' things in their lives... Liz is with child! Yes! In the family way! Has a bun in the proverbial oven! CONGRATULATIONS LIZ & DAVE!!

It was the first time I've seen either of them since their May 2004 wedding in the Caribbean, so it was awesome to get the full scoop on the rest of their trip, the tragedy, and the past two years of their lives. Nicole is doing well also -- she's working at AOL and enjoying being in the city and closer to friends. SO great to see my old friends. Nicole also baked us a birthday cake and we enjoyed the traditional blowing-out ceremony. Everyone needs the birthday song sung on their special day... it was awesome to have mine so done with such close friends 3,000 miles away from where I would have thought it would never happen. Brilliant altogether.

On Saturday, Shawn, Donna and I drove downtown and spent the day enjoying our Nation's Capital and the Washington D.C. Mall. We spent most of our time at the National Museum of American History checking out a number of exhibits, including the 200-year-old Star-Spangled Banner that inspired Francis Scott Key to write what we now know as our National Anthem (though did you know that the song already existed? He just wrote new lyrics! He'd be in jail today, let's not kid ourselves.), a temporary exhibit about the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling, a tribute to our 43 American Presidents (a GLORIOUS burden), and an exhibit about Americans at War -- demonstrating the price of freedom.

It was such a beautiful day, we also enjoyed lounging in the shadow of the Washington Monument and the National World War II Memorial that just opened in the past year or so. The Mall's a pretty fantastic place to be altogether -- and feels heavy and siginficant. It sure makes a person all patriotic.

On Sunday, we had yet another slow morning (LOVE THAT!), then got to go watch Matthew and Rachel's baseball and softball games. What struck me about the games was just how awesome it is to watch baseball at is truest form -- when played by kids. However, I was also incredibly frustrated knowing some of the skill level was completely lacking! They're 10!! Or 12!! I had to keep telling myself!! Matthew played 2nd base and struck out and reached on a Fielder's Choice while we were there. Rachel is a SuperStar fast-pitch pitcher and her team nearly upset the Goliath of their league. They were up 2-1 in the bottom of the 6th with two outs and her second baseman dropped an easy pop-up that allowed the other team to score two runs and win 3-2. I secretly wanted to punch that little girl in the neck. I think the coach did too... he stomped his feet and snapped his hat to the ground. So emotionally involved we get! I will say this... it was brilliant and fun to be there, particularly knowing that these are Shawn's step-kids and his world. I could coach; I could do it and might consider something here in New York. We shall see.

I spent Sunday night with Jeremy Hendon -- he treated me to a birthday margarita at some Mexican joint in Dupont Circle. Good people-watching altogether! I was also introduced to Maggie-Moo's Ice Creamery. We watched 'War of the Worlds', crashed, and ending up catching up until 2AM on all things "Life". In as infrequenly as I see Jerome, it always seems like no time at all. For those of you who don't know Jeremy, he's a friend of mine from 2nd grade at Island City Elementary School. We became friends again in High School and have been since. I look forward to sharing a coast with Jerm and reconnecting even more frequently now!

And, as you now know, I ventured from D.C. to Baltimore on Monday for a meeting with my friend Jack Spaulding at McCormick. We chatted work and life and jobs and futures and Baltimore and more. His wife Kris and son Reed then joined us for dinner at Red Robin in Towson -- their stunning community north of Baltimore proper. Alas, Red the Robin was not there, but we did enjoy a birthday sundae -- though everyone thought it was Reed's big day. Definitely OK by me!

So, as I texted Jesse last night, 'la journee de la naissance, c'est finit". The birthday has ended. I will remember it as one in which I spent a lot of time with trains, good friends, and with the Red Robin birthday cheer.

I am 33. All is as it should be.