7X4=nuff said?

what an evening; an enchanting evening it was.


there were residual knots lining the lower region of my stomach, a scarcely visible drear all in eyes because i didn't sleep much the night before. i gotta be honest, i get nervous when i stamp my name on a party and this was by far the most public and risky venture i had attached myself with. my temper was also tried because this was the first birthday party i'd ever had. because of the proximity of my birth to that of JESUS CHRIST'S people weren't usually around as a child to partake in rollerskating rink parties or a trip to the local Chuck E Cheese. as i got older, it became less about the lack of interest in activities of celebration and more about the fact that it was placed between two obnoxiously inebriated holidays effectively draining all my friends essence or desire to partake in boozehounding the night away. so with a tummy of heebie jeebies, the help of some friends and a prayer all my angst was wiped away in one fowl swoop. URRIE!


to make my sweet sixteen a reality i recruited my friend Andy whose birthday falls a day after mine and my friend Meghan, who would bring an even ratio of vagina to penis, for once. Andy ended up inviting his friend Briane to hop on the balanced genitalia team for the big win, whose 27th birthday was the day before mine. further helping the dream was Ezra, who I need to take the time here to thank for securing 111 minna, dealing with the staff, getting the doorgirls and basically doing all the work while the rest of us buzzed off emails and composed ridiculously long guestlists. at that it was born; "HELLA FOLKS BIRFDAY"....I have to credit Andy with the title but as an aside, i urged him to keep it.


as a gift my best friend, Nat aka DJ Morse Code, aka MoCo, agreed to play for next to nothing which left only the expense of promoting the event. Andy made the flyer and we didn't print any, so we only had to pay for the bitchy doorgirls. oh and they were such bitches, it was great.


the day of the event i went looking for an outfit that would make me standout and i found it. i wore a grey cardigan, white dress shirt, a clip on red bowtie, black jeans and red original vans. i looked like a cross between a drunk professor plum, bill nye the science guy and pee wee herman. one of the best ensembles i've ever assembled.


upon arrival at minna there was still some rumbling nerves down south but the static in the air was palpable and gave me a sense of thrill at what might unfold. people arrived early to avoid the cover at the door and by 10:30 the place was filling out nicely with people. remembering always that this was my birthday, i let the dopamine inhibitors flow. it was so great to see such a thorough melding of various worlds. that's what i've always found so great about San Francisco; its the tiny pockets of peoples and worlds you acquire over time. when everyone is in the same room, as an individual its fucking thrilling.



as the night wore on more and more alcohol was being forced in my direction. i would humor almost everyone by taking a deep pound of whatever drink they got me and then find a spot to drop it off, never to be drank again. the only problem with this was that most people want to give you shots on your birthday so by about 11:30 I was toast! Toast! whenever i got that upchuckety urge, that woozy headrolling fervor i simply turned to the good old dopamine inhibiting, wake up juice and some water. everything poured becomes erased! ERASED!



nat went on close to midnight and threw down the bangers till closing. i got up on the stage and did my funny little dance moves in effect trying to hype the crowd with my Tuts, waves and hits. sometimes i look back on the night and i feel embarrassed, like i made a fool of myself. but, then unflinching the alcohol and inhibitors numb my resolve and i'm up in front of everyone making an ass of myself, perhaps.



at two, everyone filed out of Minna, grinning ear to ear, at least that's how i remember it. there was an audible declaration that everyone attend the afterparty at a big house on Fell street. what an eruption of people that turned out to be. more alcohol, more inhibitors, more friends, conversation, laughter, drama, debauchery and me out of my mind. i was there till close to 4:30 when upon much urging by Nat we were supposed to go to some other house to smoke some trees. my friend Tyler, who opened up with a nice set at the beginning of the night approached me and asked where i was going. i don't remember this, but days later he told me i came stumbling down the stoop, my clip on bowtie now dangling off to one side, my hair once smoothly coiffed now spiked out every which way, sweat beating off my brow, my jaw swaying in the breeze, beer spilt on my shirt, eyes dimmed down and my new red vans covered in filth. what a fine picture that must've been! the conversation went something like this;

"uh, where are you going," tyler asked as fragile as a lost puppy.
"i don't know some shit, wherever it snott gunna be fun."
"okay."
"yeah, so you just stay here and catsh cab and I see you later."
"okay."

we ended up at some random house where i preceeded to pass the fuck out and then wake up when the joint came my way. someone offered up a bed and more wake up juice but i declined and placed my filthy, new red shoes on the coffee table and whispered in a birthday girl's ear.

to say it was the best birthday of my life is to downplay the effort, the success. those of us who were there to witness saw that we were better or worse people afterward, from then onward. as Jordan, my roommate commented, I never have a memorable time at Minna, but last night was memorable. it felt good to give a gift while getting the same gift i was giving. i wish my birthday was once a month so i could have an excuse to throw this party all the fucking time.

i gotta say the money ain't bad either.