ROCK ON!

‘A man was tested sometimes, and the true test of a man was whether he could get off the floor and still be a champion.’
-Darcy O’Brien, A WAY OF LIFE, LIKE ANY OTHER

May 26, 1989I received some meaningful Birthday cards.  The one from Dale Orlando of a man in his sexy swim trunks was most-inspiring.  I wanted ‘to be’ and resemble the model on the card.  He is now living in Hollywood, Florida and I promised to visit him in early July 1989.   I know he’ll make it fun.   His humorous side alone will make it a hoot.

Dale said, “He does look like you.   That’s why I picked it.”"Yeah, right,” I laughed

Inside the card it was imprinted “THERE!  Just for a minute, didn’t you forget all about having a birthday?  (Hope it’s happy!), Dale wrote his own personal words as well: 

Happy Birthday.  I hope you can be with someone like him on your 30th birthday.  WOW…30 years old.   I just can’t believe that you’re going to be 30.   You are no spring chicken anymore.   You are now troll status.

I am looking forward to your visit here in Florida.    Have fun in Hawaii and have a Happy Birthday.   Remember I like macadamia nuts.   This card should keep you for at least six months.  Love, DaleMichael Miller also sent a most amusing Happy 18th Birthday Card.   I liked that.  Ha-ha

Michael G Miller wrote:

Happy Birthday 1989.   You finally made it to your third decade in life.   How do you feel?   Any different?   I hope you like this card.  I figured that you could be 18 with 12 years of experience.   That way you can be my age, although this card was for an eighteenth birthday.  I hope you enjoy your birthday and every day of your 30th.   I’m over in Sacramento doing some work over at CSUS for AT&T, of course.   I’m staying at the RED LION also and it’s OK.   I guess I won’t see you for your big Birthday.   I was in Chico last week and I really enjoyed myself up there.   It’s a very nice town.   The Sacramento River and a few creeks run through town and there are many shaded trees there.   How was Hawaii?   I bet you had a lot of fun.   You must have.  You keep looking going back.   At least this time you had your expenses paid.   I wanted to go to the Islands, too but this travel work trip came up.   I wanted to see what it was like.   I thought of it as a partial vacation.  Work and then relax.  Chico was that way, but Sacramento is a lot busier.   It seems to have gotten a little more congested than in 1987.   I’ll be back on Monday night.   I’m going up to Oroville on Friday.   I’ll give you a call when I get back.  
It’s hard to write without a hard surface.   Happy Birthday Again 5/26/89.   Take Care, Your Friend, Michael Miller

Of course, my Grandma always sends me a Birthday Card every year and includes a crisp twenty-dollar bill.   Grandma wrote:

Dear Grandson, …Hoping you have a nice Birthday and many more.   God Bless you…and he will take care of you wherever you are.  Love, Grandma Lucero

Paloma wins the award for sending me three or four Birthday Cards.  In this most recent one she wrote the following:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Some of us don’t forget others’ Birthdays!   This card is NOT very pretty or original but I was in a hurry to find one.   (…but at least it’s a Birthday Card!  Better ugly than never!)

Yesterday, I went to Ales (Languedoc-Roussillon region of France) to see my friend, COCO (remember her?) at the hospital.   She just had a baby girl (GIULIA).   She already has a boy, 14 months old, called ENZO.   I also saw Regi and Zon Zon (the proud daddy).   
PHOTO:  REGI, COCO, PALOMA, ZON-ZON, 1985
Regi is also expecting another baby (his wife at least!).   We talked about you.   Did we go to Coco and Zonzon’s house in Vaucresson?  Do you remember that?  Well, I have to send this letter fast now so that you get it for the 26th.  Miss You, Love, Paloma
I WISH YOU A VERY VERY VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  Alexandre and Jonathan, too.  PHOTO: 1985,Paris - REGI, COCO, 'me',  ZONZON

My Birthday wouldn’t be complete without a very funny card from Mitch Schwartz who accompanied me to my business award function in Hawaii earlier this month.   Mitch also had Louise Long (a wonderful co-worker that I miss) write in the card.   She taped a penny in the card and wrote:
Hi Michael, Thanks for the card from HAWAII, telling me about the trip that I did not win (Ha-ha).   I know you have no money after such a trip, so I am giving you some money (don’t leave it in one place).  LOU(…and that’s why she taped the single penny onto the card).

Mitch wrote:
Dear Mike,

Have a great B-Day you OLD MAN.   Hawaii was a fantasy come true THNX 2 You.   Love ya, Mitch
He included a yellow post-it with the written words WHO SENT ME THIS STREET ADRESS GUIDE?   I found this hysterical and he knew I would.   This is because it’s very competitive in my current office at the SMART RESOURCE CENTER to sell street address guide directories.   There are some grifter employees who have consults with customers and simply include a Street Address Guide when the customer didn’t request to purchase it.   And so, the gorilla statement is typical of customers one month later who see the charge on their bill and question it.  My dear bike-riding pal, Birda also sent me a funny card.   The cover of the card was imprinted IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY and inside was written ‘GO GET SHIT-FACED!’.   Ugh….The cover photo said it all. 

Birda wrote:
I couldn’t find a card with a BIKE on it.   This sounded like the next best thing.  Have a good one…whatever you do.  B.B.

May 27, 1989 I had to work on my Birthday (Friday, May 26th) in Walnut Creek.   There wasn’t much attention made in my new office about my special day.   I didn’t feel bad because I had a great Birthday weekend planned.   I started early on Saturday morning, May 27th, with a visit to mom’s house. 

My weekend would continue with a planned visit to the Santa Cruz area with 'Jim from the Gym' and Chris.  I was looking forward to that the new beach escape.

Mom and I went to breakfast at OLE’S WAFFLE SHOP together, and then we went to the Alameda Flea Market.   While roaming the aisle ways we came across a group of porcelain dolls.  
“This is definitely your station, Mom,” I laughed and took a photo of her next to the dolls for sale.

The next part of the afternoon included an outing with mom, John, Sherri, and the girls (Ashley and Holly) to the ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIR at the Pleasanton Fairgrounds.   I had my share of fun by just taking photos of John and Sherri on the merry-go-round (of LIFE).   The kids were happy and it made for a fun family outing for my Birthday weekend.

During the latter part of the evening I was invited to San Ramon.  Christine Hicks and Jim from the Gym were doing a BBQ.   I couldn’t turn that down.   They’re both too much FUN to be with.Its clear Cwissy is HOH (Head Over Heels) over Jim.   I wonder how long this will last.   Or when will the wedding bells chime?   Jim has such Frank Sinatra blue-eyes.   She must love looking into them.

I said, “Jim, it’s gonna be great in CAPITOLA tomorrow.   We’ve got to BEACH IT!”
“Yeah…we’ve got to BEACH it!”

Jim cracks me up when he enunciates certain phrases.   It’s always a comedy of excess laughter whenever I’m with Jim or Cwissy.  

 





I found an iridescent postcard of an interstellar scene of an astronaut exploring another orbit.   It is how feel at times.   I have that yearning to explore and find what no one has yet found.  I found this to be a perfect, unique postcard to send to Paloma earlier today .   I wrote:

May 27, 1989 Dear Paloma,
Thanks for the sweet Birthday Card.  Yikes!  I’m 30 years old.   Oh well…

UNITED AIRLINES never called me.  I have not applied for any other airline.   I want to wait n’ see.  Yes, I want to learn FRENCH!   That would be fun.   How do you like this card?  It’s hard to TOP your cards.  I’m going to have to look for the perfect housewarming gift for your new pad.   Did you get my cassette tape of new songs?   By now I’m sure.  I’m tan again.  Miss Ya,  Love, Michael
May 28, 1989
We made it to the Santa Cruz beach territories.  We found out way to the Capitola Village area and the MARGARITAVILLE there.  

I was excited about our pitcher of Margarita and my intention was to feel that ‘30’ buzz.   I certainly did.   This day proved—yet again—that if you really want to have a great time you will.   It’s all part of one’s mind set.  I was with great company (Jim and Chris).   We were hysterically laughing over silliness.  It was one unforgettable afternoon. It really turned out okay that Kelly (Cwissy’s pal) wasn’t with me.   It was clearly over between us and my 30thBirthday made for a unique friendship that proves solid between me, Jim and Chris.   The music was cool, the beach was great and we have more fun-filled memories ahead.
“ROCK On,”  Jim said.
That was one of the hot new songs of the day, ROCK ON by Michael Damian:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2v-DMpgO7o 
I agreed, "Yeah, ROCK ON!"

The Capitola Village was crowded on this Memorial Day Weekend.   There were a lot of pretty faces and bodies to look at, too.   I really liked this small beach town.  I could see myself living in a setting just like this someday.  It has such quality charm.   It’s in Santa Cruz County and is on the coast of Monterey Bay (a lovely area).

I wrote another postcard the following day(May 28th) as I’d forgot to mention my new escape to Florida and my 30th Birthday escape to Santa Cruz (our old beach stomping grounds).

May 28, 1989 Dear Paloma,
How’s this for an original postcard?   I’m flying to FLORIDA on July 1 and returning July 9th.   I’ve never been there.   I can’t wait.   I need to get in-shape and stop thinking of the Bavarian Cream éclairs that are in my mom’s refrigerator.  

It can be about $400 roundtrip from San Francisco to Hawaii if you get a good package deal.   If/When you go let me know, so we can cross paths!   And remember that you, Alexandre, Jonathan always have a place to stay in the Bay Area!   

Well, I’m going to go bike ride for a while.
I went to Santa Cruz-Capitola Yesterday.  Your name came up.  Do remember our railroad track poses in Santa Cruz? 
Love, Michael

“I believe there is something IN ME that is still waiting to be found.”
-Rudolf Nureyev, Ballet Dancer, Choreographer