Everybody:
Even after a day of reflection, I'm still entirely overwhelmed by the events of this weekend. I keep attempting to express how grateful in words....but just end up crying like a baby. I'm not sure what I did in my life that led God to bless me with such unbelievably loving family and friends, but I do know I owe him a lifetime of gratitude. So I take this moment to stop and say THANK YOU for giving me not only the greatest birthday, but possibly the most surreal and amazing day of my life....in my wildest dreams it could not have been better. I love all of you more than I can possibly express. (And Marlena, I know you were the angel behind the curtain...I'm incredibly honored and incredibly proud of you) But enough of all this mushy stuff, lets talk about my Surprise 30th Birthday Weekend.

STRANGE FACTS:
1. The name of the restaurant is Bucco di Bepe (didn't he play bocce under the 38th St. el?)
2. I was asked to chauffer my parents to Orlando for a dinner engagement with some old friends from Packers (?)...and I found this entirely reasonable.
3. Even worse, after arriving I agreed to enter the restaurant to meet these people.
4. A hundred people yelled "Surprise"...and I felt downright awful to have walked in at the same time as someone's surprise party. Luckily, Marlena was seated up front and I stared down at her confused she clarified "This is for YOU".
5. Parties have a funny way of forming unusual combinations. I scanned the room and saw Josh Farnsworth chatting with Justinian and Lori Lynn Dingers. Nearby, was a conversation betweem Julie Kesselman, Joe Nebraska, Kristie Massari and Darrel Waite....I wish those conversations were taped.
6. There was a few very large and vey disturbing pictures hanging around the place. One in particular showed me, Mark and Chris at the prom...it prompted my Uncle Joe to suggest I slide it into the pizza oven in the nearby kitchen and turn it on high.
7. Indeed when the food came out Joe Fatone Sr. hosted a new gameshow called "Veal or No Veal!"
8. I wonder if Pope Benedict felt any strage vibes this weekend? First, Bucco di Bepe has its own Pope themed room (complete with pope throne and lazy susan with John Paul 2's head in a glass cube) and then I received a book on how to dress for every occasion..by the Pope. The book is superb, by the way.
9. By the time I was opening presents the number of vodka and diet cokes had begun make things a little fuzzy...but I distinctly remember my cake had the Statue of Liberty and the Italian Flag. The cake was chocolate espresso....thats downright magical.
10. I received so many new tee-shirts, I can't remember them all, but I know I got one from Joe-maha and Ellie that says Nebraska Beef..."Beat Your Meat". Its good when people really know you. By the way, Kristie made me a clay sculpture of Mr. Feng that I would choose over Michelangelo's Pieta.
11. The after-party at Antigua was so wild they had to widen OKEE-CHOBEE Blvd. Well not really, but it was drenched in alcohol and 80s music. Broadway Joe got access to the house microphone and sang along to everything from Bon Jovi to Stevie B. He also invited clubgoers to give me 30 birthday punches.
12. I entered the club wearing a full size birthday hat...similar to the one Beepo the Clown wears. People were jealous.
13. Ree and Stefanuch hopped up on the main stage and danced before the entire club. Behind the stage is a large aquarium. Unbeknownst to Ree,there was a man was photographing her derrier through the aquarium. Bazzukajoe observed,and then announced "we'll be seeing that picture next week on http://www.fish-ass.com/"
14. Kelly Fatone attended the after-party wearing a pishy-mask. She was in amazing spirits, almost euphoric. Im just not sure if it was the alcohol..or the pishy-mask.
15. NBC cancelled Will and Grace, but My Name Is Earl and The Steve and Molly Show did get picked up for next season.
16. The next day everyone showed up at Marlena for a typical Mastandrea barbecue (or was it a Vyskrebentsev?) complete with burgers, franks...eggplant parmigiana, sausage and peppers and a very, very excited immigrant who repeatedly joined us for pictures and kissing a frightened Kristie Massari.
17. There was a small boy who spent 12 hours in a Superman bathing suit that rode entirely too far up his ass...I'm quite certain that later that day he developed a serious super-rash between his super-cheeks.
18. I learned Aleksey owns some very unusual sleepwear....and by unusual I mean quite small.
19. I finally became the proud owner of an IPOD...it prompted me to ask Steve Fatone, does this play 45s? I still own Captain and Tenille's "Lonely Nights" and Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time" . God, I really am freaking old.