Benner turns 26!

Oh, but time is a cruel mistress, for alas I, Benner, know the wicked 26th lash of the chronological whip! Woe is me, my age has surpassed what can rightfully be considered young, I am but an old man in waiting!

For shame! For shame!

Sorry. My 26th birthday was on May 24th, and I've had that lament pent up inside me for some time. But even though I have exited the first quarter of my life and am firmly implanted in the next, not all was bad about my birthday.

For instance, my beautiful and wonderful wife Rhianwen (who is still 25, blissfully living within quarter number one, what a whippersnapper!) organized and threw a spectacular celebration for me! She worked so hard to organize and plan the event, decorating everything just the way she knew I'd like it (like stringing up cartoon character Christmas lights, for instance) and even making sure that there would be deviled eggs for consumption (deviled eggs being one of my favorite foods).

Our good friends Greg and Dani Jong were kind enough to let Rhianwen throw the shindig in their backyard (and Dani made the deviled eggs!), where we BBQ'd, beer'd, bocce ball'd and badminton'd the night away with a handful of our closest friends here in LA. Don't believe me? Here's a slide show to prove it:



I'd like to take a moment to point out the magnificent cupcakes made for me by our dear friend Roxanne. Yes, those are Benner Bots. Yes, they are the greatest homemade cupcakes ever, in history. No, you cannot have any of your own. They're mine. Thanks, Roxanne!

All in all, it was pretty much up there with the best birthday parties I've ever had. I just want to point out to all you readers one more time that my lovely and beautiful wife is the one that made it happen for me. In fact, the best gift I got for my birthday was the love and adoration Rhianwen showered upon me for pretty much the entire week of my birthday.

And while we're at it, let's just share a story from my birthday week. Actually, my birthday day, when I was scheduled to work from 4pm to midnight. There I am, working the late shift at Trader Joe's, when suddenly a voice comes over the loudspeaker.

"MICHAEL BENNER, PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT OFFICE, NOW."

"Uh oh," I thought. "I think I'm getting detention."

When I get to the front of the store, who is standing there with a big homemade chocolate pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing? Rhianwen, that's who. She brought a cake and served it to me and all my co-workers at 11pm for my birthday. I felt so loved and special.

What a wonderfully blessed life I lead, that I get to call her wife! I guess the next 75 birthdays won't be too bad after all, as long as she's around.