It's My Birthday - But It's Not My Party, Or Is It?

Ciao a tutti,

It's my Birthday! In know, I know, I have to do something, I have to eat cake, I have to want presents,...

Okay, this is what I am taking about. I had a dear friend, Dorothy, call me, a month or so ago and ask me who I wanted invited to my Birthday party. I said, I wasn't having one, and she said, oh yes I was.

She said that a friend of her daughters was having a milestone birthday party himself on the 24th. Since he and Dorothy's daughter, Tricia, are friends, and he knew that her Birthday was on the 25th, he wanted to include her as well as another friend of his who's birthday was the 25th or something.

So, Dorothy was calling to tell me that they were including me as well in this bash that was going to be held at one of the new hottest nightclubs/outdoor lounges in Marina Del Rey, since it was going to be held two days before my birthday, the 26th. Actually, this was going to be held at "Glow," rated one of the top ten lounges in the whole US.

This is what I told her. I thank you for thinking of me and wanting to celebrate me on, and because of my birthday. But I feel that everyday is like my birthday. Everyday I get to have people call me or write me or E-mail me and tell me how much they like my music, my website, my blog, my show, or whatever, that's like people calling on your Birthday.

Everyday I have people helping me with my business and they give their heart and soul to it. That's like a huge Birthday gift. Whenever I am on stage singing, speaking, doing a show, whatever, when the audience is appreciating it and giving me a standing ovation or clapping after each song, or laughing at my stories, that's like a big party for me.

And I truly feel that way. I like my Birthday, I told her, don't get me wrong, and I would enjoy it being celebrated or celebrating it with my friends. But I said, since Tricia, and the other two people don't get to have what I have or at least don't seem to feel about their lives' what I feel about mine, why have them share it with me, let them have it all to themselves, and I will come and honor and celebrate them.

She said, that she thought what I had just said was wonderful and that it was one of the reasons why she loved me. And we left it at that. I assumed that was a done deal, until I got the invitation and it said, "A Birthday Party for ... and Filippo Voltaggio."

I had to laugh and enjoy the moment. Now the best part was when I got to "Glow" there was a line and a list, and not everyone could get in evidently, "my party" was that popular. I went to the front of the line and said who I was and they didn't find my name on the list, a slight oversight on the party planners part. In short, I was told I couldn't get in.

Now all of a sudden I really wanted to get in and I said, "but, but, I'm the Birthday boy!" And then I laughed at how funny that sounded. In fact I tried to sound funny. Then I remembered the invitation with my name on it.

Boy, did I luck out, "here I said, that is me!" I showed them my ID as well and then we all laughed as they let me in. I laughed the hardest because if Dorothy hadn't put my name on the that invite I guess I would have missed my own Birthday party, or theirs rather.

So, Happy Birthday everyone, especially Tricia, who is the one on my lap that I am holding. These are the only pictures we ended up taking the whole night. I guess we were having way too much fun for any more.

By the way, Happy Birthday in Italian is "Buon Compleanno."

Filippo

P.S. Here is a video I found on Youtube.com of an adorable child singing the Happy Birthday song in Italian. The words are "Tanti auguri a te, tanti auguri a te, tanti auguri caro (add male name) or cara (add female name), tanti auguri a te." The video is a bit sideways but adorable nonetheless. (In Italian)