Beer Birthday Overkill: Jay Brooks

March 3, 2009

Today is my 50th birthday. Usually it’s me posting embarrassing photos of my friends on ther birthdays, so in a spirit of fair play, here are some less than flattering photos of yours truly culled from the last fifty years of my life.

Fresh from the oven, as a happy baby.

An early holiday putting out fires with Mom.

I’ve always liked this photograph of me and my Mom. I’m around four or five in the picture. I just discovered a 16 x 20 print of this photo behind another photo in a frame that was in my grandmother’s house. It has some sun damage but I’m hoping we may be able to have it repaired because it’s a great shot.

1963, out in front of my grandmother’s house.

This was taken just before reporting to Cape Canaveral for astronaut training. Unfortunately, I washed out in the first week. Apparently, you had to be an adult to go to the moon. Age discrimination, I say.

My alter ego, Superman.

Ah, Easter 1967. And I look like Frank Sinatra.

This was taken during the family expedition to the North Pole. I don’t know what the big deal was, we just got in the car and drove to upstate New York. No dog sled was needed. Heck, we didn’t even need long pants. Those first explorers who kept getting turned back must have been wussies.

My first visit to San Francisco was in 1969, when I was ten. Here I’m at the Chicken of the Sea display at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Looking suave in my turtleneck and sport jacket.

What is the deal with those curtains? My Mom had the sofa covered in the same ugly material.

Love the white tie, is that actually gingham my Mom’s skirt is made of? Did she think we lived on Little House on the Prairie?

Going to the winter dance. This was, believe it or not, my first serious girlfriend, Dawn.

With Mom and Dad at my going away party, before I went into the Army after high school. You can see one of the kegs in the background. We rented a grove and had a huge blowout kegger.

In college back in Pennsylvania after my tour of duty with the Army Band.

During a pilgrimage to the Good’s Potato Chip farm in Pennsylvania.

With the gang from Sarcasm Central, a house four of us rented in Sunnyvale. Clockwise from midnight: Me, Michelle, Keith and Kristine.

My favorite photograph of me and my good friend Keith, who now lives near London. This was taken after a friend’s wedding reception. Neither of us actually smoke.

The early days when I was just dating my future wife, Sarah. I’m not even sure when or where this was taken.

God, Sarah and I look young in this picture.

Did you know you shouldn’t use regular dishwashing soap in a dishwasher? Well, I didn’t and this was the result. Soap everywhere. My life had turned into a Lucy re-run.

I love this photograph from our engagement party. Not so much because I’m looking goofy, but because of the great “who-is-this-person” expression on Sarah’s face. It’s possible she was regretting saying “yes” to my marriage proposal in this moment. If so, she happily went through with it.

My favorite wedding photo of Sarah and me, in front of the copper brew kettle at the Tied House in San Jose, where we had our reception.

I’m only drinking one beer today. Join me?