Today is my 52nd birthday, and I’ve again been overwhelmed by an embarrassment of riches from well-wishers sending me notes via e-mail, Twitter and Facebook. My sincere thanks to one and all. As it’s usually me posting embarrassing photos of my friends and colleagues, for the third year in a row, here’s some howlers of me from over the years.
This hilarious photo we discovered literally yesterday in the bottom of a box of wrapping paper while my wife and the kids were wrapping my birthday gifts. I’m not entirely certain, but I believe this is from the 5th grade, when I would have been around 11, in 1970. Porter took one look at it and declared my haircut made me look just like Justin Bieber. He meant it as a compliment, but that’s not how I took it, of course. And how about that bow tie?
Another classic Easter photo. The girl is actually my aunt, by marriage, despite being a year younger than me. She was my stepfather’s little sister.
My 10th grade Winter dance. I know I should know her name, but damned if I can remember it. I recall her last name, but not her first. What is wrong with me?
Attending a wedding with my new girlfriend Sarah when she was a friend’s bridesmaid just a few weeks after we started dating, and a few years before we married.
At Woodstock ’94 with my friend Keith, who now lives near Greenwich, England.
There’s many more where these came from, for a good laugh just check out the photos from the last two years at Beer Birthday: J (Yes, Embarrasing Myself This Time) from last year and Beer Birthday Overkill, from 2009, when I posted a bunch encompassing my first 50 years on planet beer. Oh, and thanks once again for all the birthday wishes.
Jay: Great photos! Hoppy birthday, amigo. Keep on keepin’ on. The beer world is the better for all your efforts.
Cheers, Tom
That Bieber photo is the bomb. Happy birthday, babe! (It is “babe,” isn’t it?)
All my love,
Mrs. J
Happy Birfday, Mang.
you would be a fishy
HAPPY BORNDAY!
Happy Birthday, my Novato neighbor. I think all of us of a certain age had Justin Bieber haircuts at one point, proving that nothing is original anymore.
Ohmygoodness, the shot of you in the fedora with your aunt is priceless!
Happy birthday, my friend. You deserve this embarrassment of riches.
Happy Birthday! Thanks for all dedication and the common sense outlooks on issues within the industry. This has truly become my absolute favorite beer blog and look forward to reading it every day.
Happy bday Jay! Great seeing you at SF Beer Week, thanks for all the work you do for it! Love reading your column in the Merc. Keep on drinking good beers, maybe even one of Harry’s!
Cheers!
That Calvin shirt from Woodstock is fantastic!
Jay:
Happy Birthday!
Please keep up the great work! I look forward to getting your beer bulletin every day. I particularly enjoy your beer in ads feature.
Cheers
JD
Hau’oli la hanau!
See ya in a couple weeks Jay!
Glad to see you finally dumped the bow tie! Keep the groove goin’!!
Jay, I love the photos and a belated but sincere happy b-day to one helluva guy!
From one “fish” to another (I’m 2 weex to the day short of being 10 yrs your senior): Belated best wishes for another great year of brew info!
Your son hit it w/the comment about you being a Bieber look-alike, &, were I in your shoes, would also consider it an insult! You’re far more talented than that teeny-bopper idol! As for your 10th-grade dance partner whose 1st name you’ve forgotten: You’ll get a tweet or something if ever she sees your post, but my guess is that she’s not into beer, so you probably don’t have to worry about being dissed to the massses 🙂
If you can make it to the San Andreas Malts’ Oyster BBQ in April (Sat 23rd because Easter hit our normal last Sunday & my grllmate “Pesto Chuck the Czech” has family commitments that day), I’ll cover your admission. If you plan to attend, e-mail me privately, & I’ll give you the details I can’t post here -MJK