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50,000 Monkeys at 50,000 Typewriters Can't Be Wrong

Supplies!

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I turn 30 in one week. Almost to the minute, actually. I think I was born sometime around 12:30 in the afternoon. My great aunt used to tell me that being born close to noon was a good thing…so I got that going for me, which is nice.
Lots of people have emailed wondering what’s going on, because my posts here have been less frequent, so I’ll address that for a minute: It’s summer. It’s warm and beautiful outside, and I’ve been spending less and less time in front of the computer. This is quite the opposite of a year ago, when I was sitting here for 5 hours a day, working on the site, updating the weblog and answering emails…I guess my priorities have been reassigned, because there is really nothing in the world more important to me than hanging out with my wife these days.
Speaking of my birthday and my insanely cool wife, she had a HUGE surprise party for me on Friday night! She got all of my friends in on it, even convinced my family to come out, and totally surprised me. 100%. It was really cool.
See, she’d told me that our friend Burns was going to see James Brown, and he had an extra ticket, so he was going to take her. This left me without anything to do on Friday night, so my friend Stephanie (who introduced me to Anne) and I decided that we’d go do something, and that something ended up being going to see Save Ferris at the OC Fair.
I was all excited to leave early, get to the fair in the afternoon, and eat numerous types of food (all on-a-stick of course), ride the dangerous carnical rides (staffed by creepy dudes on work release of course), and learn many exciting facts about Emus and Ostriches (sitting in a pen right next to a stand selling Ostrich and Emu burgers…on a stick of course).
Trouble was, Stephanie told me, she couldn’t leave until almost 7PM, because she was doing something really important (turns out it was setting up for my party). So I waited…played with Ferris, played Tony Hawk 3 (opened up the Cruise Ship level!) and ate some Chick-Nuggets, lamenting the fact that they were not on a stick.
Well, 7PM finally arrives, and Stephanie isn’t at my house. 7:30 comes and goes, and she’s still not there. Now I’m beginning to get anxious, because SF goes on at 8:30. Monique put us on the guest list, and I think it’s extra rude to show up late when you’re on the list.
It’s 7:45 when Steph finally shows up. I run to her car, jump in, and tell her that we may need to push the speed limt just a bit so we get there on time…and she tells me that she needs to drop off an envelope at this guy’s work for a friend of hers. She tells me that it’s right off the freeway, so it should only take 1 minute.
So I tell her that I’m going to count once we get off the freeway…which I do. I’m approaching “50” when we pull into the parking lot. Stephanie tells me, “Run this envelope in, and give it to Terry. He should be right inside the door.”
I hop out of the car, run up the stairs, and say, “I’m looking for Terry!”
Turns out there’s not a Terry there, but my wife, parents, and most of my friends are, and they all yell, “SURPRISE!!!”
I was totally stunned. It was the last thing in the world I expected, and we went on to have an insanely fun night at this place. There were batting cages, lazer tag, basketball courts, video games…funny that we had a party for my 30th birthday at a place I would have loved when I was 12. This fact really sums up who I am. 🙂
The party was awesome. I played nearly an hour of lazer tag, learned that even though I’m left-handed, I bat much better from the right, and ate way too much cake.
The best part, though, was the feeling I had when I stopped to think for a second about how hard it is to pull off a surprise party. I know how hard it is, and it really made me feel loved by my wife and friends, because the pulled it off flawlessly.
Saturday was spent doing a bunch of nothing, and yesterday Anne and I took Ferris to the Dog Beach in Orange County. If you live with an hour of this place and you have a dog, you just gotta go. It was really, really fun.
One last word on updates, and the frequency of them: I’m writing this from work, because my computer at home completely blew up this morning. Smoke and everything. So until I replace it, we may all have to spend even more time outdoors…which isn’t such a bad thing, really. 🙂

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22 July, 2002 Wil

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147 thoughts on “Supplies!”

  1. Ron says:
    22 July, 2002 at 6:56 pm

    Happy Birthday, Wil
    So uhm…. you missed Save Ferris… :/
    Yeah, I know that’s not a big deal compared to the party… I guess… but it stuck in my mind throughout the story. 😛

  2. MissKittyFantastico says:
    22 July, 2002 at 7:10 pm

    Whoa.. totally forgot Uncle Willie’s Bday and mine are only 2 days a part… (27th and 29th)
    It seems I forgot soo much at 14 years of age (whole school years even).
    Which *cringe* will be a decade ago this Saturday.
    Happy Birthday!

  3. John says:
    22 July, 2002 at 7:18 pm

    Hi Wil,
    I remember with quiet, glowing joy those summers of my youth, when we got an almost three month vacation. Now we complain when you take a few days to enjoy the same type of beautiful summer. It must be because we enjoy and love your words and cannot get enough of them. But, please, enjoy your summer and your family, talk to us once in a while and have a happy birthday.
    John

  4. Dee says:
    22 July, 2002 at 7:35 pm

    My brother always said “Left handed people are in their right mind!” Have a great birthday, hopefully outside.

  5. Fred Fowler says:
    22 July, 2002 at 7:56 pm

    Any giant dead squid on the Dog Beach? Little dead squid? Grunion? 36-24-36 w/Borzoi?

  6. brian hunt says:
    22 July, 2002 at 8:09 pm

    Geeze you have a life that dosn’t include us???? ha,ha. honestly happy birthday and good luck in the next year

  7. terry says:
    22 July, 2002 at 8:12 pm

    Wil I hope you have a great birthday, and I’m glad the party went well.

  8. galestorm says:
    22 July, 2002 at 8:16 pm

    Happy-Happy Birthday, Wil!
    Wow, that must’ve been an awesome par-tay. Kudos to Anne & The Gang. :]
    And enjoy that fresh air!

  9. Shelley says:
    22 July, 2002 at 8:53 pm

    Hey, happy birthday! It sounds like you have a really cool wife!

  10. duchess says:
    22 July, 2002 at 8:56 pm

    Happy birdle turdle toodle yoodle doodle
    Happy birdle turdle toodle yoodle doodle
    Happy birdle turdle
    Dear Will on-a-stick
    Happy birdle turdle toodle yoodle doodle
    …and mannnnyyyy mooooore…
    Glad to hear you had a cool surprise fete – enjoy being thirty, the 30s are a very interesting time! But I have to ask, was Monique mad about you standing her up on the guest list?

  11. duchess says:
    22 July, 2002 at 8:57 pm

    Oh my God so sorry I spelled your name with the extra “l”. Where is my mind?

  12. Foxxy Cleopatra says:
    22 July, 2002 at 9:06 pm

    30! wow wil i can hardly believe it! Gordie Lachance is all grown up!

  13. Lauren says:
    22 July, 2002 at 9:09 pm

    hey, this is the first time i ever came here to this site, my friend gave me the link to this article specifically. cause he thought it was interesting that we have the same birthday, i think it is too. :^) i think i’ll be coming back more often.

  14. Maureen O'Conner says:
    22 July, 2002 at 9:09 pm

    someone posted a while ago that a Goonie’s to is due to come out in 2003 with Corey Feldman and Samantha Mathis, are you sure about this?

  15. BURNS! says:
    22 July, 2002 at 9:11 pm

    It was a great party. That wife of yours sure knows how to throw a surprise. I’m just saying that as much fun as the LazerTag was, maybe we *all* should’ve gone to see James Brown. Or Save Ferris. Or, wouldn’t it be great if Save Ferris opened for James Brown? Now that’d be a show.
    You may have been born near noon, but on my death bed I will receive total enlightenment. So I got that going for me.

  16. The Silent Strider says:
    22 July, 2002 at 9:19 pm

    Happy Birfday, Wil 🙂 Does this mean Picard is too old to command the Enterprise and Wesley can take over? *gods, I watch too much ST:TNG* And you know what they say about left handed people — serious psychic talent or potential. Not to sound critical, but you should try meditation or something on that level as a new challenge. Who knows, maybe you’ll become a spirit “Traveller” (Get it? *ducks* That Traveller character was so cool)
    … and remember, in T-minus ten years, you too can have a midlife crisis!

  17. ezzvaldez says:
    22 July, 2002 at 9:31 pm

    Happy Birthday Wil!
    Apparently, people noticed UHF references, but am I the only person who noticed the Caddyshack quote?
    “So I got that going for me, which is nice.”
    The Dalai…Lama…himself. I, too, will receive total consciousness.

  18. jbay says:
    22 July, 2002 at 9:48 pm

    also the phrase “I’m looking for Terry” was featured several times in a Chuck DeBus movie.

  19. Angelwwolf says:
    22 July, 2002 at 9:54 pm

    Wait! I just realized…Wil, whatever happened during you Alaskan Trekcruise? Did people watch Mr Stitch? Did they like it? How was it?
    Now that those questions have been asked…I’m glad you had such a great birthday party. We’ll want to see photos of your shocked face when you walked in. 🙂

  20. Trent says:
    22 July, 2002 at 10:00 pm

    No way! My birthday is on the same day as Wil’s. Weirder still, I was born at about the same time. Of course I was born in a completely different year, (1981) when Prince Charles and Princess Diana got married. Neat website though, Wil. Longtime reader, just found out your birthday is the same as mine.

  21. Wade says:
    22 July, 2002 at 10:40 pm

    LEFT handed…. ROFL, how appropriate!!

  22. isabel says:
    22 July, 2002 at 11:37 pm

    of course we noticed the caddyshack reference… great line.
    anyway. i am going on vacation and will have no computer access for the next two weeks, so the following is really coming to you from a week into the future: happy birthday…
    though… 30… scary.

  23. Eyeno says:
    23 July, 2002 at 12:43 am

    Wow, Wil Wheaton at 30! I think that’s when my life started to completely fall apart.
    Just kidding…I think it’s great you had a fun surprise B-Day bash!
    Don’t blame ya for enjoying the great outdoors too. It’s important to enjoy real life every once in awhile. The CA weather has been incredibly beautiful lately!!!
    Doncha love fairs? I finally got to see my all time favorite Rocker Chick growing up Pat Benatar. Damn, can that woman still rock!

  24. wade art says:
    23 July, 2002 at 1:03 am

    Wil!
    7/29/1972 was a saturday…(excel date 26509)
    and this 7/29/2002 you will be
    10,957 days old!
    but I’m sure you don’t feel a day over
    10,000
    the BIG 30! I turn the BIG 40,
    Wednesday 7/24
    also, in checking your bio, I find that my brother
    works for a guy named “Prince” what a small world.
    what’s going on the auction block to get that new
    PC? what does Wil have thats worth that much? and
    that one of his fans would lay out the big bucks
    for????
    enjoy your birthday Wil, I’m going to Dennys for mine! 🙂

  25. tye says:
    23 July, 2002 at 2:01 am

    mmmmmmm dennys…………slobber slobber drool drool………..

  26. Helen says:
    23 July, 2002 at 2:05 am

    Damn,
    Weird Al is going to be at the OC Fair! And I’m missing it!
    Rats.
    Just in case I don’t get a chance, Wil…
    Have a great birthday!

  27. Jay Miles says:
    23 July, 2002 at 2:48 am

    But dude, did you get to see Save Ferris? I mean, happy birthday and all. But seriously, if Monique guest-listed my pasty white ass…man, wild horses and floods of locusts wouldn’t keep me from that show.
    Of course I live on the East Coast, and the last ska band that played Philadelphia was….Um…Well…I was like 20 the last time there was an honest-to-god ska show in Philly. So it’s been a couple of years.
    I’m going back to listening to Good Riddance. East Coast Punk still owns you.

  28. Alan says:
    23 July, 2002 at 3:44 am

    Look, mate, stop apologising!
    You’ve got a life, and it’s cool, so enjoy it – we’ll just sit here, refreshing your page, until something new comes up.

  29. d. burr says:
    23 July, 2002 at 4:52 am

    wil: so you’re turning thirty…it’s really not so bad…and besides that’s only 22 in t.v. years!…d.burr

  30. Alicia says:
    23 July, 2002 at 5:12 am

    Happy Birthday, Wil! 🙂 I turned 30 on May 7th, and I totally dreaded it. This weekend, I joined a gym, and filling out the application was the first time I actually had to write my age down. It was so sad… Anyway, Wil, I hope you’re not upset about turning 30. As long as your life is going well, you’re healthy, you have a great person to love, and who loves you, and you’re doing what you want with your career, then you have nothing to worry about. Age really is just a number, but it’s the number that reminds you of the passage of time. In my own life, I have the best husband in the world, I quite like my house (it’s not huge but we’ve worked a lot on it, so it’s nice), I have a great family… but, I work too much and my band isn’t exactly where I’d like it to be, so 30 was a bit hard for me. Hey, wanna make me happy? Support my band! 😉 Actually, I would love it if everyone- that means you, too, Wil!- would stop by our website: http://www.thewagband.com. It would just make my day! 🙂 Once again, Wil, have a wonderful birthday. I had a surprise party, too- aren’t they fun?
    Love, Alicia
    http://www.thewagband.com

  31. danceaddict says:
    23 July, 2002 at 5:19 am

    Dear will,
    birthday sentiment, outrageous comic remark, cheezy grin, excessive projection of future happiness, swirly card writing and o’s and x’s at the bottom.
    In otherwords.
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

  32. Nyarl says:
    23 July, 2002 at 5:38 am

    Hey Wil, you share a 30th birthday this year with Pioneer 10. Cool! It is still functioning too!
    Enjoy, it only comes once.
    30 is young, so young. I wish I could look forward to turning 30 agian. Ah well, you are only as old as you feel, so that makes me 18.
    Get an Athlon XP and a GeForce4. Can’t go wrong.
    The best is yet to come, really.

  33. Jason says:
    23 July, 2002 at 7:54 am

    Wil,
    Enjoy the big 3-0 – I know I did:
    http://www.jasonbock.net/turning30.html
    Drinking good German beer with family and friends is the best way to do it 🙂
    Regards,
    Jason

  34. t says:
    23 July, 2002 at 8:13 am

    Happy Birthday to Wil. I knew you were twisted, but I never knew you were sinister. I don’t know if you golf, but if you do, you might find you golf better from a right-handed position too.
    Way up near the top of comments, someone asked wil if he’s good at math because he’s a lefty. I think you have to go deep into the archives, but somewhere in there you will find the answer is a resounding “NO!”. It’s way back there, when he’s talking about going to college and his SAT scores suggesting that his English skills were excellent, but his math skills were bordering on worrisome. Anyway, you know, we can’t all be geniuses. Or Geniui? or Genesis?
    My dad is a lefty and couldn’t get through algebra, my son is a lefty and taking geometry in 6th grade honors math. Rather than saying that lefties are better with math, it is more true to say that many mathematically gifted people are left handed.

  35. jw says:
    23 July, 2002 at 8:25 am

    Dammit, you ARE younger than me.
    I’ve been 30 for a month and a half now, and I think I can assure you that you have nothing to fear.
    Just be prepared to take a few more naps…
    jw

  36. Mememe says:
    23 July, 2002 at 9:09 am

    I hate to break it to you, but your great aunt was wrong. You see, you are born in the year of the horse, and at about noon, horses are hard at work in the field. What this means for you is that you’re most likely going to have to work hard and toil for most of your life. The best time to be born for a horse is right before or at sunrise, this is the time that most work horses get fed, and that signifies that no matter what happens you will never go hungry. (Funny flash of that scence in Gone with the Wind being played by a horse…”With God as my witness…nay…I will never go hungry again.”

  37. Janis says:
    23 July, 2002 at 9:36 am

    You’re a lefty! I always knew there was a reason I liked you. 🙂
    And he’s not a horse — 1966 is horse, not 1972. Ask me how I know, said the 36-year old woman …

  38. kazfeist says:
    23 July, 2002 at 10:54 am

    Re: the computer meltdown: Check out Overstock.com, Wil. (No, I don’t work for them!) I got a great deal on a refurbished laptop for my husband for an anniversary present. They have manufacturer’s overstocks. For the price, you can always upgrade later. Just a thought!

  39. Ahud says:
    23 July, 2002 at 11:26 am

    Wil:
    So glad you could party with all your family and friends and start the week of birthday celebration out right! Of course all I’m gonna be thinking of on 7/29 is that I’ll be turning 40 on 8/29. Don’t believe them when they say it’s all downhill, ’cause it’s not. Like you said, you can still enjoy feeling like a 12-year-old. . . .it is all in how old you feel.
    May I suggest Tiger Direct as another place to look for refurbished ‘puters. They actually have some pretty good stuff.
    You RAWK my brother! Keep on setting the pace for us other monkeys. Happy B-day in advance. . .may at least one of your wishes come true this week.
    David/Ahud

  40. Sunny says:
    23 July, 2002 at 11:43 am

    Happy Birthday Wil! It’s good to know that there are lefties out there in the world of acting. By the way I never thought you or Wesley were geeks. Happy Birthday again.
    Best of luck,
    Sunny

  41. Eric says:
    23 July, 2002 at 12:51 pm

    Turning 30, eh?
    Renew! Renew!
    30s (so far) isn’t bad at all. Less awkward than the 20s were, less bald than the 40s are going to be…

  42. blake says:
    23 July, 2002 at 1:20 pm

    i have been dropping in from time to time to see what’s up with wil wheaton this week…your awesome sounding surprise party sounds great and it sounds like you have a wonderful wife and kids, they do cool things for you…etc…etc…but, uh, fans like pictures dude. you couldn’t click your little “upload file” button in movabletype and squeeze in a pic of you enjoying said festivities? i don’t have the sheer luck of living in such a fabulous place as hollywood is, big man, so i don’t have the pleasure of seeing your mug up on stage in real-live-person.
    i refuse to purchase little carboard “wesley crusher” board game peices to be a little closer to your star, my friend, but i love your blog stuff. so i would never presume to demand pictures from a cheap camera that i am sure you can now afford with your legions of newly-aquainted fans and your riding of the new “wave of poularity” that these said legions of internet fans have abundantly bestowed upon you.
    never would i. you bare your soul but not your face, personaly, i don’t get it. as a fan of your work, i just want to say…
    your blog lacks photos of your everyday life. it would have been the perfect touch for the surprise party post. it was such a good story.
    you still rock, though.
    thank you for your time.

  43. Jenn says:
    23 July, 2002 at 1:23 pm

    30? My god I feel old now, I remember having the biggest thing for Mr. Crusher when i was ’bout 12 and he didn’t seem all that unatainable then so obviously this means I am an old fart now as well. 😛 Of course I also had a huge crush on Picard and didn’t see him as unatainable either so maybe I’m just warped and still have my youth.

  44. Chris L says:
    23 July, 2002 at 1:57 pm

    I agree. You should take complete advantage of good weather conditions. Its about 10 degress down here in the South Pacific. Its freezing and muggy. How I envy you all under the sun.

  45. Adam says:
    23 July, 2002 at 2:48 pm

    Happy Birthday Wil! Glad the surprise party went off so well for you.
    Wonder how many folks got the UHF reference. Or maybe I’m imagining it myself.

  46. d. burr says:
    23 July, 2002 at 5:45 pm

    wil: don’t feel bad if you can’t update the blog everyday…your pesky chorus of bloggers will comment anyway…just imagine all of us following you around…everywhere you go…commenting about the stuff you don’t have time to put in the blog…praising, celebrating or cursing your every move…wait…don’t imagine that!…that’s sounds like hell!…or a really twisted new t.v. series!…i must not be getting out enough…or maybe it’s just the barometric pressure squeezin’ my mind…d. burr

  47. kendoka says:
    23 July, 2002 at 8:40 pm

    My friend and neighbor turned 30 a couple of weeks ago, and we started celebrating Thursday evening and didn’t stop until Saturday night.
    Embrace your 30-ness! These days, 30’s still barely starting out! I hope these last days in the “countdown” give you time to plan even more fun and hijinks to start your Big Day with a bang.

  48. kendoka says:
    23 July, 2002 at 8:43 pm

    On the subject of fair food…. there’s one carnival staple that does not, and should not come on a stick: FUNNEL CAKES!!! (Or elephant ears… whichever is your local delicacy!)

  49. chad says:
    23 July, 2002 at 8:50 pm

    The big thirty. Holy cow. Little Gordo is thirty. Good thing you’ve been busy and they threw you that party or we’d all be wiping our eyes and crying like little girls while reading your goings-on about getting old and missing the past and all that crap you used to throw at us. =) Glad life is treating you well, man. May you and your family have many more great years.

  50. Kaitlin says:
    23 July, 2002 at 9:05 pm

    Isn’t it fun finding your inner child…even when it’s usually on the outside anyway? I find it quite amusing.

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