Happy Birthday!

Dad,

Happy Birthday! Thanks for all of your love, support, advice and guidance over my life - it is great to be here to celebrate with you and spend time together.


Oh, and thanks for the run this morning - please note, if there was ever any doubt, you wore the pink running shorts this morning... maybe that's what keeps your time so low! ;)



I love you,
JP

Nostradamus Prediction Comes to Pass

New York Times: For immediate release, 5PM EST, 11/21/2007

Nostradamus Prediction Comes to Pass

Michael O’Brien of New Canaan, CT, has just entered his 66th year on planet Earth and has thus fulfilled one of the major predictions of Nostradamus in 1507 (age four). In one of his many lyrical writings the famous prognosticator predicted that 500 hundred years later a prominent man with surname O’Brien would complete 65 years on Earth.

What is so startling about this prediction is that the life expectancy in 1507 was only 38 years for men. So, this prediction really foretold unheard of increases in life expectancy over the intervening 500 years. Furthermore, the surname O’Brien was non-existent when he made this prediction. Those who have studied Nostradamus came to think of this prediction as ‘The O’Brien Gambit’ and as recently as 1784 placed it in the least possible category (probability of occurrence less than 0.005%). By then there were roughly 1.5 million individuals using the surname of O’Brien but life expectancy had only increased to 39 years for men.

Here is the original prediction:

"The O’Brien Gambit"
With a great deal of strife
He will reach 65 years of life
It will take 500 years to occur
But his age will be only a blur
The man will master many a deed
And O’Brien will be the name of the breed.

Submitted by Dominic Cardace

Memories of an Outlaw: Chapter 1 Meet the Parents

I. First visit to Braeburn drive – First impressions are everything when you lose the wheel off clean off the axle of your ’82 Saab pulling up the driveway. Michael, thanks for calling the tow truck!
II. First dinner at Braeburn drive – The Squeeky Chair – Oh Joy! Light dinner conversation on topics including the Middle East, the Catholic Church and US economic policy (wish I had taken debate in high school) ...and "O'Brien pours!"
III. Michael’s first visit to my apartment in Stamford - I peered out the window wondering why Michael was pacing back and forth by the car downstairs and why it took 20 minutes for Joan to convince him to come in (it must have been something about the Sicilian Gentlemen’s club downstairs).
IV. Michael’s first Dinner at my apartment in Stamford – I prepared a four-course Vegan meal (Alyssa was militant back then) centered on the theme of “Wild Mushrooms”. Your glass was emptied (repeatedly) but your plate remained untouched – only later did I learn that mushrooms were your favorite.

Seriously though, many visits and many dinners later, it is always great to be in your company. I couldn’t have asked for a better Father in-Law.

Happy 65th!!!

Cheers,
Laird

Speaking of Feet (who's got the picture?)

Mike O’Brien vs. the Tahoe Deck

The deck was four stories up, overlooking the sunset that just finished on Lake Tahoe. As the sun sets and it gets dark, how could anyone resist doing a little dance? Michael couldn’t. It was a cute little dance that Michael accompanied with a cute little song. Unfortunately the exact words are lost in the pines. But it went something like this:

When you’re in Tahoe
And you feel the beat,
You do a little dance,
Even better with bare feet.

If you start to hop around,
And think you’re dancing really good,
It’s not just bad grammer,
Your foot is full of wood!

Mike O’Brien 0, Deck 1

===

Mike O’Brien vs. the Emergency Foot Repair Team

Anne got the tweezers from her trusty Swiss Army Knife. JP went to look for a bullet for Michel to bite. Will ran to the fully stocked, with San Francisco liquor, bar. Alyssa and Jen got Michael to lie on the kitchen floor. Nana and Lisa and the grandkids kept sleeping. Will came back with a drink. Hans and Chris looked with amazement at the 18 foot splinter sunk 12 meters into Michael’s foot. Everyone tried to stop laughing and take it seriously. Will offered the drink to disinfect the foot or calm Michael, which ever was needed more.

The splinter came out (who has the picture?) but apparently there was a follow-up visit to the doctor because it got infected.

Mike O’Brien 0, Emergency Foot Repair Team 0, Deck 2

====

Addendum:

But there is more about feet. There was also a running episode where a piece of glass was stuck in his foot. The doc tried to see it with ultrasound, but couldn’t. In the end it came out.

And see Jen’s post for the wedding story...

====

The lesson, after 65 years, is watch your feet!

..

Pink Running Shorts!!

The namesake for this blog has finally appeared!

Happy Birthday!

Dad -

Happy Birthday! Throughout my life you've been there for all my activities and a great role model. I wish you the best on this birthday. Of course, since you are a math guy, I'll wait for the big celebration until you are 1,119 years old - that's Nov 19 (11/19)!

Much love,
-Will

Happy Birthday Uncle Michael !!

Dear Uncle Michael,

We wish you the greatest birthday ever.

You are a really great guy and an inspiration to us all. We appreciate your kindness, good humor, generosity and guidance.

May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,
May good luck pursue you each morning and night.

Love,
Tim, Thuy, Julian, Andrew and Benjamin Griesser

Cruising - Happy Birthday wishes to a veteran sailor

Alaska was a great trip once we achieved the abandon ship drill. Michael loved the cruise and the amenities :)

One of many wonderful dinners over the space of 43 years. Each day is a celebration and an adventure. Lots of love to my husband who is definitely young at heart.

PEPE

P laying by the bridge and cleaning the creek with me.
E ating and preparing great food.
P eople know him for the pink running shorts.
E very once in a while I get a cereal surprise in the mail!!

Happy Birthday Pepe!

I love you,
Johan

The most genuinely nice guy I've ever met

He may joke often, but Michael O'Brien is the most genuinely nice guy I've ever met. He has always treated me like a real member of the family, even if it meant having to wear an obnoxiously loud Texas t-shirt at the rehearsal dinner that he was hosting!

I hope you have a wonderful 65th birthday, and I look forward to (belatedly) celebrating it with you this week!

Love,
Sarah

Hello Michael from Williamsburg, Virginia. Happy birthday to you. Hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving and wonderful Christmas.

The Wedding Dance

Michael O'Brien vs. the wedding dance
(the wedding dance won - he ended up with a broken foot)

I guess I should have thought twice about breaking your foot while dancing with you at Hans and Anne's wedding in 1995. JP and I weren't even engaged yet, let alone married...that probably wasn't the best way to make a good impression...so, I appreciate you letting me marry him a few years later.

I remember lots of runs with the pink running shorts - 3 mile runs, 5 mile runs, Saturday morning runs, Sunday morning runs, and some 5K races. It was fun to run together during our weekend visits to New Canaan...a good way to work off all the calories from our big wine and food dinners the night before!

Happy Birthday!

Jennifer

More Carrots Please...

I don't know, maybe it was the light that day or some sticky cheese we had for lunch, but if this ain't the bucktooth shot I don't know what is!

Grandad/dad. Happy Birthday! I just want to say we appreciate your unending and unconditional support of our family - unconventional as we may be.

It's great to be able to spend so much time together every year doing fun things like this sailboat cruise on Lake Tahoe a couple years ago (courtesy Alyssa and Laid).

Lisa (Aidan's Mom [right]) lost her camera overboard that trip and Aidan goofed off and giggled with Grandad half the time. I fell asleep on the deck for a short nap. It was just one of those many great days we have had together.

Thanks for making so many great times like this possible Grandad/Dad.

We love you.

Chris, Lisa, Aidan.

I love Grandad

Well, I can definitely say Grandad is one of my favorite people. We always have a great time together coloring, playing games, doing fun things. And Grandad tells the best stories - I always want to sit next to him at family dinners to hear his fascinating stories of when he was a kid.

Grandad, you're the best. Thanks for being my Grandad.

Love,

Aidan.

Mike in the pink running shorts

Well I am glad to see that you made it to the unofficial retirement age but I guess you do not believe in slowing down. Life in San Francisco is good and for old timers like you and me the bus is only 50 cents and you can get an 85% discount on Opera tickets. I will not be on the east coast for your big 65 but my spirit is there. Paris was a long time again but I still vividly remember all the good times our families enjoyed back then. Have a great day and give Joan a hug for me.

Dear Dad,

I remember bike rides in the South of France: you piled several of us kids onto one bike and we explored caves until the high tide flushed us back to the safety of the cliffs.

I remember you playing guitar to us: Bobby Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Peter, Paul & Mary, James Taylor. The songs of childhood showing your love for us

I remember you heading out for a jog in the morning, and sometimes dragging me with you (but I am grateful for that now...)

I remember thinking -- does IBM stand for "I've Been Moved..."? But through it all, you were there -- happy to lend a listening ear, help with the transition, and be a great Dad to all of us

We moved to New Canaan and you found a home: with friends who supported you, good times with Mom going to plays, dances, dinners, and always there for us kids -- for every high school dance and sport event, every jazz concert and graduation.

It's wonderful to see you now, High School Math Team leader, Math Teacher, business manager for theater 308, community member -- and yet still always first and foremost, our Dad

Here's to you! Love you so much

xoxo

Alyssa

Formal Pink Running Shorts

Those pink running shorts look great with a red cumberbund and bow tie!
HAPPY # 65, Michael!!!!!!
- Kitty and Tom

Keep climbing, Michael!

Happy Birthday, Michael! We looked for the photo of you on top of Long's Peak, that 14,000 footer that you climbed when you visited us in Colorado. That was an adventure - one of the few times we caught you speechless! It must have been all the thin air at that altitude. Keep climbing. You're only at the base of the mountain at your age!!

Mary and Peter

Gee Mike, You were so cute --- and still are! I bet everyone can pick you out from the 1st 6 OB's. "Ghost of Christmas past" ;) PattyO

Hello Michael!

Happy 65, brother! Thanks for being you and for giving me - via your brilliant kids - the opportunity to have my 1st blog entry. Whatta world!

You know I was at your garage sale... and did you really profit $12? Not positive, but I thought I saw you slip a twenty to get rid of the lawn mower to the guy who was interested in it... until it would not start... ;)

Thanks for all the shared holidays at your home! Bridget grew up with several Thanksgivings, Christmas' , and Easters with the CT O'Briens.

Enjoy your birthday and Happy T-Day!
Lots of Love,
PattyO

GrandDad

GrandDad
a poem by Ariana


My GrandDad is great
he wears glasses
and has white hair.

On Thanksgiving,
I am going to see you
and have lots of fun
with you.

You are a great GrandDad!

Good times in Denver

Thanks GrandDad for taking us to the museum in Denver - it was fun!

Happy Birthday!!!

Love,
Liam

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday Michael!!! 65 Years of accruing comic material and a captive audience at the Thanksgiving table...uh oh.

I'm so lucky I have a ticket to spend time with your wonderful family (thanks Sarah). I've really enjoyed the chance to get to know and develop a close relationship with you and Joan through shared family events and Emmaus. Happy Birthday!!!

T-7! One week until Dad/Michael turns 65

Dad, Michael, Mike -- He turns 65 in just one week.

There are so many stories to tell! I'm hoping we can share some more embarrassing or funny or honorific ones here on this Blog to share with him...



That will give him lots to read for all the many times he compulsively checks his email!!

What he loves most -- special times with friends and family!

Oh, and playing Steve Carell's character in that famous Math department version of The Office...

But seriously, here's to mfob!!

What I Learned ...

What I learned ....

"You see son, back when I was your age, we didn't just grow facial hair because the holidays were coming and we thought family wouldn't notice. I mean, I applaud the effort, but maybe you are not built for a beard. Now my brother Jim on the other hand ... his family knows how to wear a beard."

So Michael and Will carried on for some time discussing the merits of beards and non-beards, realizing that for Michael it was a daily decision while Will could make a game-time call every few days. In the end, they agreed that Michael would love Will whether or not he was wearing a beard .. as long as he didn't have any tattoos.

Michael O'Brien vs. ...

Michael O'Brien vs. the brown patched lawn
(he lost this one... hired a lawn keeper)

Michael O'Brien vs. the bats (and their droppings)
(have you seen the netting on the back roof)

Michael O'Brien vs. the woodpecker
(still undecided... but have you seen the holes on the side of the house)

Michael O'Brien vs. the shed
(Ok, he wins this one... the shed is still standing)

Michael O'Brien vs. grandkids swing set
(scary, but no bones broken)

Michael O'Brien vs. the junk left by his kids
(held recent tag sale... netted $12!)

Wedding Day

What a lucky guy ... it always amazes me how these old-time b&w photos capture the moment to perfection. But Michael sure does look happy. This was in 1966 by the way!

Joan and Mike's wedding day!

Let's get going

Just starting this blog. The name "pink running shorts" should be pretty clear if you've ever spent time on Braeburn Drive, but we'll look for a photo anyway.

Add your comments and stories to this blog!