Aw, You Guys
I’m 40 years old today. It seems unlikely that this could have happened, but apparently the passage of time also applies to me. It’s a big number, and I know this particular birthday is notorious for making people feel old and freaked out, but I actually feel pretty good. I try never to forget how lucky I am – I’ve got a family I love, a career and a body of work I’m proud of, and in general my life includes a lot of very good stuff. A number like 40 is such a small part of the picture it’s barely worth talking about. Of course it doesn’t hurt that you folks are STILL here paying attention to me. I continue to be thankful for that.
It seems to have become a tradition for a few fans to get together and make me a birthday present every year, and it always flatters and amazes me. I know you are listening to the music because I can see you buy it, and I can hear you singing along at shows, but to actually watch the stuff that I put out there echo off of you and come back to me in this way is just remarkable. Thank you.
OK. Now, who wants to give me a colonoscopy?
Comments
Angelastic says
I bags not doing the colonoscopy! :)
I made a pavlova and filmed a robot and an iPad for that video. The pavlova was delicious and moist.
Did you notice there are 40 cakes? (the robot has an invisible Swedish saffron roll thingy. I know; I was there.) We only made something like 20 cakes, and then JoAnn in VA found some pictures of others on the internet.
Spektugalo says
Well, thank you for putting out some amazing and inspiring stuff! Looking forward to the new songs so much.
But first have a great party with lots of friends and presents (and cakes obviously!).
Have a good one!
LizaLS says
Wow! Great job all - what an amazing birthday present and I LOVE the remix!
Happy Birthday, Jonathan Coulton!
^_^
Angelastic says
Oh yeah, I forgot to say that... happy birthday, JoCo! I hope you get some real cake.
V says
A shout-out from ThinkGeeks! How awesome. Happy Birthday JoCo and how wonderful are your fans? That's right, they're wonderful!
Haplo says
Amazing video, everyone! But who was the aerial silks artist?
Happy birthday, Jonathan. As a side note, it just was the five-year anniversary of my hearing you for the first time, as well! (It was at a Thanksgiving party, so it's super easy to remember.)
Eugenio says
That was very cool, nice, and happy bday
Angelastic says
Haplo: I believe that was Sara Chicazul, who did several other cakes and also edited the video together. :)
Mike Ogilvie says
Tres cool video.
Hey guy at 3:01 - do you live in Fonzie's above-the-garage apartment?
Magghie Coulton says
Happy Birthday! ^_^
Spektugalo (guy at 3:01) says
Unfortunately not :D
Though I must admit that the couch is pretty old :P
Gina says
Happy Birthday Jonathan! <3
Simalot says
Happy birthday, JoCo! I'm sure you're glad that you are now officially old enough to go on a cruise (I think I heard there was one you can go on soon).
Chris says
Happy birthday, Jonathan! You can also be thankful that at 40 you have a fine head of hair.
Devo Spice says
Happy birthday, Jonathan! Thanks for letting us steal your business model for The FuMP! :)
zonker says
Happy birthday, dude. 40, eh? Does this mean we're getting some songs about bran muffins?
Marshall says
Congratulations on 40, Jonathon. As a guitar-playing software developer soon to hit 30, taking a page from your book is looking awfully appealing.
Aaron says
Holy crap that video was amazing! Great job to all involved! The aerial dancer was amazing... that's some serious dedication.
Happy 40th anniversary of the 40 +/- 2 weeks of the day two other people copulated and mixed their DNA to create you!
Ashley says
Happy birthday
I hope you enjoy middle-age-dom! :D
Rahm says
Happy Birthday JoCo! It must be awesome to get so much cake on your birthday, even if it is just virtual cake.
Connor says
These cakes, thankfully, are not lies.
Chris says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOCO Coincidentally you have da same bday as me brother and sister
Bino Gopal aka keltraine says
The cakes is a lie-don't fall for it JoCo!
And Happy Birthday too!
Matthew Nordhaus says
You are very young.
Happy Birthday.
Morgan says
Happy birthday Jonathan! (It's 8:15 pm Pacific, 11:15 pm Eastern, so you still have a few minutes of birthday left.)
Come visit us in Seattle!
patrick says
Happy birthday for yesterday jonathan coulton
sevinPackage says
Happy belated birthday! See you in exactly 1 month!
Josh says
Happy birthday, you magnificent bastard! When are you coming back to Cleveland?
ian says
happy day after your birthday!
Jose says
See, it all started when your mom met your dad
They danced all night, then he took her home
It might've been all they wine they had,
but they rolled the dice and won your genome
And then 40 years and 9 months later, here we are!
Alternatively, one could say they celebrated the First of May 2 months too early.
Drug Crazed Dropkick says
Well, I drew you a cat in paint. Terribly. So yeah.
And I think I offered you Jaffa Cakes as well.
bikerific says
Who was the aerial dancing robot?
Looked kinda like Rebecca Mayes from the Escapist.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/articles/Rebecca%20Mayes
Atupo-Maruru says
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOCO :D
Now don't mind the number - your best half of your life may still be in front of you ;)
Christine says
Happy birthday! I turned 40 this year too, unfortunately it hasn't been as productive as I'd have liked, but there's always 41!
BTW, have you see this?
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/12/01/jonathan-coultons-sh.html
Someone made a video for 'Shop Vac' and it's loads of awesome sauce.
Blue says
HAPPY YESTERDAY BIRTHDAY! (My RSS didn't load this until today.)
Robin says
Its late but happy birthday!! you, sir, are awesome.
Joey says
Happy Belated Birthday JoCo!
Thanks for sharing your music with us all these years--I can't imagine what I would whistle, introduce to friends, or generally listen to on a daily basis if not for you.
Tony says
Cool video! Happy Birthday Jonathan!
rozwarren says
Happy birthday youngster, from one of your old fans. See you in Atlanta!
Athene says
I didn't even know about this, but I still got to be part of it thanks to my vampire cake! :)
sevinPackage says
Jarrett's Shop Vac video is really well-made. Kudos to all his hard work turning out so nicely.
People may remember Jarrett from a couple seasons of Masters Of Song Fu, over at ASiteCalledFred.com, where you can also find a couple Bit of a Chats with Ken Plume and JoCo.
Craig says
Hey, I turned 42 on Tuesday (Nov. 30th). Happy Birthday!
Tindi says
Hope you had a great birthday! :)
Brie in Portland says
Happy belated b-day, JoCo!!!
DaveR says
Happy belated birthday, young man. Good work, and thanks.
Deuce Loosely says
Those people representing "Still Alive" with their Portal cakes (especially the gun turret) were awesome! I'm in the Norfolk / Virginia Beach area and would like to see you out this way sometime in the near future.
And 40 is the new 20! Trust me. Currently, I'm "the answer to life, the universe, and everything" in terms of years. :P
You're one of a scant few I consider one of my heroes. Don't ever stop doin' your thing! <3
P. Anderson says
Happy Birthday, Mr. Coulton.
That video was the most wonderful love letter I have ever seen. Your fans truly adore you. I hope that when you are very old, you have this as a beautiful memory.
Much love,
Pam
Ron says
Great show on Friday, JoCo!!!
Paul says
Jonathan, happy belated birthday! I also turned 40 this past July, and, well, it's 40. Kinda surreal. It's like, this is 40? Naaaaaaawww... Hope that all was awesome with your B-day festivities. I discovered you while listening to an NPR interview with you, some years ago. Love the tunes. I hope that the beginning of this 41st year is starting well for you.
Mike Skocko says
First off, happy belated d-day, Jonathan.
Second, ran across Shop Vac on Vimeo this morning. As it's typography video week in my classroom, it became today's feature. Simply a brilliant music video. I even bought the song. :)
Lastly, kudos to your fine fans who made the oh-so-clever b-day vid.
Cheers,
Mike
Gem says
Happy birthday! Just discovered 'Shop Vac' and I love it! Thank you xx
Linda says
Actually, for routine screening (barring family history or symptomatology like occult blood in stool) you don't have to have a colonoscopy until you're 50. (But I'd be happy to give you one then!)
Brandon says
Funny, inspiring, dark, and did I mention LMAO funny? Congratz on 40 years man! I look foward to another 273 more years of your talent! Too bad I can't go on the big boat this year...
Devin Russell says
@ 0:59
The cake is a pie!