Covid killed my birthday cake

By James Newcomb | July 25, 2021

Today’s my birthday. Yay me.

My wife Sana joked that for some reason my birthday is celebrated 3 days prior, and 3 days after the actual date. I don’t know about that, but I will say she’s better than I am at honoring the occasion.

I’d just as soon eat a piece of cake, say thank you to well-wishers and get on with my day.

Well Sana wanted to go all out for this one. She ordered a special, customized cake from a place in Hanoi, a 30 minute or so drive from our home.

When the cake was finished, it looked like this:

Now I know y’all in the US and elsewhere are sort of getting back to normal from all the Covid restrictions and what not.

Not here in Vietnam. There are many factors and “theories” as to what is behind this, but let’s just say that the restrictions are a bit excessive in my humble opinion.

There are literally checkpoints and barriers setup so that people from neighboring towns cannot enter their town. Because someone sneezed and it was called Covid, truly draconian regulations are enacted.

I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, I’m just reporting the facts for the sake of the story.

So the gal that made the cake you see above lives in the next town (Hanoi) and was told by the guard at the checkpoint that she can go into our town to deliver the cake, but she wouldn’t be allowed back into Hanoi for an indefinite period of time.

After several hours of “negotiating” with the guards, our heroic cake lady finally worked things out to deliver the goods and get back to her home.

Meanwhile, the temperature is scorching hot with jungle-like humidity.

When it was finally delivered, it looked like this:

So Covid, or I should say the excessive reaction to Covid, literally killed my birthday cake.

But I’m happy to report in spite of its unfortunate appearance, it tasted wonderful and we all had a good time celebrating.

If you’re a trumpeter, and would like to brighten my birthday, then check out the revamped and revitalized Trumpet Dynamics podcast. We’re having a lot of fun with it, and are just getting started.

Here’s the link to check it out: https://jamesnewcombontrumpet….

Posted in James' Daily Emails

“I cannot overlook James’ great speaking voice. His tone is clear, articulate, and pleasant to the ear, making it easy for listeners to stay engaged and absorb the content of the interview. His vocal qualities undoubtedly contribute to the success of his podcast.” Laura Davidson – Author of The Logic of Freedom

“I really enjoyed being interviewed by James. He made me feel very comfortable, asked thought provoking questions and his demeanor reveals the passion he has for his work” –Gary Greenfield (Serial entrepreneur)

“James navigated the conversation with ease. It was a delight to delve into the creative process and the hurdles of the performing arts.” –Tamra Grace Jones (Classical vocalist)

“It was lovely chatting with James about the concept of unschooling and self-directed learning. He asks the hard questions that people ask when they hear of “unschooling” for the very first time. It was great to have the chance to delve in deep and unpack this newest alternative form of education.” -Judy Arnall (Child education and development advocate)