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Happy Birthday Grandpa Sam!!!

December 30, 2008
Evil Beet
Uncategorized
108 Comments

me-grandpa

On Monday, I got to celebrate my grandfather’s 82nd birthday with him. “Do I get to be on your blog?” he asked. “If I’m on your blog, am I automatically an A-list celebrity?” I told him that this was not exactly the case, but that I would do what I could for him. At 82 years old, my grandfather is a daily reader of The Evil Beet and my Twitter feed. (“He doesn’t know how to get started with the computer,” says his wife, “but once I get him all set up he reads it for hours, and he clicks on all the links to help you make money.”) Grandpa Sam knows more about Lindsay Lohan than any other octogenarian on the planet, with the possible exception of Hugh Hefner, who may well know her in the Biblical sense.

In all seriousness, my grandfather has been playing language and spelling games with me since before I really knew the alphabet. He reads the entire newspaper cover to cover every single day, and has been doing this for as long as I can remember — since I was able to read and even to this day, he clips out articles he thinks may be of interest to me and sends them to me via U.S. Mail. When I was trying to quit smoking, he sent me a package of gum and sweets nearly every day. He asked for Wendie’s address so that he could send Hannukah gelt and pens to her children, because that’s just the kind of person he is. He has outlined several novels that he feels I ought to write, the latest of which involves gay teenage vampires (“There’s a built-in audience!”). And did I mention he was a WWII war hero? (He will want me to be specific here, and mention all his purple hearts and silver medals, but I forget the details, so I’m sure I’ll be lectured about this the next time we speak.) In short, he’s basically the coolest dude on the planet, and I am forever grateful to him for all he has contributed to my education and personal growth.

Happy birthday, Grandpa Sam! I love you.

108 CommentsLeave a comment

  • Awwwwww, this is the sweetest thing ever! What an awesome grandpa you have :)

    Mine’s pretty awesome in his own way, but I can guarantee that if I had a blog he’d never read it, haha. I tried to teach him how to play Solitaire on the computer once, but poor guy just can’t grasp the concept of controlling the mouse to move the arrow. We ended up watching MASH instead. <3

    Happy birthday, Grandpa Sam! You’re an A-List celebrity to all of us : )

  • Happy Birthday, Grandpa Sam!! What an amazing life you’ve lead! Maybe there’s a novel to be written about that?! :-)

  • Happy B’day Grandpa Sam! You do look great for your age! I know it feels so good to have a grandparent looking so young for his age cuz my grandma is like that too (she is 80) and everybody thinks she’s 60 or so. It makes me proud and I bet Sasha feels so too :).

    ~LIA~

  • happy birthday grandpa sam all the way from europe!!!
    see? not only are you an a-list superstar, you’re an international a-list superstar!!!!

    many have said that before me, but you DO look young and supercool and all the things beet has just told us about you warms my heart!

  • you know what, grandpa sam? you totally have that old hollywood film star quality going on, especially in the last pic, something paul newmanian, i’d say

  • ^ Have to agree! That’s one great-looking 82 year old right there!

    happy birthday grandpa sam, greetings from Scotland!

  • Happy Birthday from Canada Grandpa Sam! A-list celebrities should be so lucky as to have you as part of their group.

    Actually, there should be a Grandpa Sam group! I think the a-list celebrities would want to be like him.

  • Hey…Congratulations Pepaw Beet!

    One minute you’re sitting there enjoying your Quaker Instant Grits and Nighty Nite Tea and the next minute you’re an instant celebrity… like Brad Pitt or Mr. Magoo…

    Have a great birthday!

    p.s… I don’t wanna see any anonymous comments saying: ‘help…I’ve fallen… and I can’t get up!”

  • Awwwww Beet! You’re very lucky to have him! He sounds so sweet! I live with my 86 year old Gram who is also a WWII vet and the stories (no matter how many times we have heard the same ones, LOL) are things that will stay with us forever!!!!

    Happy BirthdayGrandpa Sam!!!!!!

  • Happy Birthday Grandpa Sam! You are a very youthful looking grandpa! God bless you!

    Psst…Beet….Now THIS is a reason to enjoy visits home, no?

  • Happy Birthday Sam!

    Thank you, sincerely, for your service to our country. Because of you (and other members of THE GREATEST GENERATION – Like my Dad) we in the US enjoy many freedoms…like the right to free speach/press etc. So basically, without YOU, Beet wouldn’t even have a blog. :o)

    Good health and God Bless Sam!!!

  • Happy Birthday!!! You look nowhere near 82, I never would have guessed it, lol. Thank you for serving our country!!!

  • Sasha, you are soooo lucky. I know you realize this already which is nice, because if someone were to take a man like that for granted it would be a crime.

    I am so jealous it’s sad.

  • beet, this post was amazing. your grandfather rocks for 3 reasons.
    1. he clicks on all the links to make you money. omg that is the cutest thing!
    2. gay teenage vampire book series is the most genius idea ever and made me laugh
    3. hes so cute awww buying gifts for her kids. what a sweetie

    i would love to pinch his cheeks. in an innocent little kid way. iunno why.

    anyways. happy birthday grampa beet! many more to come!

  • Beet, you are cute as a button, but you really need to put down that dog. Get yourself pregnant because you need a kid instead of a dog.

  • Happy Birthday Grandpa Sam! You seem like an incredible man and remind me of my dearly departed Granddad. Beet, you are such a sweetie!

  • OMG, how cute is that !

    Happy Birthday Grandpa Sam, and many more to you…no way do you look 82 !

    (and EB, you are looking lovely ; )

  • happy birthday grandpa sam! you’re lucky you still have him around, beet. i’m not that lucky – 3 of the 4 passed within a year and a half of each other and i think of them, but especially my grandfather, often. it’s great you have that relationship with him and the great memories from your youth too.

  • Happy Birthday to Grandpa Sam. I like you better than the Puppy Cam, and that is high praise, indeed.
    Both of my Grandfathers had passed before I was born, so I hope that you will be an Honorary Grandfather to those of us not as blessed as Sasha. Thank-you.

  • happy birthday grandpa sam! grandparents are the best…way more fun than parents! you all know it’s true.

  • HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAY DEAR G’PA
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!!!!!!

    YOU HAVE AMAZING GRANDAUGHTER.

  • We can have a “Grandpa Sam of the Day” feature? Like Lindsay? We can have a new one since you cancelled Paris…

  • Happy B’day G’pa Sam!!! I’m a Daily Beet Reader as well. It’s so nice that you support her and love her the way you do. My grandparents were all “long distance” and I rarely got to see them. Beet, you are very fortunate. Big hugs to you both.

  • awww berry cute! very handsome grandpa!

    he needs to join the commenters in here, we need his wisdom on all the troubled starlets!

  • Your grampa looks like such a great guy!! I love his huge smile!!
    I miss my 2 grandfathers alot, and when I see people who do get to spend time with theirs, it makes me really happy. Its easy to forget about all the struggles these older fella’s went through so we can sit in a warm house and play on the computer all day.
    I hope your grampa has a great birthday, as well as any other grampas out there who is another year better (not older, better!) today!!
    Im really happy he made it to your blog! What a cool b-day gift! A -ist celebrity for sure!!
    :)

  • Happy Birthday Grandpa Sam! We are all pleased to meet you!
    Or should that be pleased to Beet you???
    Cracked myself up.
    Thanks for introducing us to him, Sasha. Well done.

  • Happy Birthday, Grandpa Sam!!! You are awesome!! Best wishes!! Thank you for geing a great grandpa for our little beet.

  • Happy Birthday Grampa Sam, thanks for making sasha the little firecraker she is today.

    lots of hugs, enjoy this day because its yours

  • Happy Birthday Grandpa Sam!

    So, what would it take to get a book out of you? My grandfather (who served with the Navy on the USS West Virgina) passed away before I was at an age to really appreciate the stories that he could tell.

    Can we have a daily feature from you…maybe on Sasha Is A Monster, where you tell us your life story? I would absolutely LOVE to hear it!

    Beet, you have a lot to be proud of with your grandfather. He definitely shines above the standard!

  • I love this guy! Easy to see how his granddaughter got to be so goodlooking. And good for you Sasha, to take time to spend, cherish every moment of it.

  • What an absolutly beautiful post. Happy Birthday Grandpa Sam. I can only wish that I still had my Daddy and Grandpa’s with me.

    I second the poster who wishes Grandpa would write on your other blog!!!!

  • BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I believe that’s the alarm going off for
    Coolest.
    Gramps.
    EVER!

    (I never met mine btw).

    Grandpa Sam, I respect you IMMENSELY and think that people like you are the backbones of this country. Thanks for everything you do!

  • To all the Evil Beet viewers who commented on their own relationships with their grandfathers and all the warm birthday wishes that were sent my way, I am very appreciative. They were thoughtful and heartwarming. Evil Beet has such wonderful, warm, loving fans. Words of wisdom from Grandpa Sam: The next time you feel like exercising lie down until the feeling passes over.

  • Happy Birthday! You are a hella good man, and thank you for defending freedom and democracy for the world. Beet, give him a kiss for me ok? And consider keeping his handsome face right at the top for a few days. Your gramps is very easy to look at. :)

  • Happy Birthday, Grandpa Sam! Thank you for serving our country and for being such an honorable awesome person. Grandparents have to be cherished! May you have many many more birthdays to come!

  • Happy Birthday to Grandpa Sam! He is so much better looking than Hugh! And an American Hero! And a wonderful Grandpa to Beet! Best Wishes and a Happy Birthday!

  • Happy Birthday! I know I’m a tiny bit late, but I still hope you had a wonderful day! Happy New Year, as well!

  • Oh this was sooooo cute! Beet, you lucky girl! I never got to meet either of my grandparents so I’m happy to see you appreciate yours and I totally wish he was my grandpa’ :) Happy Birthday and thanks for all you’ve done for this country. You’re one amazing grandpa’

  • I just found this, since I’ve been offline! This is the sweetest thing ever. My grandpa passed away in 2006 and I miss him dearly, before he died he took great pleasure in the internet and his computer, this post made me think about him.

    Happy birthday Grandpa Sam!