There are few greater feelings than walking into a room, (somewhat) unsuspecting, and finding all your friends in there, shouting “surprise”! and wishing you a happy birthday. A very honest and jittery c pulled it off when I turned 26–the happy event was replete with good friends, presents!, and legolas (who eventually was banished to my closet door).
It’s hard pulling off a surprise, especially when people are on asian time, and you aren’t there to drill-seargeant everyone in to place because you’re busy keeping the surprisee busy. But it’s the tiny mishaps along the way that make surprises funny and memorable, like n, m, and d trying to hide behind the mailboxes in the entryway to me and e’s apartment, doing their best not to be discovered!
In any case, tow has, hands down, the best pictures. He makes everyone shine!