Oh balls ... just ignore the date ...

I emerge from the chaos that is too much work, not enough health, and teetering piles of to-do papers with a pair of very brief but important messages.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY raitala ! Obviously neither of your gifts have actually made it to you on time, but I like to think of a birthday as being less of a day and more of a festival of random surprises through a certain part of the year. Your art has brought me deep and abiding joy, but it is your friendship and companionship that I treasure most. And your willingness to look at shoes and art long after lesser souls have flagged. I hope that everyone else is far less ridiculously crap with the delivery of giftage than I am, and that Catsson and Mr Rai are deep in evil plans for cakeage and a few bottles of something nice.

Obviously this is one of those days that deserves a special name (better than Teachers Day in Albania, at least), because March 7 is also a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to blindmouse . Which I have cunningly missed in this Time Zone due to crapitude. Meeting you was one of the great pleasures of last year, and I regret only that my life since has been far too stupid to keep up with the delight in all things good and lovely in the music world so that I would have more things to talk with you about. Your passion for words and music is inspiring, and I hope to have a life that is far less ridiculous so that I can at the very least pop down to Melbourne and share a beverage and the privilege of hanging out with your friends, who are all as fab as you are. I hope that this year is extremely agreeable for you and that the present fairies have been liberal in their deliveries!

Oh balls ... just ignore the date ...

I emerge from the chaos that is too much work, not enough health, and teetering piles of to-do papers with a pair of very brief but important messages.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY raitala ! Obviously neither of your gifts have actually made it to you on time, but I like to think of a birthday as being less of a day and more of a festival of random surprises through a certain part of the year. Your art has brought me deep and abiding joy, but it is your friendship and companionship that I treasure most. And your willingness to look at shoes and art long after lesser souls have flagged. I hope that everyone else is far less ridiculously crap with the delivery of giftage than I am, and that Catsson and Mr Rai are deep in evil plans for cakeage and a few bottles of something nice.

Obviously this is one of those days that deserves a special name (better than Teachers Day in Albania, at least), because March 7 is also a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to blindmouse . Which I have cunningly missed in this Time Zone due to crapitude. Meeting you was one of the great pleasures of last year, and I regret only that my life since has been far too stupid to keep up with the delight in all things good and lovely in the music world so that I would have more things to talk with you about. Your passion for words and music is inspiring, and I hope to have a life that is far less ridiculous so that I can at the very least pop down to Melbourne and share a beverage and the privilege of hanging out with your friends, who are all as fab as you are. I hope that this year is extremely agreeable for you and that the present fairies have been liberal in their deliveries!