Utterly fantastic three day weekend! Friday was [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat's birthday. She turned six[1]. To celebrate this milestone there was a weekend of festivities revolving around this event.

The fun began on Thursday evening, day zero, when I secretly imported [livejournal.com profile] resourceress from Boston[2]. I conceived this little bit of sneakiness many months ago, and we had been plotting together ever since. When I arrived home with [livejournal.com profile] resourceress in tow, I entered our [as yet unnamed] flat and said: "Hey, Hon? You will never believe who I met on the way home from work today!" Suffice to say, [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat was quite surprised! Indeed, I believe the words: "This is the best present ever!" may have escaped from her lips. Suddenly, the plans to eat leftovers for dinner were cancelled, and we were on our way to Summertown to celebrate at the Mamma Mia restaurant[3].

On Friday, we all got up early and went into London for a day of museum hopping. We hit the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. At the Natural History Museum, we saw the 2008 Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit. It was, in a way, coming full circle... as we went to the 2005 exhibit shortly after we moved to England. As for the British Museum, this was our first visit... not counting the our visit to the First Emperor special exhibit back in March. Twas good fun, and I now have silly photos of me posing next to the Rosetta Stone, a quartet of Sekmeht statues, et cetera. When they finally kicked us out at 8:30pm, we drove back to Oxford and went out for a very nice birthday dinner at the Pink Giraffe. This is a Chinese restaurant in St. Clement's with an array of exceptionally good fake meat dishes! A most excellent choice!

On Saturday morning, the three of us went to Blenheim Palace to listen to a carol service and see the house decorated for the holidays. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat and I have been there before, of course, but it was the first visit for [livejournal.com profile] resourceress so we did a tour of the house. The choral music was good and some of the holiday decorations were quite stunning -- especially the front hall and the dining room! What amazingly large trees![4]

After leaving the palace, we returned to our flat. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat was under the impression that we were going to get changed for lunch at a posh restaurant in the city centre... then drive to Manchester for an unspecified evening performance. Instead, she was greeted by a group of people[5] leaping out at her to yell SURPRISE!!! The party that followed was a huge success! In total, we had eighteen big people, plus two little ones. Indeed, our flat was just about at capacity! I made a grocery run for snacks with JTL... who ended up being a one-woman catering crew! Antipasti, quesadillas, vegetarian sausages -- you name it! She whipped up an amazing feast of snacks!

There were so many memorable moments from the party. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat received a set of jacks for her sixth birthday, which became a surprise party hit! I did learn that (a) jacks are dangerous for somebody with OCD, and (2) I am apparently on my way to becoming a jack shark![6] We also played two games of Werewolf, led by [livejournal.com profile] alextiefling. I was on the winning side both times... though I was killed in each game. Once by my fellow villagers and once by werewolves! I can't catch a break! Several games of Set were also played, and I won the one where I took part.

At the end of the night, we transformed our living room into a slumber party. Eight people slept in our flat that night, and apparently our living room can fit four air mattresses with relative ease! Thanks go out to D&J as well as [livejournal.com profile] dr_jen for loaning us air mattresses; also to [livejournal.com profile] alextiefling and [livejournal.com profile] friend_of_tofu for bringing their own to sleep on!

The party continued into Sunday[7]! After I procured a small feast for breakfast, seven of us headed to the Oxford Castle to see the Earth From The Air art exhibit. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat and I had already been there last month, but we only saw about half of the one hundred and twenty photographs on display[8]. This time, we finished up our viewing and brought friends along to appreciate the art. When finished, we chilled out warmed up in the castle's cafe for a bit. Then [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat led a group of four to the Eagle & Child, whilst I brought the rest of our group on a walking tour of Oxford.

Eventually, the two halves of our party merged again and we went to St. Giles Church for Sunday evening service ringing. [livejournal.com profile] mattp and I rang, whilst the rest of our group watched to see what change bell ringing is all about. For [livejournal.com profile] resourceress, it was a return to the tower, as she was present in July 2006, when I went there for the very first time. With the exception of D&J, we all returned to our flat after the tower bell ringing finished. There, we were joined by JP and L&M for a handbell practice. This was most welcomed by me, as my London commute has prevented me from ringing handbells since late September! Also, everyone present got to have a go at handbell ringing! For [livejournal.com profile] resourceress, [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat, and [livejournal.com profile] prolificdiarist, this was their first attempts!

Even after the ringing ended at 8:30pm, the party was still going on! I was surprised, but pleased, to see [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat's party continue for so long! We made and ate dinner at home, then played a couple of games of Set (I won two and [livejournal.com profile] mattp won one) then a game of Bohnanza ([livejournal.com profile] prolificdiarist won with twenty points, I came in second with seventeen, [livejournal.com profile] mattp and [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat each had sixteen).

When our game of Bohnanza ended, it was one o'clock in the morning. The party that had begun thirty-six hours earlier was finally winding down. We brought out the air mattresses once again -- there were still five people sleeping under our roof. By morning, three of us had left to go to work in London, whilst [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat went to her job in central Oxford.

If I do say so myself, this birthday bash was a phenomenal success! Despite all the complex plans, everything went off without a hitch! I was thrilled to hear nearly all the guests enthusiastically tell me what a wonderful time they had at it... and I am so pleased to give my beloved [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat such a happy milestone birthday. Thank you to everyone who joined us!! Additionally, the one-two surprise of importing [livejournal.com profile] resourceress and the party qualify this weekend for the list of Big Surprises that I have given to [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat through our fourteen years together![9]


[1] In cat years.

[2] Due to a transporter accident, most of her hair ended up staying behind!

[3] No Abba connection -- sorry!

[4] Okay, they may not be large by Rockefeller Center standards... but these were indoors!

[5] One co-conspirator in particular deserves special thanks for arriving early, tidying the flat, and letting everyone in!

[6] No relation to my neighbour, the Headington Shark!

[7] Before it did, however, [livejournal.com profile] mattp and I snuck out early to ring bells at St. Giles Church for the Sunday morning services.

[8] Fifty-three, to be exact.

[9] This is probably the fifth entry on that list.


Utterly fantastic three day weekend! Friday was [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat's birthday. She turned six[1]. To celebrate this milestone there was a weekend of festivities revolving around this event.

The fun began on Thursday evening, day zero, when I secretly imported [livejournal.com profile] resourceress from Boston[2]. I conceived this little bit of sneakiness many months ago, and we had been plotting together ever since. When I arrived home with [livejournal.com profile] resourceress in tow, I entered our [as yet unnamed] flat and said: "Hey, Hon? You will never believe who I met on the way home from work today!" Suffice to say, [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat was quite surprised! Indeed, I believe the words: "This is the best present ever!" may have escaped from her lips. Suddenly, the plans to eat leftovers for dinner were cancelled, and we were on our way to Summertown to celebrate at the Mamma Mia restaurant[3].

On Friday, we all got up early and went into London for a day of museum hopping. We hit the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. At the Natural History Museum, we saw the 2008 Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit. It was, in a way, coming full circle... as we went to the 2005 exhibit shortly after we moved to England. As for the British Museum, this was our first visit... not counting the our visit to the First Emperor special exhibit back in March. Twas good fun, and I now have silly photos of me posing next to the Rosetta Stone, a quartet of Sekmeht statues, et cetera. When they finally kicked us out at 8:30pm, we drove back to Oxford and went out for a very nice birthday dinner at the Pink Giraffe. This is a Chinese restaurant in St. Clement's with an array of exceptionally good fake meat dishes! A most excellent choice!

On Saturday morning, the three of us went to Blenheim Palace to listen to a carol service and see the house decorated for the holidays. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat and I have been there before, of course, but it was the first visit for [livejournal.com profile] resourceress so we did a tour of the house. The choral music was good and some of the holiday decorations were quite stunning -- especially the front hall and the dining room! What amazingly large trees![4]

After leaving the palace, we returned to our flat. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat was under the impression that we were going to get changed for lunch at a posh restaurant in the city centre... then drive to Manchester for an unspecified evening performance. Instead, she was greeted by a group of people[5] leaping out at her to yell SURPRISE!!! The party that followed was a huge success! In total, we had eighteen big people, plus two little ones. Indeed, our flat was just about at capacity! I made a grocery run for snacks with JTL... who ended up being a one-woman catering crew! Antipasti, quesadillas, vegetarian sausages -- you name it! She whipped up an amazing feast of snacks!

There were so many memorable moments from the party. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat received a set of jacks for her sixth birthday, which became a surprise party hit! I did learn that (a) jacks are dangerous for somebody with OCD, and (2) I am apparently on my way to becoming a jack shark![6] We also played two games of Werewolf, led by [livejournal.com profile] alextiefling. I was on the winning side both times... though I was killed in each game. Once by my fellow villagers and once by werewolves! I can't catch a break! Several games of Set were also played, and I won the one where I took part.

At the end of the night, we transformed our living room into a slumber party. Eight people slept in our flat that night, and apparently our living room can fit four air mattresses with relative ease! Thanks go out to D&J as well as [livejournal.com profile] dr_jen for loaning us air mattresses; also to [livejournal.com profile] alextiefling and [livejournal.com profile] friend_of_tofu for bringing their own to sleep on!

The party continued into Sunday[7]! After I procured a small feast for breakfast, seven of us headed to the Oxford Castle to see the Earth From The Air art exhibit. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat and I had already been there last month, but we only saw about half of the one hundred and twenty photographs on display[8]. This time, we finished up our viewing and brought friends along to appreciate the art. When finished, we chilled out warmed up in the castle's cafe for a bit. Then [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat led a group of four to the Eagle & Child, whilst I brought the rest of our group on a walking tour of Oxford.

Eventually, the two halves of our party merged again and we went to St. Giles Church for Sunday evening service ringing. [livejournal.com profile] mattp and I rang, whilst the rest of our group watched to see what change bell ringing is all about. For [livejournal.com profile] resourceress, it was a return to the tower, as she was present in July 2006, when I went there for the very first time. With the exception of D&J, we all returned to our flat after the tower bell ringing finished. There, we were joined by JP and L&M for a handbell practice. This was most welcomed by me, as my London commute has prevented me from ringing handbells since late September! Also, everyone present got to have a go at handbell ringing! For [livejournal.com profile] resourceress, [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat, and [livejournal.com profile] prolificdiarist, this was their first attempts!

Even after the ringing ended at 8:30pm, the party was still going on! I was surprised, but pleased, to see [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat's party continue for so long! We made and ate dinner at home, then played a couple of games of Set (I won two and [livejournal.com profile] mattp won one) then a game of Bohnanza ([livejournal.com profile] prolificdiarist won with twenty points, I came in second with seventeen, [livejournal.com profile] mattp and [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat each had sixteen).

When our game of Bohnanza ended, it was one o'clock in the morning. The party that had begun thirty-six hours earlier was finally winding down. We brought out the air mattresses once again -- there were still five people sleeping under our roof. By morning, three of us had left to go to work in London, whilst [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat went to her job in central Oxford.

If I do say so myself, this birthday bash was a phenomenal success! Despite all the complex plans, everything went off without a hitch! I was thrilled to hear nearly all the guests enthusiastically tell me what a wonderful time they had at it... and I am so pleased to give my beloved [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat such a happy milestone birthday. Thank you to everyone who joined us!! Additionally, the one-two surprise of importing [livejournal.com profile] resourceress and the party qualify this weekend for the list of Big Surprises that I have given to [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat through our fourteen years together![9]


[1] In cat years.

[2] Due to a transporter accident, most of her hair ended up staying behind!

[3] No Abba connection -- sorry!

[4] Okay, they may not be large by Rockefeller Center standards... but these were indoors!

[5] One co-conspirator in particular deserves special thanks for arriving early, tidying the flat, and letting everyone in!

[6] No relation to my neighbour, the Headington Shark!

[7] Before it did, however, [livejournal.com profile] mattp and I snuck out early to ring bells at St. Giles Church for the Sunday morning services.

[8] Fifty-three, to be exact.

[9] This is probably the fifth entry on that list.


Just got home from driving the last of the UnGuests home as the second day of the Cheshcat Convalescent UnParty draws to a close!

Weekend report: The UnParty -- both days -- was an unmitigated success!

We had twelve people drop by on Saturday and six come around on Sunday. There were games and good food and good company and good conversation! Giles the kitten was exposed to more people than ever before, and admired by many. There was a tour of the cryo-detector lab and two batches of ice cream were made! At least one person told me that the ice cream was the best that she had ever eaten!! Indeed, even the weather cooperated to make for an utterly fantastic weekend!

More details to follow[*], but for now I think it is best to give a call to the delightful [livejournal.com profile] tawneypup and then wind down for bed. Busy week ahead!


[*] I hope!
Just got home from driving the last of the UnGuests home as the second day of the Cheshcat Convalescent UnParty draws to a close!

Weekend report: The UnParty -- both days -- was an unmitigated success!

We had twelve people drop by on Saturday and six come around on Sunday. There were games and good food and good company and good conversation! Giles the kitten was exposed to more people than ever before, and admired by many. There was a tour of the cryo-detector lab and two batches of ice cream were made! At least one person told me that the ice cream was the best that she had ever eaten!! Indeed, even the weather cooperated to make for an utterly fantastic weekend!

More details to follow[*], but for now I think it is best to give a call to the delightful [livejournal.com profile] tawneypup and then wind down for bed. Busy week ahead!


[*] I hope!
This will be my first weekend spent wholly in Oxford since May. Also, my last weekend spent wholly in Oxford until at least November. With [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat convalescing from her surgery, the weekend weather forecast calls for mellow with a touch of calm.

One opportunity provided by this unusual situation is to catch up on my blogging. I have been a Bad LiveJournaler[*] of late and written very little of what has gone on in my life. Alas, gentle readers, y'all know what that means, don't you?

That's right! It is time for another one of those boring Week-In-Review entries! )


[*] No donut for me!

This will be my first weekend spent wholly in Oxford since May. Also, my last weekend spent wholly in Oxford until at least November. With [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat convalescing from her surgery, the weekend weather forecast calls for mellow with a touch of calm.

One opportunity provided by this unusual situation is to catch up on my blogging. I have been a Bad LiveJournaler[*] of late and written very little of what has gone on in my life. Alas, gentle readers, y'all know what that means, don't you?

That's right! It is time for another one of those boring Week-In-Review entries! )


[*] No donut for me!

Another late night in the lab. Actually, the first in quite some time. We closed up the K-400 cryostat today, and I am now getting it prepared to cool down to 4K overnight with liquid helium.

Still have no time for a proper update on the past week. Have also continued to be a bit rubbish about replying to people. This trend will continue at least for the rest of today. In the meantime, though, there are a few things that I should say quickly:

  • This afternoon, I brought [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat home from the hospital. It was good to have her back! She seems to be doing well. She is at home, convalescing, and is off work for the next week and a half. Now that she is home, I will let her make updates on her recovery when she sees fit to do so.

  • I want to thank everyone who send energy and good wishes before (and after) the surgery. Believe me, they have been much appreciated by both of us!

  • Recent fluctuations in the stock market are causing me financial woe. Not the normal type you would expect, though. On Monday, I bet my officemate that the Dow would drop below 10,000 points at some point this week. So tomorrow, we are off to lunch at Noodle Bar -- my treat. Can't even count on the US economy to fail properly!

  • For anyone planning to attend the UnParty at Skullcrusher Mountain: I call this an "UnParty"[*] because, quite frankly, neither Chesh nor myself is really in a position to set up a formal party. Basically, we will be home all weekend as she recovers from surgery, and Skullcrusher Mountain is open to all who wish to join us. Drop by anytime on Saturday or Sunday[**] and expect to be welcomed with a variety of mellow activities: Gaming, movies, conversation, et cetera. Nothing particularly special is happening and there are no particular times to observe. With one exception: Sometime on Saturday, I will be making a batch of ice cream to share and enjoy. Other than that, you may wish to bring some snacks or other food with you, because -- as an UnParty -- we will be mellow on this front, too. Main meals will probably be takeaway. We will have some snacks and drinks, but I'm not going to spend too much time on preparation. Also, since there appears to be some interest, I will be bringing people to the University to give tours of the cryo-lab. Since the lab is less than a mile from Skullcrusher Mountain, this does not need to be scheduled -- I can easily do it more than once if need be. Finally, crash space should be available to anyone who needs it.

Right, then. Back to the cryostat so I can eventually go home and eat dinner tonight. Maybe even sleep![***]


[*] In the spirit that my dear friend [livejournal.com profile] theentwife established the Uncoven of the Solitaries.

[**] Hopefully not at 4am or anything... though if you really trek out at that time, we won't turn you away at the door.

[***] Now that would be quite the novelty!


Another late night in the lab. Actually, the first in quite some time. We closed up the K-400 cryostat today, and I am now getting it prepared to cool down to 4K overnight with liquid helium.

Still have no time for a proper update on the past week. Have also continued to be a bit rubbish about replying to people. This trend will continue at least for the rest of today. In the meantime, though, there are a few things that I should say quickly:

  • This afternoon, I brought [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat home from the hospital. It was good to have her back! She seems to be doing well. She is at home, convalescing, and is off work for the next week and a half. Now that she is home, I will let her make updates on her recovery when she sees fit to do so.

  • I want to thank everyone who send energy and good wishes before (and after) the surgery. Believe me, they have been much appreciated by both of us!

  • Recent fluctuations in the stock market are causing me financial woe. Not the normal type you would expect, though. On Monday, I bet my officemate that the Dow would drop below 10,000 points at some point this week. So tomorrow, we are off to lunch at Noodle Bar -- my treat. Can't even count on the US economy to fail properly!

  • For anyone planning to attend the UnParty at Skullcrusher Mountain: I call this an "UnParty"[*] because, quite frankly, neither Chesh nor myself is really in a position to set up a formal party. Basically, we will be home all weekend as she recovers from surgery, and Skullcrusher Mountain is open to all who wish to join us. Drop by anytime on Saturday or Sunday[**] and expect to be welcomed with a variety of mellow activities: Gaming, movies, conversation, et cetera. Nothing particularly special is happening and there are no particular times to observe. With one exception: Sometime on Saturday, I will be making a batch of ice cream to share and enjoy. Other than that, you may wish to bring some snacks or other food with you, because -- as an UnParty -- we will be mellow on this front, too. Main meals will probably be takeaway. We will have some snacks and drinks, but I'm not going to spend too much time on preparation. Also, since there appears to be some interest, I will be bringing people to the University to give tours of the cryo-lab. Since the lab is less than a mile from Skullcrusher Mountain, this does not need to be scheduled -- I can easily do it more than once if need be. Finally, crash space should be available to anyone who needs it.

Right, then. Back to the cryostat so I can eventually go home and eat dinner tonight. Maybe even sleep![***]


[*] In the spirit that my dear friend [livejournal.com profile] theentwife established the Uncoven of the Solitaries.

[**] Hopefully not at 4am or anything... though if you really trek out at that time, we won't turn you away at the door.

[***] Now that would be quite the novelty!


So this birthday weekend turned out to be exactly what I needed after such a hellacious start to the week. I hope to do a longer write up later, but the short version is:

Friday: Go to bed early -- 8:30pm -- and sleep, unexpectedly, for twelve hours. I had not realised how exhausted I had been before that, but it is now obvious that I needed the rest.

Saturday (day): Wake up early and spend a solid eight hours cleaning Skullcrusher Mountain with [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat. Hard work, and boring, too... but it paid off. The flat looked much, much better by the end of the afternoon. Having an ordered space, especially in a chaotic time, gives a home base for getting grounded and focused.

Saturday (evening): As a reward for all that hard work, we had a very spiffy party. I hereby pronounce the first Skullcrusher Mountain party to be a complete success! We had fourteen people, lots of games, music, snacks, schmoozing, and fun! Just in case I never get to that longer write up promised above, I want to thank everyone who came and made the party happen!

Sunday: Slept late. Played games with [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic and [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat. Rang bells for services at St. Giles in the evening, after [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic hopped the coach back to London. Am in the lab now, checking on the cryostat in preparation for the coming cooldown this week.

I will go home soon and call it an early night so that I can begin the week rested and at full steam. The crises that the Universe has chosen to throw at me during the past week -- and recent months -- are not resolved. Much hard work remains. However, I am feeling a bit more relaxed and rested, which I hope will make me that much better equipped to deal with them.
So this birthday weekend turned out to be exactly what I needed after such a hellacious start to the week. I hope to do a longer write up later, but the short version is:

Friday: Go to bed early -- 8:30pm -- and sleep, unexpectedly, for twelve hours. I had not realised how exhausted I had been before that, but it is now obvious that I needed the rest.

Saturday (day): Wake up early and spend a solid eight hours cleaning Skullcrusher Mountain with [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat. Hard work, and boring, too... but it paid off. The flat looked much, much better by the end of the afternoon. Having an ordered space, especially in a chaotic time, gives a home base for getting grounded and focused.

Saturday (evening): As a reward for all that hard work, we had a very spiffy party. I hereby pronounce the first Skullcrusher Mountain party to be a complete success! We had fourteen people, lots of games, music, snacks, schmoozing, and fun! Just in case I never get to that longer write up promised above, I want to thank everyone who came and made the party happen!

Sunday: Slept late. Played games with [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic and [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat. Rang bells for services at St. Giles in the evening, after [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic hopped the coach back to London. Am in the lab now, checking on the cryostat in preparation for the coming cooldown this week.

I will go home soon and call it an early night so that I can begin the week rested and at full steam. The crises that the Universe has chosen to throw at me during the past week -- and recent months -- are not resolved. Much hard work remains. However, I am feeling a bit more relaxed and rested, which I hope will make me that much better equipped to deal with them.
Okay, so my birthday is now done, at least for another 364 days. That makes it time to wish a very happy 129th birthday to Albert Einstein... and an even happier 29th birthday to the Queen of Musical Theatre herself, the adorable [livejournal.com profile] squeektoy42!!! Have a great one, sweetie, and tell everyone at your party (that I know) that I said hi!

Finishing up the story of my own birthday, I survived the Coach Ride From HellTM yesterday evening. The ride from Oxford into London usually takes an hour and a half -- last night it took nearly two and a half. However, I had WiFi online to read birthday e-mails and e-cards, and I was able to craft yesterday's LJ entry, too. And I was able to connect with [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic and make it to the West End with plenty of time before Avenue Q began. So, in the end, it was all good.

The show itself was, as expected, brilliant. Having seen it before, this was not a surprise. I was, however, surprised to see that a few of the lyrics had been changed from the Broadway version, e.g., Gary Coleman's[*] first lines of the show, during the It Sucks To Be Me song. Happily, [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic -- who was seeing it for the first time -- enjoyed the play, too! And, yes, in case anyone was wondering, the inspiration to see Avenue Q again as the evening activity on my thirty-third birthday did stem from the lyric "It sucks to be broke and unemployed and turning thirty-three." What can I say? There's a reason that, in the P**T*** tarot deck project of 2000, I was assigned to be the Knave of Numbers.

So, yes, it was a very nice birthday and I got to share it with two wonderful women -- [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat and [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic. Tomorrow, the birthday celebration wraps up with the first ever Skullcrusher Mountain party. Tonight, however, will be more mellow. I need a nap, as I did not sleep nearly enough last night. And then this flat needs a ridiculous amount of cleaning. So that is the plan for my Friday night -- look what a wild party animal I am!

[*] I was curious to know what the real Gary Coleman thought of the Coleman character from Avenue Q. According to his Wikipedia article (see here), he is less than pleased and wants to sue them over it. Suppose I shouldn't be too surprised by this, either.

Okay, so my birthday is now done, at least for another 364 days. That makes it time to wish a very happy 129th birthday to Albert Einstein... and an even happier 29th birthday to the Queen of Musical Theatre herself, the adorable [livejournal.com profile] squeektoy42!!! Have a great one, sweetie, and tell everyone at your party (that I know) that I said hi!

Finishing up the story of my own birthday, I survived the Coach Ride From HellTM yesterday evening. The ride from Oxford into London usually takes an hour and a half -- last night it took nearly two and a half. However, I had WiFi online to read birthday e-mails and e-cards, and I was able to craft yesterday's LJ entry, too. And I was able to connect with [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic and make it to the West End with plenty of time before Avenue Q began. So, in the end, it was all good.

The show itself was, as expected, brilliant. Having seen it before, this was not a surprise. I was, however, surprised to see that a few of the lyrics had been changed from the Broadway version, e.g., Gary Coleman's[*] first lines of the show, during the It Sucks To Be Me song. Happily, [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic -- who was seeing it for the first time -- enjoyed the play, too! And, yes, in case anyone was wondering, the inspiration to see Avenue Q again as the evening activity on my thirty-third birthday did stem from the lyric "It sucks to be broke and unemployed and turning thirty-three." What can I say? There's a reason that, in the P**T*** tarot deck project of 2000, I was assigned to be the Knave of Numbers.

So, yes, it was a very nice birthday and I got to share it with two wonderful women -- [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat and [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic. Tomorrow, the birthday celebration wraps up with the first ever Skullcrusher Mountain party. Tonight, however, will be more mellow. I need a nap, as I did not sleep nearly enough last night. And then this flat needs a ridiculous amount of cleaning. So that is the plan for my Friday night -- look what a wild party animal I am!

[*] I was curious to know what the real Gary Coleman thought of the Coleman character from Avenue Q. According to his Wikipedia article (see here), he is less than pleased and wants to sue them over it. Suppose I shouldn't be too surprised by this, either.

anarchist_nomad: (Guess who?)
( Mar. 9th, 2008 11:52 pm)
This entry is a joint effort between me and y'all. I have got three call outs to make -- that's my job. You respond as appropriate -- that's yours.

Call the First: Roger Waters apparently is desperate for me to see him perform again[*]. I am thinking of seeing him perform in London on May 19th -- are there any Pink Floyd fans out there who would like to join me? Tickets went on sale today; I plan to buy mine tomorrow. So if you want to come along, let me know soon!

Call the Second: A couple of weeks ago, I took a poll to see where my birthday party should be held. It will be next Saturday -- March 15 -- at Skullcrusher Mountain, in Oxford. There was a reasonable response from people who seemed interested at the time but, since the poll ended, only five people have currently told me that they do plan on attending. While an RSVP is not necessary[**], it would help to know how much food and drink to stock up on. So if you think you are likely to attend, please do take a moment and let me know.

Call the Third: The first two calls have gone out to people on this side of the pond. I wouldn't want my US friends -- who still make up something like 80% of my f-list -- to feel left out, so this one's for you! Y'all just moved your clocks forward an hour[***], so for the next three weeks, the time difference has been reduced. For now, I am only four hours ahead of those of you on the East Coast, five hours ahead of my friends in the MidWest, and seven hours ahead of the West Coasters. This makes it a lot easier to phone home, particularly to the East Coast. I know that I have been somewhat negligent in keeping up on phone calls... so, if you would like to hear the Nomad's voice, let me know and I will try to set up a time to ring you before the time gaps returns to normal again at the end of March.

[*] Don't ask. Really.

[**] Except for those needing crash space.

[***] Not counting those of you who live in the weird state of Arizona.


anarchist_nomad: (Guess who?)
( Mar. 9th, 2008 11:52 pm)
This entry is a joint effort between me and y'all. I have got three call outs to make -- that's my job. You respond as appropriate -- that's yours.

Call the First: Roger Waters apparently is desperate for me to see him perform again[*]. I am thinking of seeing him perform in London on May 19th -- are there any Pink Floyd fans out there who would like to join me? Tickets went on sale today; I plan to buy mine tomorrow. So if you want to come along, let me know soon!

Call the Second: A couple of weeks ago, I took a poll to see where my birthday party should be held. It will be next Saturday -- March 15 -- at Skullcrusher Mountain, in Oxford. There was a reasonable response from people who seemed interested at the time but, since the poll ended, only five people have currently told me that they do plan on attending. While an RSVP is not necessary[**], it would help to know how much food and drink to stock up on. So if you think you are likely to attend, please do take a moment and let me know.

Call the Third: The first two calls have gone out to people on this side of the pond. I wouldn't want my US friends -- who still make up something like 80% of my f-list -- to feel left out, so this one's for you! Y'all just moved your clocks forward an hour[***], so for the next three weeks, the time difference has been reduced. For now, I am only four hours ahead of those of you on the East Coast, five hours ahead of my friends in the MidWest, and seven hours ahead of the West Coasters. This makes it a lot easier to phone home, particularly to the East Coast. I know that I have been somewhat negligent in keeping up on phone calls... so, if you would like to hear the Nomad's voice, let me know and I will try to set up a time to ring you before the time gaps returns to normal again at the end of March.

[*] Don't ask. Really.

[**] Except for those needing crash space.

[***] Not counting those of you who live in the weird state of Arizona.


anarchist_nomad: (Sunset over Key West)
( Mar. 6th, 2008 05:48 pm)
Birthday[*] cards have started to arrive in the post! Excellent! So far, I have received cards from Mom and The Kiddo. Wonder if any more will come in before the big day next week...

Actually, today was a pretty good mail day in more ways than one. Besides the birthday cardage -- and wouldn't it just figure after yesterday's entry? -- our visas[**] arrived in the post today! So many thanks to those of you who proffered advice both serious and silly... but it has thankfully become a moot point! [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat and I now have [at least] another two years to reside in the United Kingdom -- hooray!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic Puddle, I received word from [livejournal.com profile] gyades that a cheque for $2000 had arrived, somewhat unexpectedly, paying off an old debt from an ex-housemate. This debt, originally nearly $5k, was accumulated from 2001 - 2002... and the payoff process has been happening very slowly -- $50/month -- since then. The whole process has been an enormous frustration, so it is a very nice surprise to see it all over and done with.

Now it is off to St. Giles for the usual Thursday evening handbell and tower bell practice. I had best make the most of it, as I will be missing practice next week for my birthday, and the week after to see Jonathan Coulton!

[*] One week to go until my birthday and, as a reminder, the party will be next Saturday -- March 15th -- at Skullcrusher Mountain in Oxford! If you are on my f-list, then you can consider yourself invited.

[**] Interestingly (and irksomely) enough, the new visas -- which, unlike the old ones, are not tied to my job at the University -- were not granted as extensions of the previous ones but, rather, dated from the day of approval, earlier this week. This introduces the amusing situation where we are now in the UK under two simultaneous visas -- a work permit visa and a highly skilled migrant visa -- and will remain so for the next twenty days. Said situation is also annoying, as those twenty-two days of duplication are effectively lost time for me... and may come back to bite me later in the form of additional paperwork when it comes time, three years from now, to apply for indefinite leave to remain and citizenship.


anarchist_nomad: (Sunset over Key West)
( Mar. 6th, 2008 05:48 pm)
Birthday[*] cards have started to arrive in the post! Excellent! So far, I have received cards from Mom and The Kiddo. Wonder if any more will come in before the big day next week...

Actually, today was a pretty good mail day in more ways than one. Besides the birthday cardage -- and wouldn't it just figure after yesterday's entry? -- our visas[**] arrived in the post today! So many thanks to those of you who proffered advice both serious and silly... but it has thankfully become a moot point! [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat and I now have [at least] another two years to reside in the United Kingdom -- hooray!

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic Puddle, I received word from [livejournal.com profile] gyades that a cheque for $2000 had arrived, somewhat unexpectedly, paying off an old debt from an ex-housemate. This debt, originally nearly $5k, was accumulated from 2001 - 2002... and the payoff process has been happening very slowly -- $50/month -- since then. The whole process has been an enormous frustration, so it is a very nice surprise to see it all over and done with.

Now it is off to St. Giles for the usual Thursday evening handbell and tower bell practice. I had best make the most of it, as I will be missing practice next week for my birthday, and the week after to see Jonathan Coulton!

[*] One week to go until my birthday and, as a reminder, the party will be next Saturday -- March 15th -- at Skullcrusher Mountain in Oxford! If you are on my f-list, then you can consider yourself invited.

[**] Interestingly (and irksomely) enough, the new visas -- which, unlike the old ones, are not tied to my job at the University -- were not granted as extensions of the previous ones but, rather, dated from the day of approval, earlier this week. This introduces the amusing situation where we are now in the UK under two simultaneous visas -- a work permit visa and a highly skilled migrant visa -- and will remain so for the next twenty days. Said situation is also annoying, as those twenty-two days of duplication are effectively lost time for me... and may come back to bite me later in the form of additional paperwork when it comes time, three years from now, to apply for indefinite leave to remain and citizenship.


Hell, no -- party on the Ides of March!

That's right! The votes have been tallied, the chads have been hung, and the butterfly ballots have flown the coop! Results? Survey says -- Nomad's thirty-third birthday party will be celebrated in Oxford, at Skullcrusher Mountain, on Saturday March 15th from about five o'clock until... well, until whenever, really. There will be games and snacks and pizza and good company and good conversation. Crash space for those coming in from out of town will be available, though please do RSVP if you think that you will need it. Hope to see you there![*]

And, lest I commit a grievous sin of omission, I wish to extend many thanks to the lovely person who generously offered to donate space in London for hosting this party.

In other news, tonight I managed to triumph at a very competitive Puerto Rico game. At the end, I won with sixty-four points. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat came in second with fifty-four points; M came in not far behind with fifty-two points; C brought up the rear with thirty-eight points.

In still other news, [livejournal.com profile] resourceress brought to my attention this evening that there is a new trailer out for the upcoming Iron Man movie. I am very much looking forward to this flick -- by the time it comes out in May, I will have been an Iron Man fan for twenty years[**]. Knowing Marvel poor track record with movies that aren't about Spider-Man or the X-Men, I won't get my hopes up too high. However, at least the effects should be impressive and -- who knows? -- maybe the writing will be good, too.

Right. Now it is time for bed, as the entrancing [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic will be arriving for the weekend in just over eleven hours! Hmmmm... Somehow I need to convince myself that I am not really excited so that I can actually fall asleep.

[*] Anyone needing an address of directions should e-mail me at my LJ username (at) livejournal (dot) com.

[**] Having started collecting super-hero comic books with Iron Man v.1 #233 in May 1988.


Hell, no -- party on the Ides of March!

That's right! The votes have been tallied, the chads have been hung, and the butterfly ballots have flown the coop! Results? Survey says -- Nomad's thirty-third birthday party will be celebrated in Oxford, at Skullcrusher Mountain, on Saturday March 15th from about five o'clock until... well, until whenever, really. There will be games and snacks and pizza and good company and good conversation. Crash space for those coming in from out of town will be available, though please do RSVP if you think that you will need it. Hope to see you there![*]

And, lest I commit a grievous sin of omission, I wish to extend many thanks to the lovely person who generously offered to donate space in London for hosting this party.

In other news, tonight I managed to triumph at a very competitive Puerto Rico game. At the end, I won with sixty-four points. [livejournal.com profile] cheshcat came in second with fifty-four points; M came in not far behind with fifty-two points; C brought up the rear with thirty-eight points.

In still other news, [livejournal.com profile] resourceress brought to my attention this evening that there is a new trailer out for the upcoming Iron Man movie. I am very much looking forward to this flick -- by the time it comes out in May, I will have been an Iron Man fan for twenty years[**]. Knowing Marvel poor track record with movies that aren't about Spider-Man or the X-Men, I won't get my hopes up too high. However, at least the effects should be impressive and -- who knows? -- maybe the writing will be good, too.

Right. Now it is time for bed, as the entrancing [livejournal.com profile] ms_katonic will be arriving for the weekend in just over eleven hours! Hmmmm... Somehow I need to convince myself that I am not really excited so that I can actually fall asleep.

[*] Anyone needing an address of directions should e-mail me at my LJ username (at) livejournal (dot) com.

[**] Having started collecting super-hero comic books with Iron Man v.1 #233 in May 1988.


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