So, it is party time again, folks!

[wiseheart]

Each year this time, we launch my virtual birthday party, which starts on October 1 and ends on October 9 at midnight, sharp. The goals of the party are to post as many comments and collapse as many threads as possible, on as many new pages as we can. It is always great fun, as you can see if you check out the similar entries of the last few years.

This year, I'll also throw the real party at mid-time - and post the recipes of all the food that will be there for you, so that you can all participate if you want to. Virtual food has no calories.

Fandom-related discussions are as welcome as the ones about coffee or chocolate (just to name a few favourites from previous years), and, of course, pictures and recipes of birthday cakes. ;)

So, drop by, tell your story, post your pics or silly poems, ask questions you always wanted to ask and have a good time!

Soledad, in excited expectation




Oh, and by the way, to provide birthday gifts hobbit-style, I've got a revived story and a Kansas 2 update for you.

Enjoy!

Comments

[sammydragoncat]

Don't stress yourself about the recipe - whenever you can is fine

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

We made page 7! Yay!

[mr-ea.livejournal.com]

Hi Soledad Happy birthday and thanks for the (zero calorie) virtual cookie. Every thousand years I awake from my slumbers and post on LJ. I've finally managed to talk to EA who has been totally engrossed in your party & talking about Yuletide. All the best Mr EA

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

I can't resist responding to say welcome! Even though this virtual party is nominally somewhere in Europe, and we're side by side in front of the nice warm fire...

[mr-ea.livejournal.com]

Do you want me to put another log on the fire? This is great! I don't even have to talk in person ;)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Yes, please!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

It's so sweet to listen to the two of you! :)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

We're not so sweet in person!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Yes, you are! You forget that I've met you.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Mr EA is quite nice (except late at night when he has a tendency to fall asleep in front of the television), but I'm truly Eeeevil :)

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

When I started my engineering degree -- in the last century -- that is basically what we used our email accounts for: 'talking' to the other people in the same room! I am so pleased to see the 'tradition' is being upheld! :-)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Shows how positively ancient we all are, doesn't it? :)

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

Ancient is good in my book!

[mr-ea.livejournal.com]

When I started my engineering degree in the last century, we didn't have mail ;) or do I mean :)

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

You win! Do have some (virtual) chocolate! :-) (I think yours should be a ;-) ; I have been know to discuss the proper usage of emoticons at length, and the need for sarcasm markers in the written language. Just to be clear: no part of this comment is sarcastic!)

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Hi, Mr EA! I'm very proud of my magic powers that managed to awake you from your thousand year slumber. Thanks for dropping by. :)

[sammydragoncat]

Wow - that made page 7!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

And espresso_addict brought male company, too, to put the crown on the end of the day, as we say it in Hungary. mr_ea saved the honour of the male gender, now that mraltariel doesn't come to my parties anymore.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Hands off, he's mine, all mine, I say... ;)

[mr-ea.livejournal.com]

My valour knows no bounds! [need an emoticon for 'tongue in cheek']

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

Yay P7 \o/

Happy birthday again, as the day draws to a close. I hope the next year brings you lots of fun and nice comments, and as little stress as possible!

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

This party is really going! Page 7 with 1172 (as of writing this) comments. Can we make it to 1200 before wiseheart's midnight?

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

1187 now.... I think we can!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

We just have!

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

Indeed, we did! \o/

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

And we did it! Virtual coffee and chocolate all around, I think!

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

I'll bring the chocolate! Now at 1221 -- what a lovely number! :-)

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

*shares coffee and hot chocolate* And the total is still going up!

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

And up! ;-)

[sammydragoncat]

now at 1208!

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

I am perpetually amazed at our prolixity!

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

So many comments, so many conversations \o/

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

It is a shame it has to come to an end, but I think Mr EA would quite like to see me in the evenings again...

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

What a lovely word! I hadn't come across that before -- thank you for introducing me!

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Walking dictionary to the gentry :)

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your service!

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

:) We have upstairs & downstairs dictionaries in this house.

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

Now that I have an upstairs and a downstairs, I do too! Though my upstairs dictionary isn't as good as my downstairs one...

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

We have, I think, four big paper English-only dictionaries, plus the complete OED on CD-ROM, but all but the downstairs dictionary live in the upstairs offices.

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

Most of my books live in my living room. I think I own three different English-only dictionaries, one of which is upstairs and one in my office at work. I have three Swedish only dictionaries, one of which is upstairs, with the other two downstairs, on the dictionaries shelf, with my German only dictionary and the dual language ones. (Just in case you hadn't noticed: I am quite fond of dictionaries!)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Me too! I have a dictionaries shelf upstairs in my office, with the big dual-language ones (French, German, Spanish), my upstairs Chambers & the little Oxford, the OED disk, a couple of different thesauri, plus my encyclopaedias &c. Mr EA has a Collins dictionary in his office next door, too, but I don't rate that one.

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

I grew up with a Concise Oxford Dictionary as the arbitrator of the English language, that Mum had brought over from England. I was very pleased to find a later edition, in a book shop in Sweden so that I could have my own copy when I moved away to university. I keep thinking of getting a subscription to the on-line OED, but have never got as far as finding out how much it would cost... Plus there is something much more satisfactory about looking things up in a physical book!

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

In terms of vernacular English usage, Chambers is arguably better, and it is certainly more precise for scientific usage -- I like having the two definitions side by side.

The online OED is really fantastic if you are interested in etymology, date of first use or history of different meanings -- are you a member of a local public library? I don't know whether it extends to NI, but in England one can get access to the online OED via a library card login.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

espresso_addict has an amazing vocabulary!

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

In English! I'm perpetually amazed at the extent of your vocabulary in your third language!

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

She does indeed!

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

Nearly the top of the hour, so I want to say thank you for such a great party! Fun as usually and lovely to catch up with with people! Great conversations and fun!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Well, ladies and mr_ea, according the clock on my laptop we have 1 minute left. Thank you all for coming, it was a lovely party, and - hopefully - see you next year here again.

Love,
Soledad

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

Thank you for a truly amazing party! I am already looking forward to next year!

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

Thank you for hosting!

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Is this the hint to stop chatting! :(

I've had a lovely time, and hope that we can all keep in touch between parties too.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

No, it is just the moment when I succumb to gravity.
And yes, it would be nice to keep in touch. I miss the times when there was more life on LJ.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

I try to post at least a couple of times a month, but what with the split between DW & LJ, and my increasing care to put most personal content behind filters, I find I get fewer & fewer comments, and hardly any real discussions. Sigh.

[sammydragoncat]

Truly lovely party - thank you for having it

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

Thanks again for a lovely party, wiseheart! I hope you have enjoyed your virtual birthday party as much as I have. Best wishes for a lovely year ahead, with lots of fun lj-commenting and craft projects.

Now I really must get off to bed; another nine am lecture for me in the morning...

[bk_forever]

Tail end Charlie, stopping by late, to wish you a Very Happy Birthday! Sorry I wasn't around the party much this year, real life is being a pain. Looks like it was a great one though!

So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! *hugs*



Here's to many more, and may the coming year bring you everything you wish for!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, shiny! Thank you!

[bk_forever]

You're welcome! Sorry I couldn't join in more, but life... Meh! (We still have no heating.)

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

We're heading down to the sea again for a few days, so I may not have much online access and may miss the finale...

So, here's wishing you a happy birthday, with many more to be enjoyed in good health, wealth and wisdom! [hugs]

[elmey.livejournal.com]

It's not midnight here yet :) So a last chance to wish you a very happy Birthday, and much joy and good writing in the coming year!