#neeblack

I have been hiding away in a mental blanket burrito and generally avoiding interacting with Real Life as much as possible. I've been existing in a eat-sleep-puppy care-family drama bubble and even though I know it's not good for my headspace I've been retreating more and more from everything else because fam business has been sucking up all my energy and I just feel like a vortex of stress and snappishness and negativity that shouldn't be allowed within ten feet of The Outside World lest I suck all the joy out of the people around me. You know, the usual super logical depression stuff. 

I've been slowly trying to drag myself out of that this week, though, and I see my therapist tomorrow which I know will be a big help. She always is. Just knowing that she is going to tell me to take a step back from family goings on and stop trying to fix it all has helped me start moving in the right direction. She is going to kick my butt and remind me that isolating myself and fixating only ever leads to more bad, and that's exactly the kick in the pants I need right now.

Extricating myself from my own head when I get this far down the rabbit hole of crazy is always a bit of a process, but the beautiful sunshine we've had all week plus some tough self love and the therapeutic effect of a good haircut has me on the right track. I will be around this weekend for sure, and will start working on getting caught up on all the things I have been letting slide. 

That’s right, get out the parade floats and confetti cannons, it’s Mylissa’s birthday!!! Everyone should join me in wishing her a fabulous day because no one deserves it more than this awesome lady.

Mylissa, platonic love of my life, kindred spirit, my person, may you have an absolutely fantastic birthday and an even better year. You deserve only the best and I have informed the universe that anything less is absolutely unacceptable. You are one of the best people I know in every sense of the world and I feel so lucky to be able to look forward to another year (and many more years to come!) of our friendship. I can’t wait to travel more of the world with you and look forward to our next adventure.

I don’t tell you enough how much you mean to me (especially when school swallows me whole and we hardly get to talk properly, oops) but it’s not an exaggeration to say I can’t imagine my life without you. I can’t imagine what the last five years would look like if I hadn’t met you, and I can’t imagine a future without you in it. You inspire me every day to be passionate and go after what I want and not let anything stand in my way, and I just know amazing things are coming your way.

Love you like crazy <3 Happy birthday! 

Historically, the age of majority for kings has varied wildly. Louis XIV of France had a regent from age 5 until his coronation at age 16. His successor, Louis XV, also had a regency from childhood, but came to power at 13. In Spain, Charles II legally came to power at 14, though in practice he only ruled independently for a few years before his death. In England, Henry III had regents from age 9 until his majority at age 20. Henry VI was declared of age to rule at 16. It goes on.

However, in Westeros (which is not history, it is fiction), age of majority is 16, straight up. Besides Word of God, it's also stated in the books in multiple places, but most relevantly here:

"Joffrey is but twelve, and Robert gave you the regency, my lord. [. . .] It will be four years before Joffrey comes of age."

-- Petyr Baelish, A Game of Thrones, Eddard XIII (Chapter 47)

bafta in a pub.

Happy birthday wife, kindred spirit, sister from another mister! I love you to the moon and back. You are an ever inspiring badass with one of the hugest hearts and charmingest smiles I have ever known. Petitioning for today to become an international holiday with parades in your honour. Have a super fabulous day, lovely.

And considering she owns around about a third of my heart I thought I should tell her that she's my hero. 

She inspires me every day to try and figure out what I want to do with my life and go for it.

She inspires me to get up off my arse, keep going, be good and nice even when shitty people do shitty things to you.

(I had to think up new things which is why this has taken a while)

I would gladly hike across a large land mass to help you reclaim the lost land and treasure of your people. I would diligently stand by your side and do my best to help you claim a throne made of metal. If you offered I would instantly jump into a small blue box with you and travel through time and space, even if you didn't seem particularly responsible about it. I would travel half way across the world to surprise you for one of your shows (OH WAIT I DID THAT!!!). Were we on a boat that sunk in the middle of the ocean I would move over and make space for you on the floating door. I would EVEN purposefully burn bread for you so that I could sneak out and feed you in the middle of the RAIN!!!

So my darling wife, HAVE A BRILLIANT BIRTHDAY!! Because you completely deserve.

You are SUPER INTENSE (<3) BRILLIANT, WONDERFUL and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you for ever and for always!