I got a bunch of great birthday wishes.  Alan and Kristin are visiting Alan's family in Erie about and hour and a half from here, and came to celebrate my bday with me today.   My nephew and niece surprised me with an ice cream cake for breakfast, and pizza for lunch, and lots of significant smiles.   Mom and Dad included in gift giving and birthday singing, and then Alan and Kristin and I toured the country I grew up in.  Will write a more detailed journal entry about it soonish.  But as a teaser, we asked around at the local antique dealer/bookstore for directions to the house of Leigh Brackett, science fiction writer extraordinaire and script writer for  the Empire Strikes Back and also worked with William Faulkner on the Big Sleep.  Got to go by and feel all good about my hometown and her having been part of it, as well as Clarence Darrow, all you evolutionists, stand up and praise his name.  That's right, homegrown here, buster.  Anyway, into Youngstown to the B&O railroad station diner/bar for dinner and martinis.  Happy Happy, oh and Strange Horizons accepted a story, The Trail of My Father's Blood, for publication.  Great Birthday.  And so many lovely emails which I will respond to shortly.  Hugs and Kisses and renditions of I Touch Myself to all, which is a form of love, don'tcha know?  (Okay, okay, I'm still tipsy) xoxox, Chris