Where the magic happens…

THIS IS where the magic happens for me. It is my workspace cleverly tucked away in a recess and hidden by a divider in our bedroom. (Click picture to see annotations.)

The shelf is too small for all my books, so I only put those that I have read recently and store the rest in the attic.

My keyboard rests on a desk pad, itself adorned with prints of pictures that I have taken. I like having pictures around me all the time: pictures on Flickr, pictures held by magnets on the fridge, framed pictures on window sills, and so on.

Do you have a picture of where you do your magic?

Eddy.

How many birthdays do you remember?

SOME people seem to remember everyone else’s birthday. I am ashamed to say that I am not one of them, and even for some members of my family, I only have a vague notion when their birthday is approaching.

So, how many birthdays can I remember?

Priscilla’s, of course (1)

My parents’ (2)
My two sisters’ (2)
Two of my brothers’ (2)
Two other brothers’ are only vague (2)
Three nephews’ (2)

Three cousins’ (3) (out of a few dozens, I dare say)

Strangely, that of a former colleague last seen in 2001 (1) …
… and two old friends from school (2)

Total: 17

Out of the lot, the birthday of one cousin always comes vividly because we grew up together from when we were six until we were well into our teens. I saw her last at a wedding in 2004 in Rodrigues, but had not seen her for about eight years before that. Still, every 21 April, I wake up thinking, “It’s Laiha’s birthday.”

So, happy birthday, Laiha, wherever you are now.

Eddy.