I keep meaning to post things I've written here. No joke, I have about 20 half to seven-eighths done articles sitting on my laptop. Waiting for me. Also, mocking me on days that I haven't had enough sleep.

But to be honest, I've got a lot going on currently. I just got married in November, and I'm trying to secure a better job situation for my husband and I.

Today is not for talking about me though. Today is an odd day. It's my friend Katie's birthday.

Katie is a great friend of mine. She's 24 years old today.

She's not much of a gamer, but she'll listen to me summarize and reweave stories from RPGs for hours at a time. She loves intelligent stories no matter where they're from. She loves to read. Never leaves home without a book. Even always carries a tote bag instead of a purse so her books won't get bent. She used to bring her mental floss magazine into to work for us to read together, because I was the only other girl at work interested in anything vaguely obscurely cerebral.

She has a wonderful laugh and makes a ton of goofy ass faces that are funnier than any terrible line Barrett has from FF7.

She's one of the first friends I'd made as an adult. You see, I'm a terribly shy person. I also come across as odd, and I make situations awkward. I swear it's my natural talent. You always remember when you meet that first friend though. Your first job or class outside of high school. Completely new people you've never meet. I'm practically a mute in those situations. But She reached out to me. Made me not feel so awkward. Made me know it was okay to be an intelligent girl out in the world.

She's a great person and my best friend. In fact, the best female friend I've ever had.


I asked her to be my maid of honor. She was planning my 21st birthday party too.


I got married on November 13th last year......



And she wasn't there. Except for a picture. And a feeling of goodwill.



You see. This is Katie's first birthday since she was killed last May. It's a very odd day.

And I miss her still.

Happy Birthday, Katie.