This is the first time I’ll thank a photosharing website (and possibly, hopefully?, the last), but I have to give credit where it is due: flickr has been one of the finest things to evolve from the best elements of the internet. It has enriched my connections, made me a better photographer, and wasted a vast part of my life that otherwise would have been devoted to such outre Web 1.0 pursuits as online text adventures, friendster {*eye roll*}, and forwarding important chain emails.

Flickr, in its benevolent omnipotence, also acted as [platonic] matchmaker. Last fall, I spied this picture that had been posted in the Ventura County flickr group:

I got a little shock, as I had taken this picture:

So I commented on this unknown human’s photo, pointing out our fine taste at ironical images. The synchroniliciousness did not stop there; when this human visited my photostream, it was her turn for a little shock. I had posted an image of me holding a bridal bouquet at a Bay Area wedding I had been to:

…in which I pointed out the bouquet I was holding had been hand-delivered to me by the bride [guaranteeing my imminent nuptials, ahem].

This human, who I came to know as Spark and Foam (her flickr ID), told me that she experienced the same bouquet phenomenon, at a Bay Area wedding, on the same day.

And she lives in Ventura. And her name is Violet. And she’s now my real live, brick-and-mortar friend. AND it’s her birthday today.

Hooray! My peculiar little life here has been enriched significantly by the introduction of Violetsparksparkalicity into it. We have had some grand adventures in our short acquaintance. And by “grand adventures” I mean “debauched timewasting.”

The fates gave me a kiss, is what they did — with french!

Happy birthday, my girl. If I had been there for your birth, I would have smacked you on the forehead and shouted “ew! a BABY!” but I’m sure you would’ve understood what I really meant.