how to disconcert an Evil Landlord

Wander into his study while he's playing Titan Quest, peer over his shoulder and remark "Your avatar has a nice butt!" He went all speechless. Heh.

Various people are asking me the Dreaded Question, viz. whether there's anything I want in particular for my birthday. There are lots of things I want, but none I really expect for birthdays: I arrive at enough people's parties too broke to buy them presents, after all. Nonetheless, I personally hate the mental wheel-spins as I try to think up a gift for someone who's said "Nothing, really, you don't have to buy a present!", so here's a vague wishlist, in no particular order. (And I suggest you form collectives if you really want to shower me with any of this, things like graphic novels are expensive and I'm not into financially crippling my friends)

• Any of Books 4 to 10 in the Stephanie Plum series (by Janet Ivanovich).
• Graphic novels! I don't have enough graphic novels. Any Sandman, anything Joss or Gaiman scripted, any Buffy/Firefly spinoffs, X-Men, Hellboy. All I actually own is the first few Fables.
• CDs: I'm a bit lacking in early Belle & Sebastian (Tigermilk, Feeling Sinister, Fold Your Hands), but doubt whether you'll unearth those in these benighted climes. Also missing some Eurythmics (Savage, Revenge, Touch, Peace). Rather want some David Bowie, don't have any. Same with Madness.
• I have to restate last year's comment, I really enjoy most of the usual birthday fallbacks, viz. flowers, chocolate, vouchers, bath stuff, whatever.
• I also have an Amazon wishlist (the UK Amazon), under my Real Name, TM, which is more or less a personal mnemonic for Things I Plan To Buy Sometime, and may give you some ideas for particular books etc.

I should probably report that today I whipped into shape the last obstreperous bit of Disney crit, and am now sailing gently through the whole thing, alternately thinking "Gosh, this is crap" and "Gosh, that was quite good" while ferociously picking nits. The updated versions are backed up on my Ipod, my memory stick, Gmail and my campus computer, so hopefully nothing short of a direct meteor strike on Cape Town will prevent me submitting them on time tomorrow. I feel a bit stunned. Probably, since jo&stv are about to descend with a bottle of champagne, a bucket of KFC and a copy of Dodgeball, I'm about to feel even more stunned. In a good way.

Bunny Threat Level: Bright red, with red flashing lights and sirens.